Voluntary Counseling and Testing

allows individuals to learn their HIV status through preand post-test counseling and an HIV test. VCT is client-initiated, as opposed to provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) when health care providers initiate discussion of HIV testing with clients who are seeking health care for other reasons. VCT can be provided through stand-alone clinics or offered through community-based approaches, such as mobile or home-based HIV testing. In addition, counseling for VCT may take place at the individual, couple, or group level. VCT was originally implemented as an individual-level, clinic-based procedure. Different modalities evolved, including communitybased and couple-based approaches, to increase access and uptake. Across all of these different strategies, by combining personalized counseling with knowledge of one’s HIV status, VCT is designed to motivate people to change their behaviors to prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV, reduce anxiety over possible infection, facilitate safe disclosure of infection status and future planning, and improve access to HIV prevention and treatment services. From 2007-2008, the number of facilities offering VCT increased 35% globally; however, the majority of people globally remain unaware of their HIV status.1 Despite decades of VCT implementation, additional research is needed to understand the best approaches for increasing uptake of VCT and reduction of HIV-related risks in the context of VCT.