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Focused Assessment of Counseling and Testing (FACT)

The FACT Study was designed to improve the epidemiological usefulness of the HIV Counseling and Testing System (CTS) database. The FACT Study used non-identifying personal information to construct a Unique Testing Code (UTC). The UTC was used to unduplicate the tests in the CTS database -- to determine how many people were served and how often. FACT was conducted to better characterize people who use publicly funded counseling and testing, provide additional program evaluation tools and to observe incident infections (see STARHS).

Creation of the Texas UTC

The Texas Unique Testing Code (UTC) was picked after looking at eight different possible letters and number combinations. The UTC chosen is made up of the first letter of the client's first name, the last two letters of the client's last name (maiden name for women), the clients full date of birth, and the client's race and gender information. These types of personal information were selected because they are not likely to change, and the client is likely to give the same answers each time he or she is asked for this information. The number of characters used in the code is necessary to make sure that each person's code is unique. If fewer characters were used it is likely that the same codes would be created for different people. For example, if the UTC only had the last letter of the last name and the month and year of birth, there could be many people with the same code. We believe that the UTC combination selected is the least threatening to both confidential and anonymous clients and creates a different code for each person.

Background briefs and key points:

• Publicly funded counseling and testing sites in Texas have been collecting HIV testing data since 1989
• CTS data counts the number of testing episodes NOT the number of individual tested
• The UTC was created to identify repeat testers in the CTS database
• UTC = letters from the first and last names, date of birth, and codes for gender and race
• Data was analyzed from December 1997 through July 1999
• Repeat testers were compared to one time testers on a wide range of factors
• 96% of tests represented one time testers
• Higher repeat testing rates were observed among Whites than in blacks and Hispanics
• Of the various risk groups, there were higher repeat testing rates among heterosexuals than men who have sex with men (MSM).

Presentations & Findings: (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader®)

Unique Testing Code Creation and Applications

Using Unique Testing Codes as a Tool for Program Characterization and Evaluation

Benefits and Uses of the UTC

Anonymous Surveillance in the State of Texas: Who Accessess Publicly Funded Counseling and Testing

The Fact Study: Using Unique Testing Codes as a Tool for Program Characterization and Evaluation

Community Prevention and Invervention Unit

HIV Epidemiology Research and Behavioral Studies (H.E.R.B.S.)

400 S. Zang Blvd. Suite 520 Dallas, Texas 75208

(214) 645-7300 Office (214) 645-7303