Consumer interest in community pharmacy HIV screening services

Objective: To evaluate consumers' interest in pharmacist-provided human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and to evaluate potential barriers and facilitators to HIV screening in the community pharmacy setting. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of adult patients who presented to one of five community (chain and independent) pharmacies from November 2010 to August 2011. Results: Based on 380 usable surveys, 135 (35.8%) participants were interested in pharmacy-based HIV screening. Independent predictors of interest in HIV screening identified in multivariate analysis (reference groups: ages 30 to 49 years old and white, non-Hispanic race) included younger age (18 to 29 years old) (odds ratio [OR], 2.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 4.71); black, non-Hispanic race (OR, 2.37; CI, 1.40 to 4.03); and other race (OR, 4.58; CI, 1.63 to 12.87). Lack of perceived risk for HIV was the most commonly cited barrier to HIV screening; and free, rapid, or confidential HIV testing were identified as potential facilitators. Conclusion: Interest in pharmacy-based HIV screening was high among participants representing age and race groups disproportionately affected by HIV. Expansion of HIV screening efforts to community pharmacies warrants further consideration.