142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

299986
Evaluating the utilization of HIV testing by populations disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in high risk San Francisco neighborhoods

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Harry Jin, MPH , Center for Public Health Research, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Sean Arayasirikul, PhD Candidate , Center for Public Health Research, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Glenn-Milo Santos, MPH , Center for Public Health Research, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Theresa Ick , Center for Public Health Research, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
H. Fisher Raymond, DrPH, MPH , Center for Public Health Research, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
A large proportion of people who inject drugs (PWID) and transfemales (male-to-female transgender) in San Francisco live in the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, where many HIV prevention services are located. Despite living within close proximity to testing sites, these two populations remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, suggesting underutilization of these services. Identifying determinants of utilization of regular HIV testing (defined as testing every 6 months) may inform community based organizations how to target HIV testing efforts.

We conducted a secondary data analysis of data collected by the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System in 2012 (PWID) and the TEACH2 Study in 2013 (transfemales). We fitted multivariable logistic regression models to identify correlates of testing regularly among HIV-negative participants from Tenderloin and South of Market.

43.6% of PWID and 76.5% of transfemales had been tested for HIV in the past 6 months. A larger proportion of PWID who had utilize HIV had also participated in individual counseling sessions about HIV prevention (38.4% vs. 19.1%, χ2=15.42, p-value=<0.01), and group counseling sessions about HIV prevention (15.8% vs. 4.8%, χ2=11.52, p-value=<0.01). No significant differences were found between transfemales who had and had not been tested.

Although community based organizations have addressed traditional barriers to accessing preventive care services, such as language, financial, and geographical barriers, the rate of HIV testing remain low among these key populations. Targeted efforts are needed to increase regular HIV testing rates among men, and those who do not access individual and group HIV risk reduction counseling programs.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the utilization of HIV testing by people who inject drugs and transfemales who live in the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods. Identify differences between characteristics and behaviors of those who test and those who do not test regularly. Provide guidance for community based organizations and public health officials to implement evidence based policy changes that will increase usage of HIV prevention services.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked on multiple federally funded grants and fellowships focusing on improving access to healthcare services for people living with HIV, and reducing HIV transmission among high risk populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.