A Needs Assessment for Prenatal HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis Screening Provider Interventions in Spokane County

Title: A Needs Assessment for Prenatal Screening Policy in Spokane, Washington

Purpose: To identify policy and practices gaps in prenatal screening for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV in Spokane County.

Rationale/Background/Conceptual Basis: Public health leaders in Spokane wished to assess the need for provider training on prenatal screening practices for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV. Spokane is a low prevalence community for each disease, and this may influence provider screening practices.

Methods: All prenatal care providers in Spokane (n = 95) were asked to participate in a 20-minute face-to-face interview with the PI, and 28 (29% of the population) agreed to do so. Questions included self-reported screening rates, reasons why providers screened, office policies on prenatal screening, and opinions on the need for community outreach.

Results: All providers said that they always screened for syphilis and hepatitis B. However, two providers (7% of the sample) reported not offering HIV screening to all patients, citing risk factor analysis and confusion about who was doing testing in the office. Written office policies for screening had no impact on testing, and many practices had not formally implemented the state-required opt-out policy.

Significance of findings/Implications: Findings that provider outreach is needed to educate regarding Washington state policy of universal screening, and to ensure no positive diagnosis of HIV is missed.