The Association of Non-English Language Preference with Reported HIV Testing in the United States, 2015-2018.

Our objective was to investigate the association between non-English language preference (NELP) and reported HIV testing in a nationally representative sample of US adults and to identify sociodemographic and access to care factors associated with reported HIV screening among those with NELP. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the 2015-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Using language of survey completion, we categorized participants as having NELP (completed survey in language other than English) or having English language preference (completed survey entirely in English). We used logistic regression to measure the adjusted and unadjusted odds of self-report of ever being tested for HIV among those with NELP compared to those with English language preference. We then evaluated what factors were associated with HIV testing among those with NELP. We found that, after adjustment for sociodemographic and access to care factors, NELP was associated with lower odds of reported HIV testing relative to those with English language preference (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.80 [0.72-0.89]). We further found that among those with NELP, individuals with shorter residence in the US, heterosexual females, and gay/bisexual males had higher odds of reported HIV testing, while those aged > 45 years, residing outside of the Northeast, and not having a usual place of care had a lower odds of reported HIV testing. Our study is the first to explore the association between NELP and reported HIV testing on a national level, and to identify characteristics among NELP individuals associated with not receiving guideline-recommended HIV testing.