Human immunodeficiency virus test‐seeking motivation in blood donors, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

We did not detect a difference in the proportion of test seekers across different types of blood donors; however, we did detect an association between HSV-2 infection and test seeking, especially among community-recruited lapsed blood donors. Of note, questions on test-seeking behaviour detected donors with increased prevalence of HSV-2, but the self-reported sexual risk behaviours currently used for deferral criteria did not. Incentives to get tested at sites other than blood banks may decrease the residual risk of HIV in the blood supply.