Analyzing Annals: Screening for HIV: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
IMpact's new monthly feature, Analyzing Annals, provides you with critical thinking questions to help you examine and evaluate Annals of Internal Medicine articles.
Annals of Internal Medicine, one of the most highly cited medical journals in the world, is ACP's peer-reviewed journal. Annals aims to promote excellence in medicine, enable physicians and other health care professionals to be well-informed members of the medical community and society, advance standards in the conduct and reporting of medical research, and contribute to improving the health of people worldwide. It is essential reading for physicians practicing internal medicine and its subspecialties.
This guideline recommends screening for HIV infection in all adolescents and adults aged 15 to 65 years, younger adolescents and older adults who have risk factors for HIV infection, and all pregnant women.
Considering the following while reading this article:
- What are the characteristics of a good screening test? ()
- Which patient groups are at increased risk for HIV infection?
- Why would the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) make this recommendation even in the absence of controlled trials to establish the benefit of such screening?
- How often do you think screening should be performed?
- How might these recommendations affect public health?