In a study of more than 1,200 sexually active 15- to 21-year-olds, the researchers found that key HIV risk factors — like having unprotected sex or having a high-risk partner — had no bearing on whether the study participants sought HIV testing over the next three months.

Instead, the single most important factor was whether they had ever been tested before. Those who had were about three times more likely to seek testing during the study period, the researchers report in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

“These findings were a bit surprising, since we thought teens would be more likely to get an HIV test if they engaged in risky behaviors, such as substance use during sex, or attended an HIV prevention workshop,” Dr. Larry K. Brown, the senior researcher on the study, said in a statement.

Since a history of HIV testing was so important, the implication is that early, universal testing might encourage more teenagers to get tested as they grow older, according to Brown and his colleagues at the Brown University Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island.

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