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Figueroa JF, Duggan C, Phelan J, Ang L, Ebem F, Chu J, Orav EJ, Hyle EP. Antiretroviral Therapy Use and Disparities Among Medicare Beneficiaries with HIV. J Gen Intern Med 2024:10.1007/s11606-024-08847-y. [PMID: 38865008 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08847-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all people with HIV. Understanding ART use among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV is therefore critically important for improving quality and equity of care among the growing population of older adults with HIV. However, a comprehensive national evaluation of filled ART prescriptions among Medicare beneficiaries is lacking. OBJECTIVE To examine trends in ART use among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV from 2013 to 2019 and to evaluate whether racial and ethnic disparities in ART use are narrowing over time. DESIGN Retrospective observational study. SUBJECTS Traditional Medicare beneficiaries with Part D living with HIV in 2013-2019. MAIN MEASURES Months of filled ART prescriptions each year. KEY RESULTS Compared with beneficiaries not on ART, beneficiaries on ART were younger, less likely to be Black (41.6% vs. 47.0%), and more likely to be Hispanic (13.1% vs. 9.7%). While the share of beneficiaries who filled ART prescriptions for 10 + months/year improved (+ 0.48 percentage points/year [p.p.y.], 95% CI 0.34-0.63, p < 0.001), 25.8% of beneficiaries did not fill ART for 10 + months in 2019. Between 2013 and 2019, the proportion of beneficiaries who filled ART for 10 + months improved for Black beneficiaries (65.8 to 70.3%, + 0.66 p.p.y., 95% CI 0.43-0.89, p < 0.001) and White beneficiaries (74.8 to 77.4%, + 0.38 p.p.y.; 95% CI 0.19-0.58, p < 0.001), while remaining stable for Hispanic beneficiaries (74.5 to 75.0%, + 0.12 p.p.y., 95% CI - 0.24-0.49, p = 0.51). Although Black-White disparities in ART use narrowed over time, the share of beneficiaries who filled ART prescriptions for 10 + months/year was significantly lower among Black beneficiaries relative to White beneficiaries each year. CONCLUSIONS ART use improved from 2013 to 2019 among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV. However, about 25% of beneficiaries did not consistently fill ART prescriptions within a given year. Despite declining differences between Black and White beneficiaries, concerning disparities in ART use persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Figueroa
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ciara Duggan
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Phelan
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luke Ang
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Florence Ebem
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Chu
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E John Orav
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily P Hyle
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Boston, MA, USA
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Jia DT, Carcamo PM, Diaz MM. Ongoing Healthcare Disparities in neuroHIV: Addressing Gaps in the Care Continuum. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2023; 20:368-378. [PMID: 37999827 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-023-00683-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We aim to review the neurological complications of HIV and the social, cultural, and economic inequalities that contribute to disparities in neuroHIV care. RECENT FINDINGS Disparities in diagnostics and care of patients with neurological infections and non-infectious conditions associated with HIV in both high-income and low-to-middle-income countries (LMIC) are common. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these disparities. Factors, such as HIV-related stigma, may deter people from accessing HIV treatment. First-line recommended treatments for neurological infections are not available in many LMICs, leading to inadequate treatment and exposure to agents with more harmful side effect profiles. Access-related factors, such as lack of transportation, lack of health insurance, and inadequate telehealth access, may increase the risk of HIV-related neurological complications. Further research is needed to increase awareness of neurological complications among providers and PWH, and regional guidelines should be considered to better address these complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Tong Jia
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Paloma M Carcamo
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Health Innovation Laboratory, Alexander Von Humboldt Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Monica M Diaz
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Schwartz J, Grimm J. Investigating the Content of #UequalsU on Twitter. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:1318-1326. [PMID: 34930084 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2021.2006395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) is the scientific fact that HIV cannot be transmitted when an individual is virally suppressed. This breakthrough discovery has the potential to greatly reduce HIV stigma and its negative effects. However, U = U is not widely known. Given that Twitter has the potential to raise awareness of health issues, the purpose of this study was to analyze the content of the #UequalsU on Twitter. The results showed that mentioning sex and mentioning love were strong predictors that a tweet would be liked and retweeted. This information could help to spread the message of U = U more widely and potentially lessen HIV stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Schwartz
- Department of Communication Studies, Northeastern University
| | - Josh Grimm
- Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University
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Endalamaw A, Gilks CF, Ambaw F, Habtewold TD, Assefa Y. Universal Health Coverage for Antiretroviral Treatment: A Review. Infect Dis Rep 2022; 15:1-15. [PMID: 36648855 PMCID: PMC9844463 DOI: 10.3390/idr15010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Universal health coverage is essential for the progress to end threats of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic. The current review assesses the publication rate, strategies and barriers for antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, equity, quality of care, and financial protection. We searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Of the available articles, 43.13% were on ART coverage, 40.28% were on financial protection, 10.43% were on quality of care, and 6.16% were on equity. A lack of ART, fear of unwanted disclosure, lack of transportation, unaffordable health care costs, long waiting time to receive care, and poverty were barriers to ART coverage. Catastrophic health care costs were higher among individuals who were living in rural settings, walked greater distances to reach health care institutions, had a lower socioeconomic status, and were immunocompromised. There were challenges to the provision of quality of care, including health care providers' inadequate salary, high workload and inadequate health workforce, inappropriate infrastructure, lack of training opportunities, unclear division of responsibility, and the presence of strict auditing. In conclusion, ART coverage was below the global average, and key populations were disproportionally less covered with ART in most countries. Huge catastrophic health expenditures were observed. UHC contexts of ART will be improved by reaching people with poor socioeconomic status, delivering appropriate services, establishing a proper health workforce and service stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aklilu Endalamaw
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 79, Ethiopia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-424-690-121
| | - Charles F Gilks
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Fentie Ambaw
- School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 79, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfa Dejenie Habtewold
- Branch of Epidemiology, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yibeltal Assefa
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Madeira F, Do Bú EA, Freitas G, Pereira CR. Distributive justice criteria and social categorization processes predict healthcare allocation bias. Br J Health Psychol 2022; 28:552-566. [PMID: 36504178 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Drawing on theories of distributive justice and intergroup discrimination, we examined how much distributive justice criterion and racial group membership contribute to bias in healthcare allocation decisions, by testing a theoretical model that specifies perceived stereotypicality and individual responsibility as a serial mediation process in the relationship between disease's contraction controllability (controllable vs. non-controllable) and bias in medical decision-making. METHOD White Portuguese medical students (N = 213) participated in an online experimental study conducted in two phases. In phase 1, we manipulated the cause of disease contagion and the salience of patient's racial categorization, and measured the stereotypicality of behaviour. In phase 2, we assessed perceived responsibility and likelihood of recommending medical treatment. RESULTS Controllable (vs. non-controllable) contraction behaviours in phase 1 were perceived as more stereotypic. As a spillover effect, more stereotypical behaviours in phase 1 predicted more patient's responsibility for their disease in phase 2. Importantly, controllable behaviours of disease contraction in phase 1 negatively affected recommendations for medical treatment in phase 2; and this negative effect was serially mediated by the stereotypicality of behaviour and patient responsibility. Furthermore, patients' skin colour moderated this process, meaning that perceptions of controllable behaviour as more stereotypic were stronger for Black than for White patients. CONCLUSIONS This research shows how stereotyping and social categorization bias allocation decisions through the patient's level of responsibility in decision-making processes. The findings are discussed in light of principles of distributive justice and the literature on intergroup relations with respect to racial disparities in health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Madeira
- Institute of Social Sciences University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
| | - Emerson Araújo Do Bú
- Institute of Social Sciences University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
- Faculty of Psychology University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Freitas
- Institute of Social Sciences University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
- Faculty of Psychology University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
| | - Cicero Roberto Pereira
- Institute of Social Sciences University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
- Department of Psychology Federal University of Paraíba João Pessoa Brazil
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Cunningham CO, Zhang C, Hollins M, Wang M, Singh-Tan S, Joudrey PJ. Availability of medical cannabis services by racial, social, and geographic characteristics of neighborhoods in New York: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:671. [PMID: 35387635 PMCID: PMC8988426 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13076-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Within the United States (US), because racial/ethnic disparities in cannabis arrests continue, and cannabis legalization is expanding, understanding disparities in availability of legal cannabis services is important. Few studies report mixed findings regarding disparities in availability of legal cannabis services; none examined New York. We examined disparities in availability of medical cannabis services in New York. We hypothesized that New York census tracts with few Black or Hispanic residents, high incomes, high education levels, and greater urbanicity would have more medical cannabis services. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the 2018 US Census Bureau 5-year American Community Survey and New York Medical Marijuana Program. Main exposures were census tract characteristics, including urban–rural classification, percentage of Black and Hispanic residents, percentage of residents with bachelor’s degrees or higher, and median household income. Main outcomes were presence of at least one medical cannabis certifying provider and dispensary in each census tract. To compare census tracts’ characteristics with (vs. without) certifying providers and dispensaries, we used chi-square tests and t-tests. To examine characteristics independently associated with (vs. without) certifying providers, we used multivariable logistic regression. Results Of 4858 New York census tracts, 1073 (22.1%) had medical cannabis certifying providers and 37 (0.8%) had dispensaries. Compared to urban census tracts, suburban census tracts were 62% less likely to have at least one certifying provider (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.25–0.57). For every 10% increase in the proportion of Black residents, a census tract was 5% less likely to have at least one certifying provider (aOR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.92–0.99). For every 10% increase in the proportion of residents with bachelor’s degrees or higher, a census tract was 30% more likely to have at least one certifying provider (aOR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.21–1.38). Census tracts with (vs. without) dispensaries were more likely to have a higher percentage of residents with bachelor’s degrees or higher (43.7% vs. 34.1%, p < 0.005). Conclusions In New York, medical cannabis services are least available in neighborhoods with Black residents and most available in urban neighborhoods with highly educated residents. Benefits of legal cannabis must be shared by communities disproportionately harmed by illegal cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinazo O Cunningham
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Chenshu Zhang
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Maegan Hollins
- Northwestern University, 633 Clark St, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Melinda Wang
- Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Sumeet Singh-Tan
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Paul J Joudrey
- Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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Figueroa JF, Katz IT, Hyle EP, Horneffer KE, Nambiar K, Phelan J, Orav EJ, Jha AK. The Association Of HIV With Health Care Spending And Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:581-588. [PMID: 35377765 PMCID: PMC9153068 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
An increasingly older population of people with HIV raises concerns about how HIV may influence care for Medicare patients. We therefore sought to determine the extent to which HIV influences additional spending on and use of mental health and medical care among Medicare beneficiaries and, importantly, whether treatment with antiretroviral therapy may reduce this additional spending. Using 2016 Medicare claims, we compared risk-adjusted spending and utilization for Medicare beneficiaries with and without HIV, as well as subgroups of people receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Compared to beneficiaries without HIV, those with HIV receiving ART incurred 220.6 percent more spending, mostly driven by ART spending, whereas those with HIV not receiving ART incurred 95.4 percent more spending. Among beneficiaries with HIV, those receiving more months of ART had lower spending on treatment for other chronic conditions relative to those receiving fewer months of ART in a dose-response manner. Beneficiaries with HIV not receiving ART incurred the highest spending related to infections, mental health disorders, and other medical conditions compared to beneficiaries in other HIV subgroups receiving ART for various numbers of months. Our findings suggest that ART may be associated with Medicare Parts A and B savings, but ART adherence and the high prices of HIV drugs in Part D need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- José F Figueroa
- José F. Figueroa , Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ingrid T Katz
- Ingrid T. Katz, Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital
| | - Emily P Hyle
- Emily P. Hyle, Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital
| | | | - Kavya Nambiar
- Kavya Nambiar, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - E John Orav
- E. John Orav, Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital
| | - Ashish K Jha
- Ashish K. Jha, Brown University and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate novel measures of generalist physicians' network connectedness to HIV specialists and their associations with two dimensions of HIV quality of care. DATA SOURCES Medicare and Medicaid claims and the American Medical Association Masterfile data on people living with HIV (PLWH) and the physicians providing their HIV care in California between 2007 and 2010. STUDY DESIGN I construct regional patient-sharing physician networks from the shared treatment of PLWH and calculate (a) measures of network connectedness to all physician types and (b) specialty-weighted measures to describe connectedness to HIV specialists. Two HIV quality of care outcomes are then evaluated: medication quality (prescribing antiretroviral drugs from at least two drug classes) and monitoring quality (at least two annual HIV virus monitoring scans). Linear probability models estimate the associations between network statistics and the two dimensions of HIV quality of care, and a policy simulation demonstrates the importance of these statistical relationships. These analyses include 16 124 PLWH, 3240 generalists, and 1031 HIV specialists. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS PLWH are identified from claims for patients with any indication of HIV using an existing algorithm from the literature. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Generalists' network connectedness to HIV specialists is positively related with their own HIV medication quality; one additional HIV specialist connection is associated with a 1.46 percentage point (SE 0.42, P < .01) increase in generalist's medication quality. Based on the estimated associations, a simulated policy that increases connectedness between generalists and HIV specialists reduces the annual rate of HIV infections by up to 6%, roughly 290 fewer infections per year. Only network connectedness to all physician types is associated with improved monitoring quality. CONCLUSIONS Network connectedness to HIV specialists is positively associated with generalists' HIV medication quality, which suggests that specialists provide clinical support through patient-sharing for complex treatment protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Stecher
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Landovitz RJ, Gildner JL, Leibowitz AA. Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing of HIV-Positive Medicare and Medicaid Enrollees Falls Short of Guidelines. Sex Transm Dis 2018; 45:8-13. [PMID: 29240633 PMCID: PMC5737450 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0000000000000695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Men who have sex with men with HIV have high sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence. Thus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least yearly STI screening of HIV-infected individuals. METHODS We calculated testing rates for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea among HIV-positive Californians with Medicare or Medicaid insurance in 2010. Logistic regressions estimated how testing for each bacterial STI relates to demographic and provider factors. RESULTS Fewer than two-thirds of HIV-positive Medicare and fewer than three-quarters of Medicaid enrollees received a syphilis test in 2010. Screenings for chlamydia or gonorrhea were less frequent: approximately 30% of Medicare enrollees were tested for chlamydia or gonorrhea in 2010, but higher proportions of Medicaid enrollees were tested (45%-46%). Only 34% of HIV-positive Medicare enrollees who were tested for syphilis were also screened for chlamydia or gonorrhea on the same day. Nearly half of Medicaid enrollees were tested for all 3 STIs on the same day. Patients whose providers had more HIV experience had higher STI testing rates. CONCLUSIONS Testing rates for chlamydia and gonorrhea infection are low, despite the increase in these infections among people living with HIV and their close association with HIV transmission. Interventions to increase STI testing include the following: prompts in the medical record to routinely conduct syphilis testing on blood drawn for viral load monitoring, opt-out consent for STI testing, and provider education about the clinical importance of STIs among HIV-positive patients. Last, it is crucial to change financial incentives that discourage nucleic acid amplification testing for rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael J. Landovitz
- From the *Division of Infectious Diseases, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education; and †Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jennifer L. Gildner
- From the *Division of Infectious Diseases, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education; and †Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Arleen A. Leibowitz
- From the *Division of Infectious Diseases, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education; and †Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
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Landovitz RJ, Desmond KA, Gildner JL, Leibowitz AA. Quality of Care for HIV/AIDS and for Primary Prevention by HIV Specialists and Nonspecialists. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2016; 30:395-408. [PMID: 27610461 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2016.0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of HIV specialists in providing primary care to persons living with HIV/AIDS is evolving, given their increased incidence of comorbidities. Multivariate logit analysis compared compliance with sentinel preventive screening tests and interventions among publicly insured Californians with and without access to HIV specialists in 2010. Quality-of-care indicators [visit frequency, CD4 and viral load (VL) assessments, influenza vaccine, tuberculosis (TB) testing, lipid profile, glucose blood test, and Pap smears for women] were related to patient characteristics and provider HIV caseload. There were 9377 adult Medicare enrollees (71% also had Medicaid coverage) and 2076 enrollees with only Medicaid coverage. Adjusted for patient characteristics, patients seeing providers with greater HIV caseloads (>50 HIV patients) were more likely to meet visit frequency guidelines in both Medicare [98%; confidence interval (CI 97.5-98.2) and Medicaid (97%; CI 96.2-98.0), compared to 60% (CI 57.1-62.3) and 45% (CI 38.3-50.4), respectively, seeing providers without large HIV caseloads (p < 0.001). Patients seeing providers with larger caseloads were significantly more likely to have CD4 (p < 0.001), VL (p < 0.001), and TB testing (p < 0.05). A larger percentage of patients seeing large-volume Medicare providers received influenza vaccinations. Provider caseload was unrelated to lipid or glucose assessments or Pap Smears for women. Patients with access to large-volume providers were more likely to meet clinical guidelines for visits, CD4, VL, tuberculosis testing, and influenza vaccinations, and were not less likely to receive primary preventive care. Substantial insufficiencies remain in both monitoring to assess viral suppression and in preventive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael J. Landovitz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education, Los Angeles, California
| | - Katherine A. Desmond
- Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jennifer L. Gildner
- Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, California
| | - Arleen A. Leibowitz
- Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, California
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