Predicting Nurse Practitioners’ Intentions and Behaviors to

Perform Routine HIV Screening

Jodi L. Sutherland, PhD, RN

Gale A. Spencer, PhD, RN

Binghamton University

Why HIV/AIDS Screening?

HIV/AIDS is a significant public health issue• 1.2 million people are living with HIV infection in the United States

(U.S.) (CDC, 2014).

The only way to know if you have the HIV virus is to get a HIV screening test.

HIV screening recommendations (Branson et al., 2006; CDC, 2006):

• all people aged 13 – 64 should have a routine HIV screening test at least once in a lifetime

• those at high risk, should be screened annually• separate written consent for HIV testing should not be required• prevention counseling should not be required Note. CDC= Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What is known about HIV Screening?

Despite awareness/support at federal and state levels and extensive research (Branson et al., 2006; Burns et al., 2008; CDC, 2006; Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2014; National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the U.S., 2010; U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, 2013; USPSTF, 2013) in routine HIV screening: • one in seven persons’ are unaware of their infection (CDC, 2014)

• those who are HIV positive and not aware of their infection, transmit 50% of the new HIV infections each year (Marks et al., 2006)

• 50, 000 new HIV infections/year (CDC, 2014)

Studies report providers do not offer routine HIV screening (Burns et

al., 2008; Gongidi et al., 2010; Goyal et al., 2013; Korthius et al. 2011; Sison et al., 2013), but little is known, especially among nurse practitioners (NPs), about their intentions and behaviors to routinely screen for HIV.

Note. USPSTF= U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Present ResearchPurpose:• Investigate NPs’ attitudinal, normative, and control

beliefs toward routine HIV screening among patients 13 – 64 years of age that predict their HIV screening intentions and behaviors

Procedure:• Quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study • Questionnaire • SPSS Version 22

SPSS= Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

Method

AANP = American Association of Nurse Practitioner organization

Correlations among Variables

Logistic Regression Predicting Likelihood of Reporting Intention to Screen for HIV among NPs (n = 125)

Logistic Regressions Predicting Likelihood of Reporting Behaviors to Screen for HIV among NPs (n = 124)

Logistic Regression Predicting Likelihood of Reporting Behaviors to Screen for HIV among NPs (n = 130)

Note. CI = confidence interval for odds ratio (OR).

Results

• Almost half (48.2%) of the NPs reported an intention to increase routine HIV screening while only a quarter (25.3%) reported actual routine HIV screening behaviors.

• The best predictors toward HIV screening intentions were social norm expectations and perceived control facilitators toward HIV testing. No item beliefs predicted NPs HIV screening intentions.

• The best predictors toward HIV screening behaviors were social norm expectations and NP attitude toward HIV screening. Belief that office staff supports my routine HIV screening predicted NPs screening for HIV and consent from a parent/guardian should be obtained prior to screening for HIV in a person < 18 yrs of age predicted NPs not screening for HIV.

Conclusions

Greater dissemination of social norm expectations are needed to support NP’s HIV screening intentions and behaviors.

More coordinated efforts (education, practice, research, and policy) toward HIV screening is necessary.