Psychiatric patients' return for HIV/STI test results in mental health centers

Ana Paula Souto Melo,Cibele Comini César,Mark Drew Crosland Guimarães,Milton L Wainberg,Karen Mckinnon

doi:10.1590/s0034-89102012005000017

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess individual and/or health service factors associated with patients returning for results of HIV or sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests in mental health centers. METHODS: Cross-sectional national multicenter study among 2,080 patients randomly selected from 26 Brazilian mental health centers in 2007. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the effect of individual (level 1) and mental health service characteristics (level 2) on receipt of test results. RESULTS: The rate of returning HIV/STI test results was 79.6%. Among health service characteristics examined, only condom distribution was associated with receiving HIV/STI test results, whereas several individual characteristics were independently associated including living in the same city where treatment centers are; being single; not having heard of AIDS; and not having been previously HIV tested. CONCLUSIONS: It is urgent to expand HIV/STI testing in health services which provide care for patients with potentially increased vulnerability to these conditions, and to promote better integration between mental health and health services.

Highlights

Having access to testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) to promote early treatment and prevention is an urgent priority in reducing the rate of new infections.[2]
We developed a survey to ascertain organizational attributes of treatment settings which was distributed to clinical directors of psychiatric hospitals and to managers of psychosocial health services
Among the 2,080 participants included in this analysis, 67.0% were recruited from psychosocial health services

Summary

Introduction

Having access to testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) to promote early treatment and prevention is an urgent priority in reducing the rate of new infections.[2]. Senn & Carey[16] (2009) reported that rates of lifetime HIV testing ranged from 11% to 89% in different populations of psychiatric patients

Methods

Results

Conclusion