Development and Refinement of a Persuasive Health Communication Intervention to Persuade Adult Emergency Department Patients to be Screened for HIV and Hepatitis C

Abstract

Screening for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) in emergency departments (EDs) allows patients to benefit from life-saving treatment; however, some patients at risk for these infections decline to be tested. Interventions that overcome patient reluctance to be screened are needed so that infected patients can be linked with care. In this project, we developed a very brief, theory-based, persuasive health communication intervention (PHCI) drawn from our previous research that can be integrated into usual clinical practice. The intervention was revised with the assistance of stakeholders who would likely either deliver the intervention (ED medical staff or HIV/HCV counselors) and those who would receive it (adult ED patients). The final version of the intervention was rated as both persuasive and respectful of ED patients who initially declined HIV/HCV testing.