A review of data from the HIV Testing Survey (HITS) has identified errors in some
of the findings included in the article, "HIV Testing Among Populations at Risk for
HIV Infection --- Nine States, November 1995--December 1996"
(1). The report described the results of an anonymous survey of populations at risk for human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from nine states to examine why members of these
populations may delay HIV testing or decide not to be tested. Specifically, the analysis sought
to assess whether name-based HIV reporting was a deterrent to persons seeking to
be tested for HIV infection.
Further analysis comparing states and interviewers necessitated the exclusion
of invalid data (2). This exclusion reduced aggregate total respondents from 2366 to
2207. The revised tables follow. The revised analysis indicated that
persons who resided in states with name-based HIV surveillance were
not significantly more likely to report concern about having their name reported to the government as a
factor for not testing than were persons who resided in states without name-based
HIV surveillance. The other conclusions published in the original report have not
changed. CDC continues to recommend that states monitor the potential impact of HIV
case surveillance on HIV test seeking and test acceptance behavior
(3).
References
CDC. HIV testing among populations at risk for HIV infection---nine states, November
1995--December 1996. MMWR 1998;47:1086--91.
Hecht FM, Chesney M, Lehman JS, et al. Does HIV reporting by name deter testing?
AIDS 2000;14:1801--8.
CDC. CDC guidelines for national human immunodeficiency syndrome virus case
surveillance, including monitoring for human immunodeficiency virus and acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome. MMWR 1999;48(no. RR-13).
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