Girardi E, Sampaolesi A, Nurra G, Traversa MT, Narciso P, Armignacco O, Ippolito G; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1996 Jul 7-12; 11: 346 (abstract no. Th.C.4597).
Centro di Riferimento AIDS, L. Spallanzani Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Rome, Italy. Fax: 39-6-5594224.
Objective: To describe temporal trends in the proportion of subjects who are not aware of HIV seropositivity until they are diagnosed with AIDS or shortly before, and to analyze characteristics of these individuals. Methods: Information collected through the AIDS case reporting system and supplemental interview, was reviewed for 971 persons with AIDS diagnosed in 1986-1993 in a tertiary care center in Rome, Italy. Persons with AIDS were defined unaware of HIV serostatus if the time interval between first positive HIV test and AIDS diagnosis was less than or equal to 3 months. Multivariate analysis was performed with a logistic regression model. Results: Overall, 269 subjects (27.7%) were unaware of HIV serostatus. The proportion of unaware subjects decreased from 56% in 1986 to 36% in 1987 and ranged from 20% to 30% in subsequent years. In multivariate analysis the following variables were significantly associated with being unaware of HIV serostatus: AIDS diagnosis in 1986 (OR 5.5; p=0.002) or 1987 (OR 2.3 p=0.008), male homosexuality (OR 1.6 p=0.01) heterosexual contacts (OR 4.6 p is less than 0.001) and unknown transmission mode (OR 5.6 p is less than 0.001), and being foreign born (OR 3.7 p is less than 0.001) Conclusions: These results suggest that a significant proportion of HIV-infected subjects, also in recent years, are not tested for HIV-infection until HIV-related symptoms develop. There is a need to develop new testing strategies in order to reach more persons engaging in risk behaviours, especially those at risk for heterosexual transmission and the foreign born.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Homosexuality, Male
- Humans
- Interviews as Topic
- Italy
- Knowledge
- Male
- Risk-Taking
- Rome
Other ID:
UI: 102220830
From Meeting Abstracts