Results from Do one Thing: A geographically oriented HIV test and treat program in a medically underserved neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA

Background: Philadelphia's HIV prevalence is five times the national average. African Americans represent 70% of new infections and 2% of African Americans in Philadelphia are living with HIV/AIDS. Most new HIV infections in Philadelphia are concentrated in a few neighborhoods, but screening programs have historically not been focused on geographic pockets of the city with high infection rates. Methods: We developed a comprehensive neighborhood-based HIV screening and linkage to care program in zipcode 19143 in Southwest Philadelphia. This program, called “Do One Thing” includes a large-scale social media and marketing campaign; community mobilization with businesses, churches and community leaders; routine HIV screening at a federally qualified health center; and a door-to-door HIV testing program in four census tracts. Results: The Do One Thing campaign achieved a ten-fold increase in HIV screening at a federally qualified health center in Southwest Philadelphia, screening 2,100 people for HIV during 9 months; 762 people have been screened for HIV in our door-to-door testing campaign. Overall seropositivity was 0.6% in this geographically focused HIV testing and treatment campaign. Eighty-eight percent of individuals who tested positive have been linked and retained in care. Conclusion: This geographically oriented HIV testing and treatment program expanded HIV testing over 10-fold in a neighborhood with high infection rates, and had high rates of retention in care. Geographic approaches to HIV testing and treatment are important strategies to reduce geographic and racial disparities in HIV infection.