Factors associated with a willingness to accept rapid HIV testing in an urban emergency department

Emergency Departments (EDs) provide primary healthcare to many underserved persons without access to preventive healthcare elsewhere. We conducted a cross-sectional study to test the hypothesis that patients are more likely to express a willingness to accept rapid HIV testing in the ED if they lack access to preventive healthcare elsewhere. Medicaid insurance, younger age, lack of a usual place of healthcare, high perceived HIV risk, and actual HIV risk were associated with increased HIV test acceptance. These results support the need for and acceptability of rapid HIV testing in the ED particularly for individuals who may lack access to this preventive healthcare screening elsewhere.