Background:
In June 2005, the Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) began using rapid HIV testing instead of standard HIV tests in their screening activities in Los Angeles County.

Objective:
To determine whether rapid HIV testing expedites the receipt of test results by clients seeking mobile services and how sociodemographic attributes differ between those who received HIV test results.

Method:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the LA County STD Program MTU. Clients provided sociodemographic information as part of the screening process. Rapid clients were told to return for results in twenty minutes. Data collected from January 1, 2005 to October 31, 2005 were included in this analysis.

Result:
A total of 2,265 clients tested for HIV during the study period. Of these, 777 (34%) received a rapid HIV test. The overall prevalence of HIV was 2.5% (56/2265) and slightly higher among rapid testers (3%; 23/56). Rapid testing significantly increased the proportion of clients receiving HIV results than non-rapid testers (93% vs. 5%). In fact, while the mean time to receipt of results for non-rapid testers was 15 days, the average time for rapid testers was the same day (p<0.0001). Among non-rapid testers, African Americans were more likely to receive their results than other races (p=0.0002). These racial differences were not observed in the rapid testing group. Interestingly, clients who tested at high-risk venues received results more often than those tested at low-risk venues, regardless of test type.

Conclusion:
Rapid testers received their results more often and quicker than non-rapid testers. Additionally, men, African Americans, and clients testing at high-risk venues were most likely to utilize rapid testing as offered by the MTU.

Implications:
This data shows that it is feasible and acceptable to conduct rapid HIV testing in a mobile testing setting.