Assessing the Impact of Federal HIV Prevention Spending on HIV Testing and Awareness

Abstract

The United States allocates more than $900 million annually for the prevention of HIV infection. We assessed the impact of this funding on HIV testing and knowledge. We linked data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System with tracking of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV prevention funding. We developed and validated regression models of the relation between HIV prevention funding to a respondent's state and the odds that the respondent (1) had been tested for HIV, and (2) was aware of methods to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT). The odds of having been tested for HIV increased with increased CDC funding to states (P=.009), as did awareness of prevention of MTCT (P=.002). We estimate that CDC HIV prevention funds led to 12.8 million more people being tested for HIV between 1998 and 2003 than would have been tested had all states received funds equal to the lowest quintile of funding. Federal HIV prevention funds independently correlate with increased HIV testing and knowledge of prevention of MTCT. Proposed reductions in HIV prevention spending would likely have adverse public health consequences.