Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Jan-Feb;131 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):21-9.
doi: 10.1177/00333549161310S104.

Experiences Implementing a Routine HIV Screening Program in Two Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Southern United States

Natasha S Crumby  1 , Erica Arrezola  2 , Emily H Brown  3 , Angela Brazzeal  1 , Travis H Sanchez  3
Affiliations

Experiences Implementing a Routine HIV Screening Program in Two Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Southern United States

Natasha S Crumby et al. Public Health Rep. 2016 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Objective: The southern United States is highly affected by HIV, and community health centers play a key role in addressing the health-care needs of residents of southern cities. In 2012, Southside Medical Care Services ("Southside") in Atlanta, Georgia, and Central Care Community Health Center ("Central Care") in Houston, Texas, began comprehensive programs for routine HIV screening and linkage to HIV care.

Methods: We examined patient-level testing outcomes using medical record-derived data. We also compared the total number of HIV tests and HIV-positive tests in the most recent 12 months of the program with the number of HIV tests and HIV-positive tests during the 12 months prior to the program start.

Results: Southside saw 52,437 eligible patients from June 2012 through April 2014; 41,720 (80%) were offered an HIV test, 11,092 (27% of those offered a test) were tested, 75 (0.7% of those tested) had a positive result, and 74 (99% of those with a positive result) were linked to HIV care. Compared with the 12 months prior to the start of routine HIV screening implementation, Southside's routine HIV screening program conducted 5,955 more HIV tests (733% increase) and had 31 more patients who tested positive (238% increase). Central Care saw 22,658 eligible patients from July 2012 to April 2014; 10,904 (48%) were offered an HIV test, 9,909 (91% of those offered a test) were tested, 52 (0.5% of those tested) had a positive result, and 41 (79% of those with a positive result) were linked to HIV care. Compared with the 12 months before routine HIV screening was implemented, Central Care's routine HIV screening program conducted 4,559 more HIV tests (618% increase) and had 36 more patients who tested positive (600% increase).

Conclusion: Southside and Central Care effectively implemented routine HIV screening programs that dramatically increased their testing volume while also linking the majority of HIV-positive patients to care. Other community health centers should consider similar programs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure
Figure
Outcomes of a routine HIV screening program at two southern federally qualified health centers, 2012–2014
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Sullivan PS. United States map of persons living with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis, 2012 [cited 2015 Aug 30] Available from: http://aidsvu.org/map.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US) HIV Surveillance Report. Vol. 23. Atlanta: CDC; 2013. Diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States and dependent areas, 2011. Also available from: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/statistics_2011_hiv_surveillance_report_vol_2... [cited 2015 Jun 10]
    1. Chen M, Rhodes PH, Hall HI, Kilmarx PH, Branson BM, Valleroy LA, et al. Prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among persons aged ≥13 years—National HIV Surveillance System, United States, 2005–2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(2):57–64. - PubMed
    1. Hall HI, Frazier EL, Rhodes P, Holtgrave DR, Furlow-Parmley C, Tang T, et al. Differences in human immunodeficiency virus care and treatment among subpopulations in the United States. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173:1337–44. - PubMed
    1. Denning PH, DiNenno EA, Wiegand RE Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Characteristics associated with HIV infection among heterosexuals in urban areas with high AIDS prevalence—24 cities, United States, 2006–2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60(31):1045–9. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources