Routine HIV Screening in Primary Care

Abstract

In 2010, the state of Georgia had an estimated HIV prevalence of 187.1 diagnosed HIV infections per 100,000 people. Three of the four counties surrounding the Greater Atlanta area, had rates vastly exceeding the state’s rate. The CDC estimates that 21% of the nation’s estimated 679,590 people with HIV are still unaware of their status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings to include routine testing of individuals ages 13-64 to determine HIV status. Prior to the revision of the testing recommendations, risk assessments had been used to determine the need for testing with a poor public health outcome.

Proposal Summary

Background: In 2010, the state of Georgia had an estimated HIV prevalence of 187.1 diagnosed HIV infections per 100,000 people. Three of the four counties in the Metro Atlanta area had rates vastly exceeding the state’s rate. The CDC estimates that 21% of the nation’s estimated 679,590 people with HIV are still unaware of their status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings to include routine testing of individuals ages 13-64 to determine HIV status. Methods: Beginning June 1, 2012 and ending September 30, 2013, Opt-out serum HIV screens were offered to all individuals age 13-64 years, with known or unknown HIV status, presenting for a visit in a group of primary care clinics located in the Metro Atlanta area. Patients included in the testing group presented with demographics indicating residence in metro Atlanta and the surrounding rural cities of Lovejoy and Jackson Georgia. Results: During the fifteen months sited, 7718 serum HIV screens were performed with additional testing to confirm positive screens. Forty-five of the individuals tested ( 0.58%) were found to be HIV positive. (95%) of the individuals found positive were African-American, (57%) were male and (27%) were between the ages of 23-30 years. Conclusions: Of the individuals (45) testing HIV positive, thirty (66%) did not know they were HIV positive and fifteen (34%) later reported they were previously determined positive for HIV prior to the routine HIV screen performed. All forty-five (100%) of these individuals, regardless of newly or previously determined HIV positive status, were linked to and completed at least one visit with a medical care provider and were given treatment related to their positive HIV status. It was also determined that 66% of the patients newly diagnosed were established patients within the primary care clinics and had not been offered HIV screening until routine HIV screening was established.

Relevance And Significance

This proposal addresses issues regarding prevention and intervention in metro and rural counties in Georgia. Routine screening in a primary care setting is proven to capture patients who might otherwise be missed due to lack of risk factors. While receiving care by established providers in the community, HIV testing in this environment allows the testing to be performed with other routine lab screening tests offered during the office visit. Clients were more willing to agree to testing when offered in this environment of care as it appears to lack the stigma associated with other types of testing sites.

Session Format

Poster Session

Keywords

Testing, Routine, Primary, Office, Prevention, Stigma, Community

Location

Room 129

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Sep 12th, 2:30 PM Sep 12th, 3:45 PM

Routine HIV Screening in Primary Care

Room 129

In 2010, the state of Georgia had an estimated HIV prevalence of 187.1 diagnosed HIV infections per 100,000 people. Three of the four counties surrounding the Greater Atlanta area, had rates vastly exceeding the state’s rate. The CDC estimates that 21% of the nation’s estimated 679,590 people with HIV are still unaware of their status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings to include routine testing of individuals ages 13-64 to determine HIV status. Prior to the revision of the testing recommendations, risk assessments had been used to determine the need for testing with a poor public health outcome.