Characteristics of HIV screening tests in public health centers in Korea, 2017

Wang Jin-Sook, Kang Min Gu, Chung Yoon-Seok
Division of Viral Diseases, Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Diseases, KCDC
Yoo Myeong-su, Kee Mee-kyung
Division of Viral Disease Research, Center for Infectious Disease Research, KNIH, KCDC

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the most advanced stage of HIV infection. HIV screening test is recommended to see whether a person has HIV infection as part of routine health care and people at high risk of infection. We analyzed the characteristics of HIV screening tests performed at 259 public health centers during the period 2015-2017. The analysis including age, gender, and reasons for HIV testing was performed. The total number of HIV tests conducted at the public health centers increased to 500,867 in 2017, an 16.6% increase from 429,724 in 2015. Tests among female accounted for 71.0%, higher than 29.0% among male. Those aged 30-39 years had the highest percentage (40.1%), followed by 20-29 years (21.3%), 40-49 years (13.7%), 50-59 years (10.6%), 60 years and over (11.7%) and less than 19 years (2.4%). The primary reasons for HIV testing included prenatal checkup (25.6%), mandatory test for bar employees (15.0%), health checkup (14.9%), voluntary testing (14.1%) and anonymous testing (9.1%). Our data show that voluntary and anonymous tests significantly increased.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infection, Anonymous Testing, Public Health, Mass Screening