142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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304310
Regional Implementation of National HIV Strategies- Using a Combination Approach of Targeted and Routine HIV Testing

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 1:00 PM - 1:15 PM

Natalie Sanchez , UCLA-Executive MPH Program class of 2015, AltaMed Health Servcies Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Thomas Siegmeth, MPH, CHES , AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Gabriela Leon , AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Issues: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy set a goal of identifying persons who are living with HIV and unaware of their status. To achieve this,NHAS recommends intensifying efforts in heavily concentrated HIV communities and using combinations of prevention approaches. In California, there are approximately 5,000 persons diagnosed with HIV each year.  Latinos represent 45% of persons newly diagnosed. Additionally, 82% of persons diagnosed with HIV are MSM and 11% are from heterosexual contact. 

Description: For over 2 decades AltaMed has implemented targeted testing with a focus on reaching high-risk Latino communities. The implementation of NHAS, AltaMed has restructured  its HIV Prevention unit into a larger scale testing program that includes routine HIV testing in its 22 primary clinics. AltaMed underwent a series of phases which included staffing reorganization, recruitment plan revisions, utilizing GIS mapping to identify high incidence areas, and an evaluation plan to monitor 3 different testing strategies.

Lessons Learned: AltaMed tested over 4,000 persons in the targeted testing programs and over 30,000 in routine testing in 2013. Over 60 positives were identified and 85% were successfully linked to care. A combination of testing strategies using a mobile HIV testing unit, storefront HIV Testing, and routine HIV screening in primary clinics have demonstrated unique successes. 

Recommendations: Program structure, recruitment strategies for testing, and evaluation of programs will be shared in the session to assist other agencies in implementing one or more of these testing strategies. Routine HIV testing strategy has proven to be challenging but has also paved the way to identify more persons living with HIV and normalize HIV testing.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Identify strengths, challenges, and strategies to overcome challenges among 3 HIV testing approaches within a community health center Compare outcomes of the different testing strategies including mobile testing unit, targeted storefront testing, and routine HIV Testing in a health care setting. Demonstrate the effectiveness of a combined testing approach to reach Latinos in highly impacted communities.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, HIV Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a co-principal of multiple federally funded grants focusing on HIV prevention and testing. I have successfully developed and implemented multiple HIV testing services resulting in the development of regional best practices in large urban areas targeting Latino communities.
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: 4234.0: National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Implementation and Lessons Learned