Seize the Opportunity: Increasing the HIV Screening Rate in Adolescents Presenting to a Community Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objectives: Our objective was to increase human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening in adolescents presenting to our community pediatric emergency department with symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and who were being tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia. Specifically, we aimed to increase the monthly average proportion of adolescents concurrently screened for HIV in this target group from 11% to 50% in 6 months.

Methods: We identified barriers to HIV screening, focusing on physician-related challenges and adolescents' concerns about confidentiality.