Rapid HIV testing in jails identified a considerable number of previously undiagnosed cases of HIV infection. Rapid HIV testing should be available to all inmates, regardless of whether inmates reported HIV risky behaviors.

Rapid testing presents a key opportunity to increase the number of people undergoing HIV testing and the proportion receiving their test results.

The cost of identifying jail inmates with newly diagnosed HIV infection by using rapid HIV testing varied according to the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among inmates tested in project areas. Variations in the cost of testing HIV-negative and HIV-infected inmates were because of the differences in wages, travel to the jails, and the amount of time spent on counseling and testing. Program managers can use these data to gauge the cost of initiating counseling and testing programs in jails or to streamline current programs.

No abstract

In October 1997, the staff of the New York State Department of Health's Anonymous HIV Counseling and Testing Program were mobilized to assist the Chautauqua County Department of Health to respond to an unprecedented demand for HIV counseling and testing. This demand followed the release of the name of an HIV-infected individual who was suspected of infecting 13 young women in Chautauqua County. This article reviews essential elements of New York's efforts to assist Chautauqua County in meeting increased demands for HIV counseling and testing services during the emergency response. New York's experience can help inform other jurisdictions that may encounter similar public health emergencies in the future.