Table 3.
Key characteristics of “more routine”a versus “less routine”b testers for HIV in the past yearc
| More routine testers (n=173) were more likely to: | Less routine testers (n=157) were more likely to: |
|---|---|
| Be OB/GYNd (47%) |
Not be OB/GYN (only 12% are OB/GYN) |
| Report testing patients as routine practice (74%) |
Report testing only patients who have risk factors (39% test routinely) |
| Be <40 years old (32%; mean age 46 yrs) |
Be >40 years old (81%; mean age 49 yrs) |
| Be womene (60%) |
Be men (55%) |
| Have been tested for HIV themselves in past year (37%) |
Not have been tested for HIV themselves in past year (only 16% were tested) |
| Perceive a higher local prevalence of HIV at the county (16%) and state (16%) levels |
Perceive a lower local prevalence of HIV at the county (10%) and state (11%) levels |
| Have relatively more patients who are: |
Have relatively fewer patients who are: |
| Black (62%) |
Black (52%) |
| Low SES (34%) |
Low SES (27%) |
| On Medicaid (30%) |
On Medicaid (18%) |
| HIV positive (9%) | HIV positive (4%) |
aTested more than 25% of patients (>50% on average); bTested 0-7% of patients (<3% on average); levels of testing were calculated relative to the data distribution of testing rates in which approximately the top one-third of respondents fell into the “more routine” category and the bottom one-third fell into the “less routine” category. cPercent differences between more and less routine testers were significant (P<0.05); dOB/GYNs tested more frequently regardless of physician gender; eFemale physicians’ testing rates were likely inflated by over-representation of OB/GYNs; OB/GYN, Obstetrics/Gynecology; SES, socio-economic status.