The HIV Testing Using Enhanced Screening Techniques in Emergency Departments Trial

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 3 modern rapid HIV screening methods, including a novel targeted strategy, in urban emergency department settings in the United States.

Conditions

• Rapid HIV Screening

Interventions

OTHER

A: Nontargeted rapid HIV screening

Patients who present to the ED for evaluation, who meet criteria for inclusion, and who are randomized to this arm will be offered voluntary, free, and confidential rapid HIV testing by nurses using opt-out consent during medical screening.

OTHER

B: Enhanced targeted rapid HIV screening

Patients who present to the ED for evaluation, who meet criteria for inclusion, and who are randomized to this arm will be asked questions from the Denver HIV Risk Score (DHRS). Patients will be considered at increased risk for HIV infection if they have a DHRS score of 30 or more. These increased-risk patients will be offered rapid HIV testing using opt-out consent by nurses during medical screening. Patients identified as low risk (DHRS \<30) will not be offered rapid HIV testing but will eligible for diagnostic HIV testing.

OTHER

C: Traditional targeted rapid HIV screening

Patients who present to the ED for evaluation, who meet criteria for inclusion, and who are randomized to this arm will be asked questions from a Behavioral Risk Screening Tool (BRST). The BRST was adopted from the 2001 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for targeted HIV screening, and includes 6 questions. An affirmative response to 1 or more questions identifies the person as being at increased risk for HIV infection. These patients will be offered rapid HIV testing using opt-out consent by nurses during medical screening. Patients who do not respond affirmatively to any of the questions will not be offered rapid HIV testing but will eligible for diagnostic HIV testing.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Alameda County Medical Center

  collaborator OTHER

• Johns Hopkins University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Cincinnati

  collaborator OTHER

• Denver Health and Hospital Authority

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jason S Haukoos, MD, MSc · Denver Health and Hospital Authority

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-04-30

Primary Completion

2016-01-31

Completion

2018-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations