On National HIV Testing Day — June 27, 2018 — Greater Than HIV and Walgreens again teamed with health departments, AIDS service organizations (ASOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) in high-incidence areas across the country to expand HIV testing and information.
A total of 222 local partners provided 8,152 free HIV tests in 306 Walgreens stores in 180 cities and 31 states. The average number of tests per store was 26.7 with a high of 313 tests provided in a store in Houston, TX. Nine other locations recorded more than 100 tests each. There were 45 positive HIV test results (overall percent positive rate 0.6%). Positive test results were collected in 38 stores (12% of reporting stores). Individuals who tested positive were linked to care. Click here for a snapshot of results.
Search the map below to see number of HIV tests provided from 2018 Greater Than HIV/Walgreens NHTD community partners. Click here for a list of testing partners by state.
Targeted in-store promotions, media outreach, and paid digital and print promotions supported the activation and increased attention to HIV testing. Testing partners received print and digital tool kits, including posters, flyers, web/social media graphics, informational guides, a table banner, tabletop cards, balloons, T-shirts, buttons, stickers and promotional giveaways, to support advance and on-site outreach. Informational materials about PrEP, the pill to prevent HIV, and treatment as prevention were included in the 2018 activation.
On testing day, in-store testers wore T-shirts and buttons with the message Knowledge is Power. Test. PrEP. Treat. Partners also distributed informational resources about HIV prevention, including PrEP, testing and treatment. Those who received an HIV test got an I Got Tested sticker.
Throughout the month of June leading up to NHTD, there were more than 102,000+ page views of resources supporting the activation, including a store locator, on the Greater Than HIV website.
Greater Than HIV sponsored Facebook posts generated 7.4 million+ impressions reaching an estimated 2.3 million+. Kaiser distributed e-blasts to more than 33,000 contacts, including those working in HIV and other health areas and media.
Walgreens media placements resulted in more than 309 million impressions from media placements, including on-air mentions in 51 markets.
BioLytical Laboratories and OraSure Technologies Inc. donated rapid HIV test kits and Abbott Rapid Diagnostics provided support for outreach.
Follow up surveys with the testing partners indicated that partners valued the overall partnership, materials and webinars. Nine in 10 of the partners indicated they would participate again.
Planning for National HIV Testing Day 2019 is already underway. More information will be coming soon from Greater Than HIV and Walgreens.
Got questions? Email Greater Than HIV Community Manager Trina Scott.
Thank you for your continued partnership. Together we are Greater Than HIV!
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The National HIV Testing Day Community Partnership is an ongoing initiative of Greater Than HIV, a project of the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Walgreens to broaden the reach of HIV testing and information in non-traditional settings and to support the outreach of local organizations. Since 2011, more than 48,000 free HIV tests have been provided by local partners in Walgreens stores in high incidence areas across the U.S. in support of National HIV Testing Day (June 27).