Effects of rapid versus standard HIV voluntary counselling and testing on receipt rate of HIV test results: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Rapid HIV voluntary counselling and testing (RVCT) is an alternative method of standard HIV voluntary counselling and testing (SVCT). Less is known about whether RVCT improves the receipt rate of HIV test results among clients who seek HIV counselling and testing. We aimed to evaluate effectiveness of RVCT on result receipt rate. We conducted a comprehensive search of databases containing Medline, EBSCO, Web of science, and Cochrane library to identify studies published up to August 2012. Reviewers extracted information independently. Risk of bias was evaluated with Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing study quality. Five randomised controlled trials were included and analysed for the result receipt rate using a random-effects model. The pooled receipt rate of HIV test results in the RVCT was significantly higher than in the SVCT (RR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.47–2.07). Our results suggest RVCT as a favourable method to increase the receipt of HIV test results. Only two included studies assessed the modification of risk behaviour after HIV-CT in a different manner; also, the sample size was small in the current meta-analysis. In future research, it is necessary to confirm the effect of RVCT on disinhibition of post-test risk behaviour.

Keywords

HIV AIDS testing VCT standard HIV counselling and testing randomized HIV counselling and testing rapid HIV counselling and testing meta-analysis

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV prevalence estimates—United States, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2008; 57: 1073–1076.

Branson

Handsfield

Lampe

. Revised recommendations for HIV testing of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health-care settings. MMWR Recomm Rep 2006; 55: 1–17.

Valdiserri

Moore

Gerber

. A study of clients returning for counseling after HIV testing: implications for improving rates of return. Public Health Rep 1993; 108: 12–18.

Sullivan

Lansky

Drake

. Failure to return for HIV test results among persons at high risk for HIV infection: results from a multistate interview project. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2004; 35: 511–518.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Update: HIV counseling and testing using rapid tests – United States, 1995. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1998; 47: 211–215.

Weinhardt

Carey

Johnson

. Effects of HIV counseling and testing on sexual risk behavior: a meta-analytic review of published research, 1985–1997. Am J Public Health 1999; 89: 1397–1405.

Minnier

van der Walt

Klopper

. A systematic review of counselling for HIV testing of pregnant women. J Clin Nurs 2009; 18: 1827–1841.

Higgins JPT and Green S. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions Version 5.1.0 (updated March 2011). The Cochrane Collaboration, www.cochrane-handbook.org (2011).

Higgins

Thompson

Deeks

. Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses. BMJ 2003; 327: 557–560.

10.

Egger

Davey Smith

Schneider

. Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. BMJ 1997; 315: 629–634.

11.

Liberati

Altman

Tetzlaff

. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med 2009; 151: W65–W94.

12.

Metcalf

Douglas

Jr Malotte

. Relative efficacy of prevention counseling with rapid and standard HIV testing: a randomized, controlled trial (RESPECT-2). Sex Transm Dis 2005; 32: 130–138.

13.

Spielberg

Branson

Goldbaum

. Choosing HIV counseling and testing strategies for outreach settings: a randomized trial. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2005; 38: 348–355.

14.

Wurcel

Zaman

Zhen

. Acceptance of HIV antibody testing among inpatients and outpatients at a public health hospital: a study of rapid versus standard testing. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2005; 19: 499–505.

15.

Anaya

Hoang

Golden

. Improving HIV screening and receipt of results by nurse-initiated streamlined counseling and rapid testing. J Gen Intern Med 2008; 23: 800–807.

16.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Technical guidance on HIV counseling. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Recomm Rep 1993; 42: 11–17.

17.

Marks

Crepaz

Janssen

. Estimating sexual transmission of HIV from persons aware and unaware that they are infected with the virus in the USA. AIDS 2006; 20: 1447–1450.

18.

Hall

Song

Rhodes

. Estimation of HIV incidence in the United States. JAMA 2008; 300: 520–529.

19.

Campsmith

Rhodes

Hall

. Undiagnosed HIV prevalence among adults and adolescents in the United States at the end of 2006. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010; 53: 619–624.

20.

Department WHOHA. Progress report 2011: Global HIV/AIDS response epidemic update and health sector progress towards universal access WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS. 2011.

21.

Weinhardt

Carey

Johnson

. Effects of HIV counseling and testing on sexual risk behavior: a meta-analytic review of published research, 1985–1997. Am J Public Health 1999; 89: 1397–1405.

22.

Farnham

Hutchinson

Sansom

. Comparing the costs of HIV screening strategies and technologies in health-care settings. Public Health Rep 2008; 123: 51–62.

23.

Paltiel

Walensky

Schackman

. Expanded HIV screening in the United States: effect on clinical outcomes, HIV transmission, and costs. Ann Intern Med 2006; 145: 797–806.

24.

Fisher

. Changing AIDS-risk behavior. Psychol Bull 1992; 111: 455–474.

25.

Takahashi

Yamazaki

Kawata

. Client anxiety from awareness of personal HIV risk and relation to taking HIV test at public health centers in Japan. Nippon Koshu Eisei Zasshi 1999; 46: 275–288.

26.

Earl

Albarracin

. Nature, decay, and spiraling of the effects of fear-inducing arguments and HIV counseling and testing: a meta-analysis of the short- and long-term outcomes of HIV-prevention interventions. Health Psychol 2007; 26: 496–506.