Integrating Rapid HIV Testing in Emergency Care Improves HIV Detection

摘要

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) offer an important venue to identify undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and represent one of the CDC's priority areas under "Healthy People 2010." Beginning in late 2004, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of HIV/AIDS Services (NJDHSS, DHAS) decided to support the introduction of voluntary opt-in rapid HIV testing at selected EDs in New Jersey by a collaborative arrangement with NJ hospitals. This expansion of publicly funded counseling and testing was undertaken to facilitate the integration of rapid HTV testing into a health care setting that typically provides the only health care services to certain underserved and socially marginalized sections of the community. Some studies have suggested that the prevalence of HIV is frequently higher in emergency room settings than in other health care settings. Preliminary data available in 2004 suggested that rapid HIV testing in NJ hospital ERs was effective at identifying significant new HTV positive clients who were then effectively linked to follow-up care.