A street intercept survey to assess HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors

Nationally, it has been estimated that 44% of adults in the United States h ave been tested for HIV, with substantial individual and community-level va riations in HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors. HIV-testing behaviors and intentions and attitudes toward HIV testing, particularly toward home tests , were assessed among 385 adults recruited in a street intercept survey fro m a gay-identified agency, a substance-abuse treatment program, and inner-c ity community venues (a shopping mall and community center). Across these L os Angeles sites, the proportion of persons reported being tested for HIV i n their lifetime (77%) was higher than the national estimate. Gay-identifie d agency (88%) and substance-abuse treatment program participants (99%) wer e more likely to have been tested than were the community participants (67% ). Participants from a gay-identified agency were more likely to have had a n anonymous test (51%) than were those from a substance-abuse treatment pro gram (25%) or community sites (24%). Attitudes toward HIV testing, includin g mail-in home-test kits and instant home tests, were very positive. Most p articipants were willing to pay about $20 for a home-test kit. Participants from the community sites (82%) and the substance-abuse treatment program p articipants (87%) endorsed notification of HIV status to health departments and sexual partners more than did participants from the gay identified age ncy (48%). The street intercept survey appears to be a quick and feasible m ethod to assess HIV testing in urban areas.