Optimization in HIV screening problems (Q1430565)

Summary: The authors use both deterministic and stochastic approaches to the analysis of some optimization problems that arise in the group (``pool'') HIV screening practice. Two kinds of testing policies are considered. For the first kind, group-individual testing, the optimal size of the group that should be selected for testing is found. For more general group\,-\,subgroup testing procedures the authors develop a numerical algorithm for finding the sequence of successively selected subgroups that minimizes the total cost of testing. Assuming that both arriving and testing processes have a random nature, the authors suggest a stochastic model in which the optimal size of the group in the group-individual testing procedure is found by using methods of queueing theory.