Provision of HIV Test Results by Telephone Is Both Safe & Efficient for Men Who Have Sex with Men

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of delivering HIV test results by telephone on HIV testing and subsequent risk behaviour of men, as well as saving on clinic consultation time. It was conducted at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, the main public sexual health clinic servicing Victoria, Australia. 

In 2013, a policy change was introduced so men could obtain their HIV test result via telephone. We compared the proportion of men testing for HIV and receiving results in the 24 months before (2011-2012) and the 24 months after (2013-2014) the policy change. There was a modest increase in the proportion of men having a HIV test of 3.2% (p < 0.001) after the policy change. T

he provision of HIV results by telephone more than halved the number of men re-attending (74.4% vs. 33.1%) which freed up 516 hours of clinic time and had no adverse outcome on subsequent risk behaviour, nor changed the proportion of men who obtained their HIV results (p = 0.058), or the period of time between testing and obtaining results for HIV-negative (p = 0.007) and HIV-positive results (p = 0.198). 

Telephone notification of HIV test results is a useful option given the potential beneficial effects shown.

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By:   Bissessor M1, Bradshaw CS2, Fairley CK2, Chen MY2, Chow EP2.

• 1Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia mbissessor@mshc.org.au.
• 2Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 

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Notification Following New Positive HIV Test Results

Client notification of a new HIV diagnosis is critical for timely access to treatment and reduction in behaviours associated with HIV infection. It is also an important input in HIV transmission and disease progression models. We used national, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded HIV testing events data collected through the National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation system to update estimates of the proportion of newly identified HIV-positives notified of their status. 

We compared estimates from 2008 to 2010 across test technologies, settings, and HIV risk groups. 

• In 2010, notification following a positive rapid test was 99.6% compared with 99.3% in 2008. 
• Notification following a positive conventional test was 81.5% in 2010 compared with 80.8% in 2008. 

To realise the full promise of early HIV diagnosis and treatment for the prevention of additional HIV cases, efforts to ensure prompt notification following a new HIV diagnosis will be crucial.

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By: Huang YA1, Hutchinson AB2, Hollis ND2, Sansom SL2.

• 1Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA 
• 2Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

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