Routine HIV Screening Recommended

According to an article in Lifelines (Jan 2007), an AWHONN publication, the CDC has released new recommendations for HIV screening in health care settings. It is recommended that (voluntary) HIV screening be part of routine medical care for all patients ages 13-64. The goal is to increase identification of Americans, approximately 250,000 who are unaware that they are infected with HIV. Another aim is to improve patient outcomes through early identification, which would allow more people to take advantage of available treatments. 50-70% of new sexually transmitted HIV are transmitted from people who are unaware that they are infected. Therefore by screening and identification we can hope that more people will take necessary precautions to protect their partners from infection and utlimately decrease the spread of HIV in the United States.