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. 1991 Dec;81(12):1586–1590. doi: 10.2105/ajph.81.12.1586

Behavior changes after notification of HIV infection.

P D Cleary 1, N Van Devanter 1, T F Rogers 1, E Singer 1, R Shipton-Levy 1, M Steilen 1, A Stuart 1, J Avorn 1, J Pindyck 1
PMCID: PMC1405297  PMID: 1746654

Abstract

BACKGROUND. To learn more about how people who did not volunteer for testing react to information about HIV infection, we assessed short-term behavior changes in HIV-positive blood donors. METHODS. Blood donors who were notified at the New York Blood Center that they were HIV positive were asked to participate in a study. A nurse elicited a medical history, performed a limited medical examination, and asked participants to complete a questionnaire that included questions about drug use, sexual behavior, and psychological characteristics. Participants were asked to return in 2 weeks to complete another questionnaire. RESULTS. Many fewer men and women reported engaging in unsafe sexual behaviors in the 2 weeks preceding the follow-up visit than had reported such behaviors prior to notification. These changes were greater than those other investigators have reported, but about 40% of the participants still reported unsafe sexual activity at the follow-up interview. CONCLUSIONS. To make nonvolunteer screening programs for HIV infection more effective in reducing the spread of HIV infection, we need to learn more about how to help people change their high-risk behaviors.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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