The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44881

John Hodges, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, 60 College Street, LEPH 126, New Haven, CT 06520, 203 737 5724, john.hodges@yale.edu, Denise Elizabeth Stevens, PhD, Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510, and Kaveh Khoshnood, PhD, Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, 60 College st, P.O Box 208034, New Haven, CT 06511.

BACKGROUND It is well established that differential access to HIV services exists amongst races. Based on recent findings indicating a significant increase in HIV prevalence for young gay black men in the US, this study examines variations in the time period of accessing medical services from the point of HIV diagnosis in a regional sample of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM).

METHODS Based on the Connecticut Statewide HIV/AIDS Needs Assessment Survey 2000, a cross-sectional, multisite survey, a total sample of HIV positive 282 adult MSM were included in a logistic regression model. The outcome of interest was time to initiating medical care from HIV diagnosis (< 1 month, or &#61619; to 1 month). The primary predictor of interest was race, dichotomized as white or non-white. Non-white was a category consisting of non-Hispanic black and Hispanic MSM. Covariates included age, income level, setting of initial diagnosis, person arranging initial medical visit, years living with HIV, car ownership, drug treatment program in last 5 years, usual source of care with HIV illness, and travel to a different city to get medical services.

RESULTS At the multivariate level, race predicts how long an HIV infected MSM will take to get into medical care (p-value of 0.025, OR 2.456)

CONCLUSIONS Of the sample of MSM analyzed, 37.5 % delayed care 1 month or more after their initial HIV diagnosis. Compared with white MSM, MSM of color were found to be 2.456 times more likely to delay care at the cutoff point.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• List the factors that predispose MSM of color to delay entry into medical care post diagnosis.
• Assess how medical care utilization in their own local community/region for this population mirrors the patterns observed in this study.
• Identify discrepancies in delay to accessing care in MSM of color based on this study’s findings.
• Apply results and conclusions of this study to future evaluations and interventions at their respective level.

Keywords: Health Care Utilization, Minority Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Connecticut Department of Public Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.