The demography of HIV-antibody testing

Much of the literature related to HIV-antibody testing has focused on testing and public policy. The pursuit of empirical research on HIV-antibody testing has to some extent been hampered by data limitations and the difficulties associated with collecting data in settings where HIV-antibody testing services are delivered. This dissertation uses two different data sources to empirically examine a number of specific questions related HIV-antibody testing. In the first part of this dissertation, data from the 1981-1990 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) AIDS Supplements are used to examine levels, trends, and differentials in awareness of the HIV-antibody test and the proportion ever tested among those who were aware of the test. Additionally, data from the 1990 NHIS AIDS Supplement are used to examine the circumstances under which persons were tested, the likelihood of obtaining the test result among those tested outside the blood donation system, the likelihood of ever having been tested voluntarily, and intentions to be voluntarily tested in the next year. In the second part of this dissertation, non-identifying demographic and risk factor data collected from all clients counseled and tested at an anonymous test site in Philadelphia are used to examine trends over time in demand for testing, repeat testing, seroprevalence, and non-return for test results and post-test counseling. The empirical findings presented in this dissertation are discussed in terms of their implications for policy and future research