 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Scott Santibanez, MD1, Laura Broyles, MD1, Robert Nelson2, Sergei Markov3, Nissa Gusseynova, MD3, Rimma Sofronova, MD3, and Lynn Paxton, MD1. (1) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E45, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404 639 5384, ZQG5@cdc.gov, (2) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Statistics and Data Management Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road MS-E45, Atlanta, GA 30333, (3) AIDS and Infectious Diseases Prevention Center, Leskov Street, Building 31, Orel, 302040, Russia
Background: Since 1995, officially reported HIV cases in Russia have increased from 169 to >210,000, mostly among injection drug users (IDUs). Russian HIV surveillance focuses on identifying and referring cases and initiating follow-up investigations. To determine the feasibility of using existing surveillance to assess HIV risk among all persons tested, we compared HIV surveillance data with linked, self-reported behavioral data.
Methods: In Russian HIV surveillance, blood specimens are sent to a federal laboratory accompanied by a provider assigned, mutually exclusive HIV surveillance risk code (HSRC): IDU, homosexual/bisexual, sexually transmitted disease (STD), blood/tissue donor, pregnant woman, prisoner, clinical suspicion, other/no risk identified, epidemiologic contact, medical worker and foreigner. From January - October 2002, persons presenting to an anonymous HIV testing site completed a self-administered questionnaire to assess socio-demographics and injecting and sexual behaviors. Questionnaire data were linked to HIV surveillance data and analyzed using Chi-Square tests.
Results: Of 423 persons presenting for first-time testing, 139 (33%) reported drug injection. HSRCs identified 13% (18/139) of IDUs. Although 236 (56%) reported high-risk sexual activity (possible sex with an IDU or casual sex), there was no HSRC to account for heterosexual risk. Seventy-nine percent (333/423) were classified as ‘other/no risk identified.’
Conclusions: HSRCs do not accurately reflect self-reported risk behaviors at this site. HIV risk behaviors can be better characterized by more complete assessment and documentation and revision of HSRCs to include heterosexual risk and non-mutually exclusive categories. This information can be used to estimate HIV prevalence by risk group and to target interventions.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.