Warning:

This document is being maintained for historical purposes, but is now out of date. To view current guidelines please visit:

• STD Treatment Guidelines   at http://www.cdc.gov/STD/treatment

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1993 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines

09/24/1993

SUGGESTED CITATION
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1993 Sexually
transmitted diseases treatment guidelines. MMWR 1993;42(No. RR-14):
{inclusive page numbers}.

CIO Responsible for this publication:
National Center for Prevention Services,
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV Prevention

HIV Prevention Counseling
     
     Knowledge of one's HIV status and appropriate counseling are
thought to play an important role in initiating behavior change.
Counseling associated with HIV testing has two main components:
pretest and posttest counseling.

     During pretest counseling, the clinician should conduct a
personalized risk assessment, explain the meaning of positive and
negative test results, ask for informed consent for the HIV test,
and help the person to develop a realistic, personalized risk
reduction plan.

     During posttest counseling, the clinician should inform the
patient of the results, review the meaning of the results, and
reinforce prevention messages. If the patient is HIV positive,
posttest counseling should include referral for follow-up medical
services and for social and psychological services, if needed. HIV-
seronegative persons at continuing risk for HIV infection also may
benefit from referral for additional counseling and prevention
services.

     HIV counseling is considered to be an important HIV-prevention
strategy, although its efficacy in reducing risk behavior is still
under evaluation. By ensuring that counseling is empathic and
"client-centered," clinicians will be able to develop a realistic
appraisal of the person's risk and help him or her to develop a
specific and realistic HIV-prevention plan (2).

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