HIV Prevention: Clinical Decision Support System to Increase HIV Screening, Updated 2026

Details

• Alternative Title:
  HIV, STIs and Teen Pregnancy: Clinical Decision Support System to Increase HIV Screening, Updated 2026
• Corporate Authors:
  Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF)
• Description:
  Context: In 2018, 1.04 million adults and adolescents in the United States were living with diagnosed HIV infection, including around 38,000 new diagnoses (CDC 2020 [https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-31.pdf]). The highest rates of diagnosis were for people aged 20-29 years, Black or African American people, those who have male-to-male sexual contact, and people living in the southern states (CDC 2020 [https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-31.pdf]).
  
  Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America [https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview] is the operational plan developed by agencies across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to pursue the goal to reduce new HIV infections by 75% in 5 years and 90% in 10 years. DHSS identified four key strategies to achieve these goals in the United States, including diagnosing people living with HIV as early as possible, linking them to care, and starting treatment to achieve and maintain viral suppression to prevent transmission to others. The National Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to End the Epidemic for the United States, 2021-2025 [https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/hiv-national-strategic-plan/hiv-plan-2021-2025] (The Plan), also developed by HHS, is closely aligned with, and complements, the Ending the HIV Epidemic. The Plan covers the entire United States with a focus on collaboration between all sectors of society to prevent new HIV transmission, improve health outcomes of people with HIV, and reduce HIV-related disparities and health inequities. Testing for HIV is the first step for both plans. Identifying interventions that increase HIV screening, especially among population groups with the highest rates of diagnosis, can facilitate testing.
  
  Intervention Definition: Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) encompass a variety of tools to enhance decision making about patient care. These tools include computerized alerts and reminders to healthcare providers and patients, clinical guidelines, condition-specific order sets, focused patient data reports and summaries, documentation templates, and diagnostic support (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2018). To increase HIV screening, CDSS use patient data and current guidelines to identify those eligible for HIV screening and send healthcare providers computerized alerts or reminders to order tests. CDC guidelines (Branson et al. 2006) recommend routine screening for all patients aged 13-64 years and all pregnant people, and at least annual screening for people at high risk for HIV. Risk is assessed based on patients' or their partners' sexually transmitted disease diagnosis, sexual behavior, or history of injection drug use. Patients may receive information about HIV transmission and testing prior to screening, and healthcare providers may receive education about HIV transmission, patient eligibility for screening, and how to correctly use CDSS.
  
  CPSTF Finding (April 2020) The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends clinical decision support systems for HIV screening to increase screening based on strong evidence of effectiveness. Studies included in the systematic review showed use of CDSS increases HIV screening for the general population and for people at higher risk for HIV infection. People testing positive for HIV can then be linked to care, which could lead to a reduction in HIV transmission. CDSS for HIV screening were effective with all groups examined, including populations who are underserved. When implemented in healthcare settings serving these populations, CDSS for HIV screening could lead to improved health equity.
  
  The 2020 Findings and Rationale Statement was updated in August 2026. This update include the addition of these supporting document appendices: Appendix A: Analytic Framework (Effectiveness Review); Appendix B: Search Strategy (Effectiveness Review); Appendix C: Included Studies (Effectiveness Review); Appendix D: Summary Evidence Table (Effectiveness Review).
  
  
• Content Notes:
  Publication date supplied by CPSTF
• Subjects:
  Early Medical Intervention HIV HIV Infections HIV Testing Patient Education As Topic Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Keywords:
  Clinical Decision Support System HIV Screening
• Series:
  CPSTF Finding and Rationale Statement
• Subseries:
  HIV, STIs and Teen Pregnancy
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/168670
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Rights:
  Public Domain
• CIO:
  Office of Science (OS)
• Topic:
  Diseases and Conditions
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  43 pdf pages
• Citation:
  The Community Preventive Service Task Force (CPSTF). HIV Prevention: Clinical Decision Support System to Increase HIV Screening, Updated 2026. The Community Guide [www.thecommunityguide.org]. The Community Preventive Service Task Force, Atlanta, Georgia, 2026. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/168670
• Collection(s):
  The Community Guide
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:18ebce30346e178c0ad470872e53e0c444b008fe2f4350c443c3480fed7a3870b84ed4bdfb17836c4256aaf35cefc9dfa82dfc859de0dd16ccb0092cd17b0e4c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/168670/cdc_168670_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.69 MB ]