Resource Guide HIV Recommendations 1 and 2

1.  Routine HIV Screening is Recommended for Patients Age 13-64 in All Health-Care Settings

Key Points

• HIV screening should not be contingent on an assessment of patients' behavioral risk 
• More patients accept HIV testing when it is offered routinely, without a risk assessment 
• Early diagnosis of HIV has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality 
• Patients aware of their HIV infection substantially reduce behaviors that put them at risk of transmitting HIV 
• HIV screening is cost-effective even in health-care setting with low HIV prevalence 

2.  In low prevalence areas, screening can be discontinued if <1 positive test per 1,000 patients screened

Key Points

• Health-care providers should initate screening unless prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection in their patients has been documented to be <0.1%. 
• In the absence of existing data for HIV prevalence, health-care providers should initiate voluntary HIV screening until they establish that the diagnostic yield is <1 per 1,000 patients screened.

Clinician Educator Tools
Guidelines
ACP Guidelines: Screening for HIV in Health Care Settings (2009)
CDC Guidelines: Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents and Pregnant Women in Helth Care Settings (2006)
Summary of the CDC Recommendations (2011)
 
Webcasts
Summary of CDC Recommendarions (Audio)