Physicians and General Public Favor Mandatory HIV Testing

Physicians and General Public Favor Mandatory HIV Testing

Business Wire | February 17 2005

Results of a new national survey of 864 physicians and 1,339 members of the general public revealed that a significant majority of both groups believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population.

The national e-survey was conducted by HCD Research during February 12 -14, as part of its continuing investigation of the social, political and economic issues confronting the U.S. health care system. The margin of error in the survey was plus or minus 3% at a 95% confidence level.

The survey revealed that among the general public:

-- 63% of Americans believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

-- 60% indicated that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

-- 40% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits

The most frequently cited social concerns of those representing the general public who were not in favor of mandatory testing were:

Difficulty obtaining life insurance 76%

Job/employment issues 71%

The least frequently reported social concerns were:

The cost of testing is too high for public funding 52%

Difficulty in marriage and other social relations 51%

Inadequate access to medical and psychological counseling 46%

Among the sample of physicians:

-- 64% believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

-- 59% reported that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

-- 41% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits

The most frequently cited social concerns by physicians who were not in favor of mandatory testing were:

Difficulty obtaining life insurance 84%

Job/employment issues 77%

The least frequently reported social concerns were:

Difficulty in marriage and other social relations 48%

Inadequate access to medical and psychological counseling 44%

The cost of testing is too high for public funding 34%

"Physicians are a distinct group who share similar education, income and status in society, and it is intriguing that their views reflect those of the general public on serious and evolving health care issues such as this one," noted Glenn Kessler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, HCD Research.

According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, health experts recommend that virtually all Americans be screened routinely for the HIV AIDS virus, much as they are for cancer and other conditions. In addition, the report cited recent federally funded studies which determined that the cost of routinely testing and treating nearly all adults would be outweighed by a reduction in new infections and the opportunity to start patients on antiviral medications early in the disease progression.

HCD Research is a marketing and communications research company headquartered in Flemington, NJ. The company's services include traditional and web-based marketing and communications research. HCD Research also developed readmylipz.com, a political ad testing web site for the 2004 Presidential campaign. For additional information on HCD Research, access the company's web site at www.hcdi.net or call HCD Research at (908) 788-9393.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Glenn Kessler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, HCD Research, please contact Vince McGourty, M&M Communications, Inc., at 908-638-5555 or vinmcg@earthlink.net.

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