Rapid HIV testing increases testing frequency among gay and bisexual men: a controlled before–after study
Phillip Keen
A M , Muhammad Jamil A , Denton Callander A , Damian P. Conway A , Anna McNulty B C , Stephen C. Davies D E , Deborah C. Couldwell F G , Don E. Smith C H , Martin Holt I , Stefanie J. Vaccher A , James Gray A J , Philip Cunningham K L , Garrett Prestage A , Rebecca Guy A and on behalf of the NSW Rapid HIV Testing Evaluation Framework*
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
B Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
C School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
D North Shore Sexual Health Service, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
E Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
F Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW 2150, Australia.
G The Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
H Albion Centre, 150 Albion Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia.
I Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
J ACON, 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
K NSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV, St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
L St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
M Corresponding author. Email: pkeen@kirby.unsw.edu.au
Sexual Health 16(2) 172-179 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH18161
Submitted: 29 August 2018 Accepted: 12 December 2018 Published: 4 April 2019
Abstract
Background: Rapid HIV testing was introduced at 12 clinics in New South Wales (NSW) for routine testing and promoted with social marketing. The effect of the availability of rapid HIV testing on testing frequency among gay and bisexual men (GBM) was evaluated. Methods: An observational design using patient data from 12 clinics was used. The primary outcome was the mean number of HIV tests in 12 months. The intervention group comprised GBM who had one or more rapid tests from October 2013 to September 2014 and this was compared with two control groups; a concurrent group (no rapid test in the same period) and a historical group (attended between July 2011 and June 2012). Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare mean number of tests among men in the intervention, concurrent and historical groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between rapid HIV testing and testing frequency. Results: Men in the intervention group (n = 3934) had a mean of 1.8 HIV tests in 12 months, compared with 1.4 in the concurrent group (n = 5063; P < 0.001) and 1.4 in the historical group (n = 5904; P < 0.001); testing frequency was higher among men at increased risk of HIV in the intervention group compared with the other two groups (mean 2.2, 1.6 and 1.5 respectively; P < 0.001). Membership of the intervention group was associated with increased odds of having two or more HIV tests in 12 months (AOR = 2.5, 95%CI 2.2–2.8; P < 0.001) compared with the concurrent group, after controlling for demographic and behavioural factors. Conclusion: Introducing and promoting rapid HIV testing in clinics in NSW was associated with increased HIV testing frequency among GBM.
Additional keywords: Australia, HIV testing frequency, MSM, New South Wales.
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