The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70419

Susan Thompson, BS¹, Erika Aaron, CRNP², Rashidah Abdul-Khabeer, RN³, James Witek, MD⁴, David Rubenstein, PsyD⁴, and Polly Hill O'Keefe, MSS⁵. (1) Health Federation of Philadelphia, PA/MA AIDS Education and Training Center, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-246-5324, sthom@hfedu.org, (2) Strawberry Mansion Health Center, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 633 N. Mt. Pleasant Rd, Phila, PA 19119, (3) Family Planning Council, Circle of Care, 260 South Broad Street, 19th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (4) Drexel University College of Medicine, HIV/AIDS Medicine Division, 1427 Vine Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (5) Pennsylvania/Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center, Health Federation of Philadelphia, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19107

In times of limited resources collaborative efforts are crucial to achieve public health HIV prevention and care initiatives. An AETC local performance site, a Title I primary care provider site, and a CDC/Title IV grantee collaborated on the implementation of an expedited/rapid HIV testing initiative on the labor and delivery floor of an urban hospital serving low-income and minority women. The hospital averages 8-10 patients/month who have received no prenatal care and has an HIV prevalence rate of 1.5%. The three partners planned, developed and implemented protocol, materials and training. To prepare OB/GYN residents with the skills to provide HIV testing during labor, the AETC developed a two-hour provider training with a skill practice component. The training materials included a clinical reference card listing treatment protocols and counseling approaches. The CDC/Title IV grantee provided on site support in the labor and delivery floor to ensure appropriate testing and counseling and followed-up of HIV positive women to assure psychological support and entry to HIV care. The Title I primary care provider was the cornerstone of the clinical effort to implement expedited/rapid testing in the hospital. They established an interdepartmental committee to develop the protocol, provided overall guidance, and worked in close partnership with the hospital to ensure the protocol was instituted. The project started in October 2001 and offered the first expedited test in August 2002. As if January 2003, 28 women have been tested with one positive result. Plans to institute OraQuick are in place.

Learning Objectives:

• · Describe collaboration of an AETC local performance site, a Title I primary care provider and a CDC/Title IV grantee to implement an HIV expedited/rapid testing initiative on the labor and delivery floor in an urban hospital.
• · Discuss the implementation of HIV test counseling training of women in labor, for OBGYN residents

Keywords: HIV/AIDS,

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.