HIV TESTING IN SWITZERLAND

Objectives: To obtain information about the prevalence of, reasons for , and adequacy of HIV testing in the general population in Switzerland in 1992. Design: Telephone survey (n = 2800). Results: Some 47% of th e sample underwent one HIV test performed through blood donation (24%) , voluntary testing (17%) or both (6%). Of the sample, 46% considered themselves well or very well informed about the HIV test. Patients rep orted unsystematic pre-test screening by doctors for the main HIV risk s. People having been in situations of potential exposure to risk were more likely to have had the test than others. Overall, 85% of those H IV-tested had a relevant, generally risk-related reason for having it performed. Conclusions: HIV testing is widespread in Switzerland. Test ing is mostly performed for relevant reasons. Pre-test counselling is poor and an opportunity for prevention is thus lost.