Targeting Acute HIV Screening in San Francisco
Author Information
Author(s): Facente Shelley N., Pilcher Christopher D., Hartogensis Wendy E., Klausner Jeffrey D., Philip Susan S., Louie Brian, Christopoulos Katerina A., Dowling Teri, Colfax Grant N.
Primary Institution: San Francisco General Hospital HIV/AIDS Division, University of California San Francisco
Hypothesis
Can specific criteria based on risk behaviors effectively target acute HIV screening in a municipal STD clinic?
Conclusion
Targeted criteria for acute HIV screening can significantly improve the efficiency of testing while still identifying a high percentage of acute infections.
Supporting Evidence
- 137 out of 12,622 testers had recent infections.
- 36 testers had acute infections.
- A model targeting MSM with specific risk behaviors achieved 83.3% sensitivity.
- Using a single risk factor of receptive anal intercourse resulted in 88.9% sensitivity.
Takeaway
This study found that by asking about certain risky behaviors, clinics can better decide who needs more tests for HIV, helping to find infections faster.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from patients tested for HIV at a municipal STD clinic, using multivariate models to identify predictors of recent and acute infections.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce reporting bias, and there were high rates of missing demographic data.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to other populations due to the specific demographics of the San Francisco clinic.
Participant Demographics
The median age was 32 years, with 85% male and 75% identifying as MSM.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 67.2–93.6%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website