A systematic review of psychological correlates of HIV testing intention

Undiagnosed HIV infection is associated with onward HIV transmission and delays in accessing HIV care and treatment. As a significant proportion of HIV tests are self-initiated, it is important to assess correlates of the intention to test for HIV. Psychological correlates of HIV testing intention are more likely to be the feasible target of interventions than structural determinants. A systematic review of psychological correlates of HIV testing intention was conducted. Twenty studies were included in the review, covering a range of populations and geographical regions. The most commonly assessed variables were HIV risk perception and HIV knowledge rather than HIV test-specific psychological factors. There was evidence that HIV risk perception and pro-testing attitudes were consistently associated with HIV testing intention across a number of studies. There is a need for longitudinal designs, including experimental studies, allowing for more confident casual inferences to be made. Theoretical, research and practice implications are outlined.