Abstract
Objectives: To measure the level of voluntary HIV testing and to assess its changes in the French general population according to the evolution of HIV testing policies. Methods: When general practitioners belonging to the Sentinelles network (SGP) offer HIV testing to their patients, they send the network an anonymous description of the patient and a report of the test results. Results: The number of HIV tests peaked in 1993 at 1760 per 100,000 inhabitants. Since 1995 the rate has fallen slightly, from 1474 to 810 per 100,000 in 2002. Between 1987 and 2002 there was a significant fall in the proportion of persons with a history of STD (31.4–5.1%, p = 0.0001), clinical signs of HIV infection (9.1–4.5%, p = 0.0002) and a history of prior testing (19.3–13.6%, p = 0.0005). Conclusions: Our results show that demand for HIV testing among the French general practice patient population has fallen since 1995, along with the frequency with which GPs offer HIV testing.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
V Casteren ParticleVan A Bartelds F Gurtner V Massari S Maurice-Tison T Vega Alonso (1993) ArticleTitleDemand patterns for HIV tests in general practices: Information collected by sentinel network in five European countries Eur J Epidemiol 9 169–175 Occurrence Handle8519355
European Centre for the epidemiological monitoring of AIDS. HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe. End year report 2000. 2001; no 64
V Massari JB Brunet E Bouvet A-J Valleron (1988) ArticleTitleAttitudes towards HIV antibody testing among general practitioners and their patients Eur J Epidemiol 4 435–438 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiaD2sflt1w%3D Occurrence Handle3203722
V Goulet C Crouzier S Brohier (1988) ArticleTitleStudy of HIV screening tests performed in biological laboratories from October 1987 to March 1988 (RENAVI study) (in French) BEH 47 185–186
V Goulet AC Benoist Particlede E Laurent (1998) ArticleTitleHIV screening in France in 1997 (RENAVI study) (in French) BEH 2 31–33
New procedure for anonymous mandatory report of infectious diseases (in French). BEH 2003; 12–13: 69–75
P Garnerin A-J Valleron (1992) ArticleTitleThe French communicable diseases computer network: A technical view Comput Biol Med 22 189–200 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By2A3MrmsVI%3D Occurrence Handle1617953
JL Fleiss (1981) Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions EditionNumber2 Wiley & sons New York
D Rey MP Carrieri Y Obadia C Pradier JP Moatti (1998) ArticleTitleMandatory prenatal screening for the human immunodeficiency virus: The experience in south-eastern France of a national policy, 1992–1994 Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 105 269–274 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c7psVWkuw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9532985
National Public Health Network. Study on prescription of HIV test performed in French biological laboratories. St Maurice, France, November 1996
P Gouëzel (2002) ArticleTitleHIV screening and counseling anonymous testing sites annual report France 2000 (in French) BEH 43 215–216
ORS Ile de France. Knowledge, attitudes, behaviors against HIV/AIDS in France. Evolution 1992–1994–1998–2001 (in French). ORS Ile de France, Paris. www.ors-idf.org
F Cazein F Lot J Pillonel R Pinget A Laporte (1995) ArticleTitleKnowledge of HIV status before AIDS diagnosis (in French) BEH 46 202–203
AIDS surveillance in France: situation on March 31, 2002 (in French). BEH 2002; 27: 133–138
V Massari O Retel A Flahault (2002) ArticleTitleA recent increase in male urethritis in France Sex Transm Dis 6 319–322
E Couturier A Michel AL Basse-Guérineau et al. (2004) ArticleTitleSurveillance de la syphilis in France métropolitaine, 2000–2002 (in French) BEH 3 9–12
Adam P, Hauet E, Caron C et al. On the recrudescence of risk behaviors for STD in gay men. Report of the Gay Press Survey 2000 (in French). http:/www.rnsp-sante.fr/ publications/presse_gay_2/rapport.html
P Gouëzel A Simon J Derouineau et al. (2002) ArticleTitleHIV screening and counseling anonymous testing sites, Paris, evolution 1998–2001 (in French) BEH 43 215
A Nicoll FF Hamers (2002) ArticleTitleAre trends in HIV, gonorrhoea, and syphilis worsening in western Europe? Br Med J 324 1324–1327
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Massari, V., Dorléans, Y. & Flahault, A. Trends in voluntary HIV testing in general practices in France between 1987 and 2002. Eur J Epidemiol 20, 543–547 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-005-4265-8
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-005-4265-8