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CD4 Counts and Viral Load Measurements in AIDS Drug Assistance Program: Quality (Data) Management and Health Indicators

Dennis T. Wong, PhD, California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, 1616 Capitol Ave., Suite 616, Sacramento, CA 95814, 916-327-3184, dwong2@dhs.ca.gov and Karen S. Fairgrieves, MBA, Department of Health Services, Fiscal Forecasing and Data Management Branch, 1501 Capitol Ave., Suite 71.6069, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Background: The California AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides prescription drugs to individuals with HIV disease who could not otherwise afford them. We designed a study to: 1) assess the quality of health outcome data (CD4 counts and viral load), 2) develop a methodology to monitor these measures annually; and 3) examine these health indicators of ADAP clients, presently and over time.

Methodology: CD4 counts from Fiscal Year 2001-02 clients were screened on three criteria: enrollment eligibility dates, lab values of test results, and the time between test dates and eligibility dates. Three populations were examined: overall ADAP population, 100% ADAP clients who do not have private insurance or Medicaid, and 100% ADAP clients who have CD4 counts over two years. Because test types were not available for viral load measures, these data were not screened and analyzed.

Results: The results showed the positive effect of ADAP on the population it serves over time. For the 100% ADAP population with two years of tests, 46% of clients with a baseline CD4 count LT 200 improved upon their CD4 category at the more recent test, 45% of clients with a baseline CD4 count between 200 – 350 improved to GT 350, and 50% of clients maintained their CD4 count in the GT 350 category.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Evaluation

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.

HIV/AIDS Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation Poster Session

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA