Perceived HIV Risk, Barriers, and Preferences for HIV Testing in Structurally Vulnerable Communities in St. Louis: A Best-Worst Scaling Survey
Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
Authors: Emmanuel Tetteh, Noelle Le Tourneau, Gregory Gross, McKenzie Swan, Tyrell Manning, Justin Cole, Lawrence Hudson-Lewis, Julia López, Todd Combs, & Virginia McKay
In this study, researchers from the Clear Path Collaborative surveyed people in St. Louis to understand what keeps them from getting tested for HIV. The biggest barrier overall was that many people simply didn’t think they were at risk. Black participants were more likely to distrust testing organizations and said they didn’t get encouragement from peers. Furthermore, Queer participants were more affected by stigma, limited access to testing, and fear of receiving a positive result.
The analysis showed two main groups: pne group consisted of people who believed their HIV risk was low and also noted that healthcare providers rarely recommended testing to them. The other group avoided testing because of stigma and fear of a positive diagnosis. Overall, the study highlights that low perceived risk and social stigma are major obstacles to HIV testing, and that different communities experience these barriers in different ways.