Nomenclature and Definitions for Emergency Department Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing: Report from the 2007 Conference of the National Emergency Department HIV Testing Consortium |
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| Authors: | Michael S. Lyons MD Christopher J. Lindsell PhD Jason S. Haukoos MD MSc Gregory Almond MD MPH MS Jeremy Brown MD Yvette Calderon MD MS Eileen Couture DO MS Roland C. Merchant MD MPH ScD Douglas A.E. White MD Richard E. Rothman MD PhD |
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| Affiliation: | From the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati (MSL, CJL), Cincinnati, OH;the Department of Emergency Medicine, Denver Health Medical Center (JSH), Denver, CO;the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (JSH), Aurora, CO;New York Medical College, Metropolitan Health Center (GA), New York, NY;the Department of Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University Medical School (JB), Washington, DC;the Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (YC), Bronx, NY;the Department of Emergency Medicine, Stroger Hospital, Rush Medical School (EC), Chicago, IL;the Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University (RCM), Providence, RI;the Department of Emergency Medicine, Alameda County Medical Center, Highland Hospital (DAEW), Oakland CA;and the Department of Emergency Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (RER), Baltimore, MD. |
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| Abstract: | Early diagnosis of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through diagnostic testing and screening is a critical priority for individual and public health. Emergency departments (EDs) have an important role in this effort. As EDs gain experience in HIV testing, it is increasingly apparent that implementing testing is conceptually and operationally complex. A wide variety of HIV testing practice and research models have emerged, each reflecting adaptations to site-specific factors and the needs of local populations. The diversity and complexity inherent in nascent ED HIV testing practice and research are associated with the risk that findings will not be described according to a common lexicon. This article presents a comprehensive set of terms and definitions that can be used to describe ED-based HIV testing programs, developed by consensus opinion from the inaugural meeting of the National ED HIV Testing Consortium. These definitions are designed to facilitate discussion, increase comparability of future reports, and potentially accelerate wider implementation of ED HIV testing. |
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| Keywords: | human immunodeficiency virus HIV testing emergency department guidelines definitions consensus |
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