EXAMPLES OF CLIENT-CENTERED/OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

Provider Driven/Closed / Client-Centered/Open-Ended
You are not having unprotected sex, are you? / What are you doing to protect yourself?
Are you being promiscuous? / How many sex partners have you had in the past 3 months?
You need to use condoms every time you have sex. / What could you do to protect yourself?
You should tell your partner to use condoms. / How do you think your partner would react if you asked him/her to use condoms?
Do you have a problem with or are you abusing drugs and/or alcohol? / How often do you use drugs and/or alcohol?
Are you gay or bisexual? / Do you have sex with men, women, or both?
You really need to start using condoms. / What gets in the way of you using condoms?
If I were you, I would get tested. / Now that you understand the behaviors that can put you at risk for HIV, how do you feel about being testing for HIV?
Are you protecting yourself? / What are you currently doing to protect yourself?
I think you should… / What would you like to do to protect yourself? What do you think you can do?
Why are you having unprotected sex? / What is the hardest part about trying to protect yourself?
Why aren’t you using condoms? / What has happened in the past when you have tried to use condoms?
Don’t you think that it is a good idea. / Which of the options we’ve discussed do you think would work for you?
Let me tell you how HIV is transmitted. / Tell me what you’ve heard about how HIV is transmitted.
You may need to be retested if you are in the window period. / It can take up to 3 months for HIV to show up in your blood. Have you done anything recently which may warrant a retest?

HIV Screening and Women’s Health