Physician Preferences for Physician-Targeted HIV Testing Campaigns

Abstract

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued HIV testing recommendations, encouraging physicians to routinely test all adult patients for HIV. Studies have found that not all physicians are abiding by these guidelines, but that physician recommendations for HIV testing could encourage patients to get tested. Our study sought to determine physician preferences for a physician-targeted campaign to encourage them to offer HIV tests to their patients. The study took place across 19 publicly-funded community health centers. A web-based survey was sent to primary care physicians, assessing their preferences for physician-targeted HIV testing campaign elements. Response frequencies were calculated for each element. 175 physicians participated. Campaign elements were divided into “HIV Testing Information,” “Communication Tools,” and “Promotion Strategies.” Physicians selected receiving a copy of the latest HIV testing recommendations, having patients ask for the HIV test, and receiving an EMR alert for HIV testing as their top elements for each category, respectively. An effective physician HIV testing campaign should include information about HIV testing recommendations, proof of patient receptiveness to HIV testing, and strategies to prompt HIV testing conversations. A multi-faceted approach combining patient and physician prompts to discuss HIV testing might be the most effective method to improve HIV testing rates.

Development and Evaluation of a Physician-Targeted Video to Promote HIV Screening

“…Furthermore, 30% reported at least one interpersonal barrier (e.g., uncertainty about how to engage patients), and 41% reported at least one intrapersonal barrier (e.g., thinking that patients would be uncomfortable with, offended by, and/or refuse an HIV test), that prevented them from offering an HIV test (Arya, Patel, et al, 2016). Research has also shown that physicians, including our own in Houston, wanted data showing their patients were at risk for HIV (Arya, Phillips, Street, & Giordano, 2016). These findings, in the context of health behavior change models, led us to develop a physician-focused HIV testing video to tackle late and under-HIV testing in Houston.…”

Estimating Gains in HIV Testing by Expanding HIV Screening at Routine Checkups

“…Although the goal of screening more than 80% of US adults for HIV is aspirational, research demonstrates that increased screening in health care settings would be cost effective, even for lower-risk groups, 6 and is key to ending the HIV epidemic. 4 Barriers to HIV testing in primary care settings include health care providers' unfamiliarity with national recommendations, 7,8 continued preference for risk-based screening, 8 assumptions about risk, 9 and HIV stigma. 9 However, studies have shown that improved HIV-testing uptake is possible using interventions such as patient text message reminders 10 and provider electronic medical record prompts.…”

The Promise of Patient-Centered Text Messages for Encouraging HIV Testing in an Underserved Population

“…While sending text messages to patients may be an innovative tool for promoting HIV prevention, patient-focused interventions may be bolstered by campaigns aimed at providers (Arya, Phillips, Street, & Giordano, 2016). Delivering tailored interventions to providers to improve their communications with racially and socioeconomically diverse populations can increase these providers’ confidence in managing patient interactions (Sullivan et al, 2011).…”