Abstract
Background: Public Health Centers (PHCs)
throughout Japan have been playing a role in preventing
HIV in Japan. The number of HIV seropositive
persons and AIDS patients is increasing from
year to year in Japan.
Methods: A survey regarding the HIV antibody
test was sent out to 594 PHCs between January
1997 and December 2001. The response rate was
73.9%. In order to assess the HIV testing system at
PHCs, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, an analysis
of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression
analysis were used.
Results: There was a difference in the demand
for HIV antibody tests according to area. The
change in number of HIV antibody tests per
100,000 persons was high in metropolitan areas
during the 5-year period. It was influenced by two
factors; population density and ratio of daytime
population to nighttime population. Rate of examinees
who did not return to receive their test
results was influenced by the area where the PHC
was located.
Conclusions: PHCs need to establish an HIV
testing system which reflects the characteristics of
the area and meets the needs of people who want
to get tested.
