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Background: Increasing access and uptake of HIV testing among at-risk women is needed. Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study analyzed questionnaire data provided by AsR clients and staff nurse and community agent teams between July and November Results: AsR received clients. Among these, 55 women and men reported only opposite-sex partners. Women were significantly younger. They also suggest that further research is warranted into the importance for this group of women clients of drop-in and linkage services, particularly given their possible lesser access to regular care.
In this country, the proportion of female incident HIV infections has significantly and steadily increased since the epidemic began. While opt-out screening for HIV forms part of routine prenatal testing for Quebec women, testing services and practices among at-risk women are insufficient and more needs to be done to increase access and uptake.
Hence, women are reported to have both diverse and unique HIV prevention needs. On this last point, in the effort to facilitate access to HIV testing in developed countries, rapid testing in nonclinical settings has multiplied, 8 including in Canada, 9 with many initiatives oriented to MSM.
Among clients reporting only opposite-sex partners, it aims to describe the women through comparison with men to better understand their presence at AsR and how HIV prevention and sexual health services could reflect their needs.
