BMJ 1996;313:1259 (16 November)

Letters

Healthy sexual lifestyle should be emphasised when negative results of HIV tests are given

EDITOR,--Riva Miller and Marc Lipman welcome the Department of Health's recent guidelines for pre-test discussion on HIV antibody testing.1 I am concerned, however, that there are two serious omissions from these guidelines, which may have an effect on the public health.

Firstly, no reference is made to offering testing for other sexually transmitted diseases. People who request testing for HIV antibody have a high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, many of which are symptomless and are detected only by routine screening.

Secondly, the guidelines give no advice about counselling after the test for those in whom the result is negative. Most people who have an HIV test are given a negative result. This is an ideal opportunity to reinforce issues of general health promotion and of sexual health promotion in particular. Such an opportunity to emphasise the importance of a healthy sexual lifestyle should not be minimised when a negative . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

HIV pre-test discussion
Riva Miller and Marc Lipman
BMJ 1996 313: 130. [Extract] [Full Text]

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