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Friday, May 31, 1996

Home test protects privacy but lacks in-person counselingBy Rachel Kelley

Daily Bruin Contributor

It is no longer necessary to visit a health clinic or doctor's office to be tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a home HIV test kit in which people prick their own finger, send away the blood sample and receive the results by telephone.

The kit was developed to protect the privacy of potentially positive HIV test-takers. However, what many people don't know is that the 800 number to call in order to receive the results electronically records the caller's phone number, said Dennis Kelly, a physician for the Men's Clinic on campus.

Although the home test kit serves as an important resource for those who would rather not show up in person, the new procedure ­ particularly the way the results are administered ­ has sparked debate.

A number of days after the blood sample is sent in, the test-taker must call the 800 number to receive the results. The test-takers hear a recording if they have tested negative, but will speak to someone directly if they are tested positive.

Kelly fears that without the in-person communication, someone who tests positive may try to harm themselves and there will be nobody there to stop them.

"I did not handle the results well, but at least I wasn't alone or isolated. I had a support network," said one HIV positive patient who tested under the standard procedure. "Each person handles things differently, but there should always be a safeguard.

"Receiving the results by telephone is not a controlled environment and a controlled environment is very important when considering the potential for very bad news," he added.

It is for this reason that Roger Bohman, a UCLA biology lecturer, said that a true HIV home test will never be created, unlike pregnancy tests.

"I admire the anonymity of the whole thing, but it will never be a true home test because when you see the results, there will be nobody there to tell you what it means," Bohman said.

A drawback to the new home HIV test kit is the absence of counseling referrals, according to Bohman. Under the standard test procedure, those who test positive have immediate access to counseling services to help them cope with the news.

According to another person who tested positive for the HIV virus, the lack of opportunity for psychological help is "absolutely absurd."

"The last thing I wanted to deal with was going to APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles), but at least I had the list. At least I had options. It wasn't like 'OK, you're positive, click,'" he said.

It is almost considered malpractice to conduct therapy over the phone, and that is the extent to which support is available for home HIV test kit users, he added.

However, despite these flaws, it is estimated that there are one million people in California who are living with the disease, but have yet to be tested.

"This new home test kit encourages people to be tested that wouldn't otherwise because of fears of disclosure," Kelly said, adding that the home test is just as sensitive as the standard test given in a doctor's office.

The new home HIV test is currently available in Texas and Florida, and is expected to be on the market in California in the next year.