Table 2.

Barriers and Facilitators to HIV Testing Within the Person and Within the Structural Environment

Barriers	Facilitators
Within the Person	Within the Person
Lack of awareness or knowledge
Fear of:	Fear about having HIV can result in testing
•results/fear of being HIV positive
•rejection from family/community
•disclosure to family
Lack of self-esteem or confidence
Within the Environment	Within the Environment
Access	Access
•Cost of testing	•Ability to call information and get testing locations
•Lack of transportation	•Ads in local gay publication that list testing sites and cost of testing
•Lack of phone	•Online information about testing site from the public health department
•Wait time for results (blood tests)	•Mobile testing
•Concerns about parental consent for under 18	•Availability of rapid HIV testing
Stigma
•Stigma that HIV is a gay disease
•Lack of support from the community for gay people
Unfriendly test environments	Friendly test environments
•Uncomfortable environment created by some health professionals (specifically doctors)	•Comfortable environment with patient friendly counselors (The Center)
•Crowded testing sites