International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 19, Number 11 > Pp. 775-779

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Original research articles

Thought processes associated with reluctance in gay men to be tested for HIV

R S Gold BSc DPhil  and G Karantzas BSc PhD

School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria 3125, Australia

Correspondence to: Associate Professor R Gold Email: rongold{at}deaking.edu.au

This study explored the thought processes that are associated with reluctance in gay men to be tested for HIV antibodies. The sample comprised 97 men who had not been tested for at least four years; 69 had never been tested. They were asked to imagine that someone had suggested that they be tested very soon and to identify, from the list provided, any negative thoughts prompted by this suggestion. The most commonly reported thoughts were that testing was unnecessary because risks had not been taken, that it was unnecessary because there were no symptoms, and that there was no urgency to be tested. Data were explored by means of factor analysis and comparisons across subgroups differing in risk level. The results are interpreted as indicating the use of rationalizations to buttress a decision not to be tested, the powerful influence on HIV decision-making exerted by salient perceptible features, and the ‘status quo bias’. Techniques that could be used to encourage testing in gay men are discussed.

Key Words: non-testing for HIV • gay men • thought processes

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