1. Limited Knowledge and Lack of Screening for Acute HIV Infection at Primary Care Clinics in High-Prevalence Communities of New York City
- Author
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Marcia J Kindlon, Arismendi A Jiménez, Yvette Calderon, Milton L. Wainberg, Theresa M. Exner, Javier Lopez-Rios, Timothy Frasca, Andrea Norcini Pala, Richard A. Cotroneo, and Robert H. Remien
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Social Psychology ,Health Personnel ,HIV Infections ,Primary care ,Ambulatory Care Facilities ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Intervention (counseling) ,Prevalence ,Humans ,Mass Screening ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Acute HIV infection ,030505 public health ,High prevalence ,Primary Health Care ,business.industry ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,virus diseases ,Viral Load ,respiratory tract diseases ,Health psychology ,Chronic infection ,Infectious Diseases ,Population Surveillance ,Family medicine ,Acute Disease ,HIV-1 ,Female ,New York City ,0305 other medical science ,business ,Viral load - Abstract
Diagnosis and treatment of acute HIV infection (AHI) is crucial for ending the HIV epidemic. Individuals with AHI, who have high viral loads and often are unaware of their infection, are more likely to transmit HIV to others than those with chronic infection. In preparation for an educational intervention on AHI in primary health care settings in high HIV-prevalence areas of New York City, 22 clinic directors, 313 clinic providers, and 220 patients were surveyed on their knowledge and awareness of the topic during the period 2012–15. Basic HIV knowledge was high among all groups while knowledge of AHI was partial among providers and virtually absent among patients. Inadequate knowledge about this crucial phase of HIV may be impeding timely identification of cases in the primary care setting.
- Published
- 2019