Association Between Testing for HIV and Changes in Risk Behaviors Among Injecting Drug Users in S. China

In their introduction, the authors cite "a growing need for research in China regarding post-test risk behavior differences among injecting drug users that explores the effect of various testing modes (non-voluntary vs. voluntary) and other related factors on changes in post-test risk behaviors."

The subjects of the study were 172 individuals who self-reported HIV-related personal risk behaviors, including their condom use and needle-sharing practices. The researchers used Fisher exact test and multivariate regression analysis to compare the impact of HIV testing mode on ongoing risk behaviors for HIV transmission.

The results indicated that persons who received HIV-positive test results were 5.37 times more likely to increase their condom use with regular sex partners; also, men were 8.8 times more likely than women to increase post-test condom use in commercial sex activities. Needle-sharing was significantly lower for individuals who tested HIV-positive (odds ratio [OR]: 4.5); who informed their sex partners of their test results (OR: 0.03); and who had tested voluntarily (OR: 0.04).

"Based on the study results, this report concludes that voluntary HIV testing and encouragement of partner notification of test results should be incorporated into China's national testing strategy."

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