Number Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Tests Research Articles

Temporal and Spatial Trends in HIV Positivity Rate for VCT Clinics - China, 2015-2022.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) clinics play a critical role in identifying and diagnosing HIV cases. This study aimed to describe the trend of HIV positivity rate (HPR) among Chinese VCT clinics between 2015 and 2022. This study utilized data from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze the trend in the HPR for VCT clinics from 2015 to 2022. The HPR was calculated by dividing the number of newly-reported HIV cases by the number of HIV tests, multiplied by 100%. To identify temporal and spatial trends in the HPR, we employed joinpoint regression analysis and the Getis-Ord hotspot analysis. From 2015 to 2022, VCT clinics in China performed a total of 22,075,386 HIV tests, leading to the identification of 260,353 HIV cases, resulting in a HPR of 1.18%. The HPR consistently declined over the study period, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of -7.5% (95% confidence interval: -12.6%, -2.2%, P<0.05). The number of HPR hotspots also decreased from 41 in 2015 to 23 in 2022. These HPR hotspots were primarily located in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Guangxi provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs). Among the 31 PLADs, 16 showed a significant decrease in HPR during the study period (AAPC<0, PAAPC<0.05). VCT clinics in China have played a significant role in identifying HIV cases. The declining HPR observed in these clinics may indicates the progress has been made in some degree in mitigating HIV among high-risk populations. Therefore, it is crucial to further improving the utilization of VCT clinics for HIV testing.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency department-based opt-out HIV screening program in a South Florida hospital: An interrupted time series analysis, July 2018-March 2021

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed a tremendous burden on healthcare services. We evaluated its impact on an emergency department (ED)-based opt-out Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in a public healthcare system.MethodsThe programmatic data of ED-based HIV testing from July 2018 to March 2021 at the Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood, Florida was analyzed by interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the immediate and gradual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of monthly HIV tests, with an interruption point at March 2020.ResultsThe average number of monthly HIV tests were significantly lower during the pandemic than the pre-pandemic (791 ± 187 vs 1745 ± 266, P < .001). There was a slight decline trend in the number of monthly HIV tests before the pandemic (estimate -10.29, P = .541). HIV testing dramatically decreased during the initial 7 months of the pandemic, compared to the pre-pandemic period, with the largest decline in the number of HIV tests on March 2020 (estimate -678.48, P = .007). HIV testing slightly increased every month (estimate 4.84, P = .891) during the pandemic period, and the number of HIV tests per month rebounded to the pre-pandemic levels by October 2020.ConclusionsED-based HIV testing significantly decreased during the initial 7 months of the pandemic in south Florida. Multiple strategies are necessary to maintain HIV testing during this pandemic era.

Correlation Between Voluntary HIV Testing and Public Awareness of HIV Using Google Trends in Japan.

The aim of this article was to evaluate the correlation between the number of voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests conducted and public awareness according to Internet search volumes from Google Trends. We used bivariate correlations to assess the relationship between the Internet search frequency for each term of HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the number of HIV tests, by time series and prefecture. We observed positive correlations between search frequencies of the terms HIV and AIDS and the number of HIV tests in both time-series analysis (HIV: r = 0.65, P < .001; AIDS: r = 0.73, P < .001) and analysis by prefecture (HIV: r = 0.71, P < .001; AIDS: r = 0.40, P = .001). The findings of this study indicate that the current stagnant number of HIV tests conducted in Japan reflects declining public awareness regarding HIV.

The acceptability and effectiveness of a questionnaire for the identification of risk factors for HIV and hepatitis B and C: An observational study in general practice

Background: Many people in Europe remain undiagnosed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV).Objectives: To evaluate acceptability and effectiveness of a questionnaire designed to facilitate identification of risk factors for these viruses.Methods: We performed an observational study, in a prospectively enrolled cohort of patients in Paris (France) seen in 2014. Eighteen GPs administered a questionnaire to the first 50 patients, collecting information about risk factors. GPs were randomized into two groups: A (self-administered questionnaire) and B (GP-administered questionnaire). We used the overall response rate to assess the acceptability of the questionnaire. We used the rate of newly identified risk factors and compared the number of tests performed one year before and immediately after the intervention to assess the effectiveness of the questionnaire.Results: 842 patients were randomized: 349 (41.5%) in group A and 493 (58.5%) in group B. Acceptability was 88.5% (95%CI: 86.3–90.6); 93.1% (95%CI: 90.5–95.8) in-group A and 85.2% (95%CI: 82.1–88.3) in group B (P = 0.0004). Prevalence of risk factors was 51.8% (95%CI: 48.2–54.4) and 58.3% were newly identified (95%CI: 52.9–63.7). The number of HIV tests performed during the four weeks after intervention increased by 27% compared to the same period one year before (P = 0.22). It increased by 113% (P = 0.005) and 135% (P = 0.005) for HBV and HCV, respectively.Conclusion: The questionnaire proved acceptable and effective in identifying risk factors for HIV, HBV and HCV in general practice.

Cost-effectiveness of Using Social Networks to Identify Undiagnosed HIV Infection Among Minority Populations

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Advancing HIV Prevention project to implement new strategies for diagnosing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections outside medical settings and prevent new infections by working with HIV-infected persons and their partners. : To assess the cost and effectiveness of a social network strategy to identify new HIV diagnoses among minority populations. Four community-based organizations (CBOs) in Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, District of Columbia, implemented a social network strategy for HIV counseling and testing from October 2003 to December 2005. We used standardized cost collection forms to collect program costs attributable to staff time, travel, incentives, test kits, testing supplies, office space, equipment, and utilities. The CBOs used the networks of high-risk and HIV-infected persons (recruiters) who referred their partners and associates for HIV counseling and testing. We obtained HIV-testing outcomes from project databases. Number of HIV tests, number of new HIV-diagnoses notified, total program cost, cost per person tested, cost per person notified of new HIV diagnosis. Two CBOs, both based in Philadelphia, identified 25 and 17 recruiters on average annually and tested 136 and 330 network associates, respectively. Among those tested, 12 and 13 associates were notified of new HIV diagnoses (seropositivity: 9.8%, 4.4%). CBOs in Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, District of Columbia, identified 26 and 24 recruiters per year on average and tested 228 and 123 network associates. Among those tested, 12 and 11 associates were notified of new HIV diagnoses (seropositivity: 5.1%, 8.7%). The cost per associate notified of a new HIV diagnosis was $11 578 and $12 135 in Philadelphia, and $16 437 and $16 101 in Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, District of Columbia. The cost of notifying someone with a new HIV diagnosis using social networks varied across sites. Our analysis provides useful information for program planning and evaluation.