Programa de cribado de VIH/sida en las oficinas de farmacia en la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco

Objectives

To describe the outcomes of the pilot program of a rapid HIV antibody screening test offered at Basque pharmacies, the socio-demographic characteristics of users and their acceptance of the test.

Methods

Users of a rapid HIV antibody screening test (20 pharmacies) were surveyed. A random sample of 3514 tests (N = 806) performed in 1 year was taken. Statistical analyses included exact tests.

Results

There were 806 valid questionnaires. Seven tests were positive (0.85%; 95% confidence interval: 0.34-1.75); five of the users with positive tests were men. The mean age was 36.2 years (standard deviation = 11.0; range: 16-82 years; 70.7% men). Users’ risk behavior was predominantly heterosexual and half of the users (58.6%) had no previous HIV tests. The main reasons for choosing this test were its speed, and the convenience and accessibility of community pharmacies.

Conclusions

This new rapid HIV antibody screening test in community pharmacies could supplement other HIV screening programs currently in operation.