DOI

10.21007/con.dnp.2025.0108

Faculty Advisor

Sally Humphrey DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 4-28-2025

Disciplines

Health and Medical Administration | Interprofessional Education | Investigative Techniques | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing | Nursing Administration | Pediatric Nursing | Pediatrics | Quality Improvement | Virus Diseases

Abstract

Purpose/Background

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend one-time human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for all adolescents. Pediatric primary care providers are on the front lines of adolescent healthcare and can provide testing that is adolescent-friendly, confidential, and easily accessible. This scoping review aims to synthesize the evidence and assess the literature on the efficacy of using an opt-out script to increase HIV testing in adolescent well-child checks.

Methods

A literature review was conducted between October 2022 and August 2024 to collect studies assessing adolescents aged 12-18, provider-led sex education, and rates of HIV screening. Using the criteria mentioned above, the Cinhal, Pub Med, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Access Medicine databases were searched, and 22 articles were found. The CDC website provided current HIV screening recommendations and the opt-out script. Ten inclusion articles were critically appraised and placed into a synthesis table and an evaluation summary table to organize findings.

Results

Our scoping review proves that taking advantage of an opt-out script leads to provider confidence in discussing HIV. It provides adolescent-friendly services during well-child visits in adolescents between 12 and 18, making them more comfortable discussing HIV education and completing HIV testing. In increasing the use of the opt-out script, awareness of HIV in adolescents will improve as well as lead to an increase in HIV prevention, protection, and treatment.

Implications for Nursing Practice

By utilizing and optimizing an opt-out script during adolescent well-child checks, there will be an increase in HIV education by providers and, thus, an increase in HIV testing. Utilizing an opt-out script will give providers the confidence to discuss HIV testing, provide the adolescent with a nonjudgmental approach to HIV testing, and allow the adolescent to experience adolescent-friendly health services to increase HIV education and testing.

Additional Files
AJohnson_JCupples_Abstract Revised.docx (28 kB)
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