A serial cross sectional study was conducted among clients receiving Ryan White CARE Act services. In 1997 and 1998, 125 and 110 programs, respectively, received questionnaires which were to be distributed to a sample of their clients. Eight hundred thirty-four and 842 surveys were returned in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Comparisons were made from one year to the next using Chi-square tests. Results from the two surveys included a decrease in the number of white survey participants from 28% to 21%, African Americans from 24% to 21% and a corresponding increase in Hispanic/Latino participants from 40% to 50%. There was a significant increase in the number of uninsured clients from 49% to 64% (p=0.05). Clients indicating HIV medications as being "difficult or very difficult" to afford increased significantly from 21% to 29% in the second year survey (p=0.01). The various services were ranked by need of clients in both years and compared to assess changes. Appropriate medical care was ranked as the most important service need in both years. "Education for HIV treatment" had the greatest change among needs, moving from twelfth to second. The need for "money for living expenses" decreased from second ranking in 1997 to ninth in 1998. These findings stress the importance for a comprehensive needs assessment with a more effective sampling methodology. The results also underscore the importance of obtaining representative data to ensure that planning and priority-setting efforts are both effective and "evidence-based".
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will discuss the challenges and limitations of implementing a survey among clients receiving Ryan White CARE Act Services and implications for future improvements in sampling methodology. 2. Participants will also become familiar with the use of serial cross-sectional analysis to assess various CARE Services in a large culturally diverse city
Keywords: HIV/AIDS,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.