Community involvement may improve rates of HIV testing

While access to HIV testing alone may reduce the rate of virus transmission, encouraging individuals to seek testing in the first place is key. A recent study published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases indicates that community programs, including mobile HIV testing and neighborhood events, may increase the number of individuals who are screened for the disease and detect more undiagnosed cases.

The researchers said that HIV testing is important because it has been associated with a reduction in risky behaviors and allows individuals to receive proper treatment.

To test the efficacy of these programs, the scientists implemented a community involvement plan in one of two demographically similar towns. The study's results showed that the prevalence of HIV testing in the experimental community was 37 percent, compared to only 9 percent in those that only had traditional clinic-based testing services.

"Many individuals in the United States with HIV infection do not know if they have it, and strategies like this might be used in cities and neighborhoods with high densities of HIV infection," said lead researcher Thomas Coates.