. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Sep 13.

Published in final edited form as: J Drug Issues. 2013 Jul;43(3):314–334. doi: 10.1177/0022042613476260

Table 3.

Barriers to HIV Testing.

Themes	Subthemes
Risky assumptions	Routine care includes HIV testing
	If you are not contacted, your results are negative
	I don’t have HIV unless I am sick
Distrust of the health care system/treatment	Y ou will receive substandard care
	You will receive cheap substitute meds, no real meds
	You cannot trust the diagnosis given by local providers
	HIV/AIDS medicine will kill you
	The government/system is trying to kill you
	Symbolism of Magic Johnson
	Disbelief that he has AIDS
	Money gives him access to effective treatment
	Money/fame did not protect him from stigma
Perceived self-efficacy	Stress
	Fear
	Denial
	Fatalism
Pride/shame	Gender differences
	Self-respect
	Respect for race and family
Small-town social networks	Stigma
Small-town social networks	Confidentiality
Drug lifestyle	Don’t care about anything but drugs
	Peer influence
	Need for drug greater than other needs