142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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302854
Correlates of Linkage and Retention in Care among People Living with HIV in Louisiana

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Sarah Chrestman, MPH , Division of Evaluation and Research, Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Russell Brewer, DrPH, CHES , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Karen Mason, MSPH , Division of Evaluation and Research, Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Snigdha Mukherjee, PhD , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Deann Gruber, PhD, LCSW , Department of Health and Hospitals Louisiana Office of Public Health STD/HIV Program, New Orleans, LA
Background: More than 17,000 individuals were living with HIV in Louisiana in 2013, 44% were not in care, and only 41% were retained in care. Louisiana Positive Charge (LAPC) was a multifaceted statewide linkage to care program for those newly diagnosed or not in HIV medical care and consisted of five 3-6 month interventions: peer/health navigation, linkage case management (ARTAS model), pre/post-release case management, HIV-specific disease intervention specialists, and health navigation with treatment adherence. 

Methods: Clients completed a baseline survey and a follow-up survey after linkage to medical care.  Survey data was matched with state surveillance data to determine if clients were linked and/or retained in medical care every 6 months up to 18 months post-enrollment.  Demographic characteristics will be examined between linkage and retention in care patients.  Differences will be noted and analyzed with potential confounding factors to better understand relevant issues to linkage and retention.   

Results: Of the 998 clients enrolled, 82% were Black, 12% were White, and 6% were other races.  66% were male, 31% were female, and 3% were transgender.  94% had a high school diploma/equivalency or less.  LAPC had a linkage rate of 91%, and 75% of clients were retained in care.    

Conclusions: Statistically significant positive trends among CD4 and viral loads show the success over time of LAPC.  Preliminary analysis did not find a significant difference by demographic characteristics, but additional analyses will explore variables such as mental health, substance use, incarceration, reduction in barriers and needs, and self-reported levels of stigma.

Learning Areas:

Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
Describe linkage and retention rates of Louisiana Positive Charge by intervention. Compare linkage and retention rates of Louisiana Positive Charge by demographics of the study population.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Health Care Access

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the lead evaluator or co-evaluator on privately funded grants focusing on linkage and retention to HIV medical and supportive care among those newly diagnosed and out of care as well as a federally funded grant to prevent teenage pregnancy and transmission of HIV and STDs.
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.

Back to: 2032.0: HIV/AIDS Care