Since an effort to validate the report of a specific category of heterosexual transmission of HIV for Chicago AIDS cases was completed in 1994, observations have lead to the belief that the misclassification of a heterosexual transmission category has reemerged as a distorting artifact in Chicago's AIDS data. Objective: The purpose of supplemental surveillance efforts described in this abstract are to validate 236 AIDS cases diagnosed from 1995 through 1998 with heterosexual transmission categories submitted to the Office of HIV/AIDS Surveillance (OHAS) of the Chicago Department of Public Health. Methods: The medical records for the 236 cases will be re-abstracted to ascertain if the risk factor for HIV transmission as documented by medical providers in the medical records is consistant with the risk indicated and submitted to OHAS on the AIDS case report form. If a risk category cannot be valdated from the medical record, providers will be contacted for interview. Through this process, each case will be placed in one of five categories at the appropriate point during follow-up. Results: This project is currently in progress therefore, results are preliminary with only 113 records reviewed thus far. Final results are pending the completion of the project, expected by August 2001. Discussion: Participants will also be able to recognize and discuss the importance for providers to standardize the ascertainment of mode of transmission (risk factors), so that accurate trends can be examined and described in the future.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session participants will be able to identify Chicago's recent trends regarding misclassification for mode of transmission within heterosexual categories. Particpants will also be able to recognize and discuss the importance for providers to standardize the ascertainment of mode of tranmissions (risk factors), so that accurate trends can be examined and described in the future.
Keywords: Epidemiology, HIV Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Chicago Department of Public Health Office of HIV/AIDS Surveillance
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.