Acceptability of voluntary population screening for antibodies against HIV

Article Abstract:

As the spread of AIDS affects individuals outside the original high-risk groups, effective monitoring of the disease becomes both more important and more difficult. While testing of military recruits, blood donors, pregnant women, and newborn babies all provide some insight into the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, random sampling of demographically defined individuals may be the best solution. However, such a solution would have to be acceptable to the population involved. To determine the acceptability of a voluntary HIV screening program, a random sample of 300 Danish men was surveyed. The men were sent a questionnaire asking if they would be willing to be tested in an HIV screening program. Two hundred (87 percent) of the respondents were willing to participate in screening. Of those willing to participate, only 5 percent wanted the test information to be completely anonymous. A code number known only to the respondent was preferred for testing by 22.1 percent, and 72.9 percent said they would not object to identifying themselves to researchers. Of the men who said they would not participate, 40 percent said they were not worried about AIDS; 16.7 percent said they were concerned about confidentiality problems. Previous studies have shown that the individuals who do not participate in such a study are more likely to engage in high-risk behavior than those who do. Therefore, for any survey to be accurate, the rate of response must be good. Even with a good response, a random survey is likely to underestimate the actual prevalence of HIV infection. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Social aspects, Testing, Medical screening, Health screening, AIDS virus carriers, HIV carriers

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The effect of tuberculosis as a new AIDS definition criterion in epidemiological surveillance data from a South European area

Article Abstract:

In 1982, the Centers for Disease Control established a list of diagnostic criteria for the then novel disease known as AIDS. The diagnostic criteria have evolved as more knowledge has accumulated and a greater range of AIDS cases have been observed. Among the changes is the inclusion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis as a diagnostic criterion. In a study conducted in Catalonia, investigators determined the effect that the inclusion of tuberculosis outside the lungs as an AIDS criterion has on the calculated incidence and prevalence of AIDS. They found that the overall prevalence of AIDS is 30 percent higher when this criterion is included in the definition of AIDS. Moreover, the incidence of AIDS is 60 percent higher by this same criterion. In Catalonia, the identification of extrapulmonary tuberculosis among intravenous drug users accounts for the majority of newly diagnosed cases of AIDS. The authors also suggest that the inclusion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis as a diagnostic criterion is likely to, in the long run, increase the calculated survival time of patients with AIDS. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Demographic aspects, Tuberculosis

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