PATTERNS OF HIV TESTING IN SCOTLAND - A GENERAL-PRACTITIONER PERSPECTIVE

General practitioners are one of the largest groups who offer HIV test ing but little is known about the patient group who present for HIV co unselling and testing in primary care. This study describes the risk f actors, positivity rate, temporal trends and demographic profile of pa tients presenting to their general practitioner for HIV testing in cen tral Scotland. Of 8,466 tests taken 1% (84) were positive with an inde pendent association between a positive result and age group, history o f drug misuse, homosexuality and region of testing. The majority of te sts were performed in those who were at low risk and because of patien t concern about HIV. No increase in the number of positive tests was a pparent over the five-year study period. Variations between GP testing for HIV occurs in different regions and may reflect the underlying HI V positivity rate. General practitioners performing HIV tests are well placed to educate their patients about HIV and encourage low risk sex ual behaviour patterns.