Reasons for HIV Testing among Polish Patients—Community versus Country Data

Grzegorz Zabrzygraj, Tomasz Mikula, Magdalena Suchacz, Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo

Department of Hepatology and Acquired Immunodeficiencies, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw,Poland.
The Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Division, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

DOI: 10.4236/wja.2014.42017                

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological data from each country can differ between cities and regions, for instance morbidity in HIV infection is four times higher in the south-west of Poland than in the east parts. Newly infected people are five times more often reported in the central part of our country than in the south-east. Methods: We assessed the main reasons for providing HIV tests among HIV-positive patients of The Department of Hepatology and Acquired Immunodeficiencies at the Medical University of Warsaw in comparison with the epidemiological situation in Poland. We designed a survey with baseline data and questions about the reasons for and place of HIV testing. Results: The main reason for HIV testing is risky sexual contacts, not intravenous drug use like several years ago. The main places where HIV infection is detected are hospitals, outpatients’ clinics and consultative and diagnostic points (PCDs). Conclusion: Our results are not strictly the same like in our Polish national data or data of the PCD’s but can give new epidemiologic insights into our patients’ situation.

Keywords

Routes of HIV Transmission, HIV Testing, Consultative and Diagnostic Points

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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