Implementing rapid HIV testing with or without risk-reduction counseling in drug treatment centers: Results of a randomized trial.

This presentation provides an overview of National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network protocol CTN-0032, which examined the efficacy of on-site rapid HIV testing with risk-reduction counseling in increasing receipt of HIV test results and reducing HIV risk behaviors among persons in drug treatment. The study demonstrated the value of on-site rapid HIV testing in drug treatment centers but found no additional benefit from HIV sexual risk-reduction counseling. A follow-up study examining the cost-effectiveness of on-site testing (CTN-0032-A-1) found that referral for off-site testing is less costly, but also less efficient — the study determined that on-site testing is cost-effective, in that cast, using the current US threshold of <$100,000/QALY. Because on-site risk reduction counseling did not reduce sexual risk behavior or increase acceptance of HIV testing, it was not found to be cost-effective.

Related protocols: CTN-0032, CTN-0032-A-1