HIV testing in the US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009-2010.

摘要

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the nation's largest single provider of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care. Veterans with HIV infection in VA care receive HIV care at all 152 VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) and throughout all 21 of the VA's Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs). To date, nearly 64 000 Veterans have received HIV care in the VA, and in 2009, more than 24 000 Veterans with HIV were receiving care at theVA.Congressional repeal of long-standing requirements barring widespread HIV testing and requiring written informed consent allowed for change in VA HIV testing policy. In August 2009, the VA aligned its HIV testing policies with the 2006 recommendations on HIV testing by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention2 to offer voluntary HIV testing to all veterans, regardless of age, as part of routine health care at least once, and annually for those veterans with ongoing risk factors. These policy changes also allowed informed consent for such testing to be obtained verbally at VAMCs, regardless of individual state law.