Provider-initiated HIV testing in health care settings: Should it include client-centered counselling?
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Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS
Abstract
To increase access to HIV testing, the WHO and CDC have recommended implementing provider-initiated HIV testing (PITC). To
address the resource limitations of the PITC setting, WHO and CDC suggest that patient-provider interactions during PITC may
need to focus on providing information and referrals, instead of engaging patients in client-centered counselling, as is recommended during client-initiated HIV testing. Providing HIV prevention information has been shown to be less effective than client-centered counselling in reducing HIV-risk behaviour and STI incidence. Therefore, concerns exist about the efficacy of PITC as an HIV prevention approach. However, reductions in HIV incidence may be greater if more people know their HIV status through expanded availability of PITC, even if PITC is a less effective prevention intervention than is client-initiated HIV testing for individual patients. In the absence of an answer to this public health question, adaptation of effective brief client-centered counselling approaches to PITC should be explored along with research assessing the efficacy of PITC.
Description
Keywords
Provider-initiated HIV testing, client-centered counselling, HIV prevention, developing countries
Citation
Susan M Kiene PhD , Michael Stein MD , Moses Bateganya MB ChB MMed MPH , Rhoda Wanyenze MB ChB MPH , Kenneth Mayer MD & Haruna Lule MB ChB MHSM (2009) Provider-initiated HIV testing in health care settings: Should it include client centered counselling?, SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 6:3, 115-119, DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2009.9724939