STD/HIV risk among adults in the primary care setting: are we adequately addressing our patients' needs?

Primary Care Providers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Informing Network-Based Interventions

Increasing access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in primary care settings for patients who may be at risk for HIV could help to increase PrEP uptake, which has remained low among certain key risk populations. The current study conducted interviews with primary care providers identified from national claims data as having either high or low likelihood of serving PrEP-eligible patients based on their prescribing practices for other sexually transmitted infections. The study yielded important information about primary care providers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about PrEP, as well as the barriers and facilitators to prescribing PrEP. Key recommendations for a provider-focused intervention to increase PrEP prescribing among primary care providers, including increasing patient education to increase demand from providers, enhancing provider education, leveraging technology, and instituting standardized sexual health checks, are provided with the goal of informing network-based interventions.

The Underuse of STI Prevention Counseling in Primary Care

Although sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates are increasing in the United States, prevention efforts remain limited. This study examined how often STI prevention counseling is given during primary care office visits using nationally representative data. Sexually transmitted infection prevention counseling occurred in 0.6% of visits and differences by patient race and physician specialty were observed.

Successful Implementation of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis: Lessons Learned From Three Clinical Settings

The past 3 years have marked a transition from research establishing the safety and efficacy of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to questions about how to optimize its implementation. Until recently, PrEP was primarily offered as part of randomized controlled trials or open-label studies. These studies highlighted the key components of PrEP delivery, including regular testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), adherence and risk-reduction support, and monitoring for renal toxicity. PrEP is now increasingly provided in routine clinical settings. This review summarizes models for PrEP implementation from screening through initiation and follow-up, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of three delivery systems: a health maintenance organization, an STI clinic, and a primary care practice. These early implementation experiences demonstrate that PrEP can be successfully delivered across a variety of settings and highlight strategies to streamline PrEP delivery in clinical practice.

Continuing Need for Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics After the Affordable Care Act

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the characteristics of sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic patients, their reasons for seeking health services in STD clinics, and their access to health care in other venues.

METHODS

In 2013, we surveyed persons who used publicly funded STD clinics in 21 US cities with the highest STD morbidity.

RESULTS

Of the 4364 STD clinic patients we surveyed, 58.5% were younger than 30 years, 72.5% were non-White, and 49.9% were uninsured. They visited the clinic for STD symptoms (18.9%), STD screening (33.8%), and HIV testing (13.6%). Patients chose STD clinics because of walk-in, same-day appointments (49.5%), low cost (23.9%), and expert care (8.3%). Among STD clinic patients, 60.4% had access to another type of venue for sick care, and 58.5% had access to another type of venue for preventive care. Most insured patients (51.6%) were willing to use insurance to pay for care at the STD clinic.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite access to other health care settings, patients chose STD clinics for sexual health care because of convenient, low-cost, and expert care. Policy Implication. STD clinics play an important role in STD prevention by offering walk-in care to uninsured patients.

Chlamydia screening for sexually active young women under the Affordable Care Act: new opportunities and lingering barriers

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) contains a provision requiring private insurers issuing or renewing plans on or after September 23, 2010, to provide, without cost sharing, preventive services recommended by US Preventive Services Task Force (grades A and B), among other recommending bodies. As a grade A recommendation, chlamydia screening for sexually active young women 24 years and younger and older women at risk for chlamydia falls under this requirement. This article examines the potential effect on chlamydia screening among this population across private and public health plans and identifies lingering barriers not addressed by this legislation. Examination of the impact on women with private insurance touches upon the distinction between coverage under grandfathered plans, where the requirement does not apply, and nongrandfathered plans, where the requirement does apply. Acquisition of private health insurance through health insurance Marketplaces is also discussed. For public health plans, coverage of preventive services without cost sharing differs for individuals enrolled in standard Medicaid, covered under the Medicaid expansion included in the ACA, or those enrolled under the Children's Health Insurance Program or who fall under Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment criteria. The discussion of lingering barriers not addressed by the ACA includes the uninsured, physician reimbursement, cost sharing, confidentiality, low rates of appropriate sexual history taking by providers, and disclosures of sensitive information. In addition, the role of safety net programs that provide health care to individuals regardless of ability to pay is examined in light of the expectation that they also remain a payer of last resort.

Vaccination guidelines for gay and bisexual men

While gay and bisexual men should be vaccinated according to the most recent guidelines, this population also has needs that extend beyond those guidelines. This article explores current vaccination recommendations for gay and bisexual men and provides strategies to reduce barriers to vaccination in this population.

Factors That Influence HIV Risk among Hispanic Female Immigrants and Their Implications for HIV Prevention Interventions

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in North Carolina with increasing incidence of HIV infection. Gender roles, cultural expectations, and acculturation of women may explain some of Hispanic women's risks. The perspectives of Hispanic female immigrants and community-based providers were sought to identify services they offer, understand HIV risk factors, and support the adaptation of a best-evidence HIV behavioural intervention for Hispanic women. Two sets of focus groups were conducted to explicate risks and the opportunities to reach women or couples and the feasibility to conduct HIV prevention in an acceptable manner. Salient findings were that Hispanic female immigrants lacked accurate HIV/AIDS and STI knowledge and that traditional gender roles shaped issues surrounding sexual behaviour and HIV risks, as well as condom use, partner communication, and multiple sexual partnerships. Intervention implications are discussed such as developing and adapting culturally appropriate HIV prevention interventions for Hispanics that address gender roles and partner communication.