Portugal continues to have one of the highest HIV rates in the European Union. More than 20% of the infected population is unaware of the state of their infection and may unknowingly contribute to the spread of the disease. In addition, those who are not aware that they are infected, loose the opportunity to receive treatment that prolongs life at the onset of infection, and helps to reduce HIV / AIDS-related racial / ethnic health disparities. The inclusion of rapid HIV screening tests in community pharmacies may improve the detection of undiagnosed infections. Pharmacies are valuable partners in health promotion efforts. They can be an accessible health resource for the inclusion of HIV testing, increasing the availability, convenience, and accessibility of these testing services. However, concerns have been raised, by the public and health professionals, regarding the readiness of community pharmacies to provide such tests and the willingness and preparation of pharmacy professionals to act as providers of rapid testing for HIV infection screening.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
