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

This is the primary outcomes paper for CTN-0032.

This study, National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network protocol CTN-0032, examined the effectiveness of risk reduction counseling and the role of on-site HIV testing in drug treatment. Between January and May 2009, researchers randomized 1281 HIV-negative (or status unknown) adults who reported no past-year HIV testing to (1) referral for off-site HIV testing, (2) HIV risk-reduction counseling with on-site rapid HIV testing, or (3) verbal information about testing only with on-site rapid HIV testing. Two primary self-reported outcomes were defined a priori: receipt of HIV test results and unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse episodes at 6-month follow-up. The combined on-site rapid testing participants received more HIV test results than off-site testing referral participants. At 6 months, there were no significant differences in unprotected intercourse episodes between the combined on-site testing arms and the referral arm, or the 2 on-site testing arms.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated on-site rapid HIV testing’s value in drug treatment centers and found no additional benefit from HIV sexual risk-reduction counseling. These results have broad clinical and public health ramifications and support the implementation of routine rapid HIV testing in drug treatment centers, particularly for patients who have not been tested recently.

Related protocols: CTN-0032