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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Tanya L. Stevenson, MPH, Daria Boccher-Lattimore, DrPH, Mari Millery, PhD, and Audrey Castillo. Columbia University, New York/New Jersey AETC, 722 West 168th Street, 11th Floor, Room 1110A, New York, NY 10032, 2123058291, tlscubas@yahoo.com

Background: New York and New Jersey represent approximately 25% of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. This requires providers caring for individuals living with HIV/AIDS to be especially knowledgeable about treatment initiation, options and management. However, the clinical HIV education need for providers is often unassessed.

Methods: The NY/NJ AIDS Education & Training Center conducts annual HIV clinical education needs assessments with organizations throughout the region. Between July-December 2005 ninety-nine agencies throughout both states were assessed either in person or via telephone, the majority of which were hospitals/clinics and community health centers. Agencies were asked about the provision of HIV care and special HIV services, populations served, HIV-related training topics needed and HIV expertise.

Results: Six percent of agencies reported a rating of fair for their HIV expertise while 35% of agencies believed their HIV expertise was adequate and another 35% reported high HIV expertise. Fifty percent of agencies reported on-site expertise for resistance testing and 46% reported on-site expertise in care for Hepatitis co-infected individuals, yet the top three requested training topics were Prevention with Positives, Hepatitis B/C co-infection and Resistance Testing. While the majority of sites reported above adequate on-site HIV expertise, they also heavily rely on the availability of HIV consultations and referrals.

Conclusions: Results indicate the presence of a strong consultative network in the region and suggest that ongoing HIV clinical education and consultation may be necessary to maintain on-site expertise and keep current with newly developing treatment methodologies.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the clinical HIV education needs of HIV service providers in New York and New Jersey.
• Become aware of the extent of the HIV consultation and referral network within New York and New Jersey.
• Examine the relationship between reported onsite HIV expertise and expressed HIV training needs.

Keywords: Needs Assessment, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered