Physicians & General Public Favor Mandatory HIV Testing.

Results of a new national survey of 864 physicians and 1,339 members of the general public revealed that a significant majority of both groups believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population.

The national e-survey was conducted by HCD Research during February 12 -14, as part of its continuing investigation of the social, political and economic issues facing the U.S. health care industry.

Among the general public:
63% of Americans indicated that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

60% of the responders indicated that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

40% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits

The most frequently cited social concerns of those representing the general public who were not in favor of mandatory testing were:

76% – Difficulty obtaining life insurance

71% – Job/employment issues

The least frequently reported social concerns were:

52% – The cost of testing is too high for public funding

51% – Difficulty in marriage and other social relations

46% – Inadequate access to medical and psychological counseling

Among the sample of physicians:

64% indicated that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

59% indicated that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

41% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits

The most frequently cited social concerns by physicians who didn’t support mandatory testing were:

84% – Difficulty obtaining life insurance

77% – Job/employment issues

The least frequently reported social concerns were:

48% – Difficulty in marriage and other social relations

44% – Inadequate access to medical and psychological counseling

34% – The cost of testing is too high for public funding

“Physicians are a distinct group who share similar education, income and status in society, and it is interesting that their views reflect those of the general public on serious and evolving health care issues such as this one,” noted Glenn Kessler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, HCD Research.

According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, health experts recommend that virtually all Americans be screened routinely for the HIV AIDS virus, much as they are for cancer and other conditions. In addition, the report cited recent federally funded studies which determined that the cost of routinely testing and treating nearly all adults would be outweighed by a reduction in new infections and the opportunity to start patients on antiviral medications early in the disease progression.