Transmission Patterns in a Low HIV-Morbidity State - Wisconsin, 2014-2017.

Public health interviews (i.e., partner services), during which persons with diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection name their sexual or needle-sharing partners (named partners), are used to identify HIV transmission networks to guide and prioritize HIV prevention activities. HIV sequence data, generated from provider-ordered drug resistance testing, can be used to understand characteristics of molecular clusters, a group of sequences for which each sequence is highly similar (linked) to all other sequences, and assess whether named partners are plausible HIV transmission partners. Although molecular data in higher HIV-morbidity states have been analyzed (1-3), few analyses exist for lower morbidity states (4), such as Wisconsin, which reported 4.6 HIV diagnoses per 100,000 persons aged ≥13 years in 2016 (5). The Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) analyzed HIV sequence data generated from provider-ordered drug resistance testing and collected through routine HIV surveillance to identify molecular clusters and describe demographic and transmission risk characteristics among pairs of persons whose sequences were highly genetically similar (i.e., molecular linkages). In addition, overlap between partner linkages identified during public health interviews and molecular linkages was assessed. Overall, characteristics of molecular clusters in Wisconsin mirrored those from states with more HIV diagnoses, particularly in that most molecular linkages were observed among persons of the same race (78.2% of non-Hispanic blacks [blacks] linked to other blacks), the same transmission risk (90.2% of men who have sex with men [MSM] linked to other MSM), and the same age group (59.2% of persons aged 20-29 years linked to other persons aged 20-29 years). Among named partner linkages identified during interviews in which both persons also had a reported sequence, overlap of named partner and molecular linkages was moderate: 33.8% of named partners were plausible transmission partners according to available molecular data. Analysis of HIV sequence data is a useful tool for characterizing transmission patterns not immediately apparent using traditional public health interview data, even in a state with lower HIV morbidity. Prevention recommendations generated from national data (e.g., targeting preexposure prophylaxis for HIV-negative persons at high risk and implementing measures to maintain viral suppression among persons with HIV infection) also are relevant in a lower HIV-morbidity state.

Developing a Patient Navigation Program to Improve Engagement in HIV Medical Care and Viral Suppression: A Demonstration Project Protocol.

Individuals diagnosed and living with HIV who are out of care or who have persistent viremia are at risk for poor health outcomes and are estimated to account for two-thirds of all new HIV infections. As part of a six-state demonstration project to improve access to care for hard-to-reach populations, Wisconsin developed an HIV-specific patient navigation program to improve engagement in HIV care and viral suppression for populations at risk for poor HIV care outcomes. Patient navigators worked with individuals who were out of HIV medical care or were at risk of falling out of care over nine months to identify and address barriers to care. This manuscript describes the patient navigation program and rationale, and lessons learned that should be considered by sites developing similar programs.

Effect of Patient Navigation on Transitions of HIV Care After Release from Prison: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Antiretroviral therapy is successfully administered to people living with HIV while they are incarcerated in most US prison systems, but interruptions in treatment are common after people are released. We undertook an observational cohort study designed to examine the clinical and psychosocial factors that influence linkage to HIV care and viral suppression after release from a single state prison system. In this report we describe baseline characteristics and 6-month post-incarceration HIV care outcomes for 170 individuals in Wisconsin. Overall, 114 (67%) individuals were linked to outpatient HIV care within 180 days of release from prison, and of these, 90 (79%) were observed to have HIV viral suppression when evaluated in the community. The strongest predictor of linkage to care in this study was participation in a patient navigation program: Those who received patient navigation were linked to care 84% of the time, compared to 60% of the individuals who received only standard release planning (adjusted OR 3.69, 95% CI 1.24, 10.96; P < 0.01). Findings from this study demonstrate that building and maintaining intensive patient navigation programs that support individuals releasing from prison is beneficial for improving transitions in HIV care.

Wisconsin trends in pneumonia and influenza mortality, 1980-2003.

INTRODUCTION: Mortality due to pneumonia and influenza continues to be a serious public health threat, especially among those aged > or = 65. Continued monitoring of these high-risk populations is necessary for evaluating the impact of public health prevention activities, determining vaccine distribution policies, and ensuring that existing guidelines reflect the populations at risk. OBJECTIVES: We characterized pneumonia and influenza mortality in Wisconsin from 1980 to 2003, including trend analysis, identification of high risk populations, and assessment of Wisconsin's progress toward state and national goals for vaccination. METHODS: We examined mortality trends for pneumonia and influenza as underlying causes of death among all Wisconsin residents who died in the state from 1980 to 2003. RESULTS: The pneumonia and influenza (P&I) mortality rate increased from 27/100,000 to 38/100,000 during 1980 through 1988, and then decreased to 26/100,000 through 2003. The decline in the mortality rate after 1988 was temporally associated with improving pneumococcal and influenza vaccination among those > or = 65. By 2003, all age groups except those aged > or = 85 had lower P&I mortality than in 1980. CONCLUSIONS: In Wisconsin, the increase in pneumonia and influenza mortality demonstrated during the 1980s was reversed. However, there was relatively little change in mortality among those aged 65-84 and rates among those > or = 85 years have increased. Novel improvements in public health interventions are needed to improve the focus on the elderly, including efforts to increase vaccination, prevent pneumococcal disease, and explore other evidence-based strategies to reduce pneumonia and influenza mortality.

Using local data to monitor obesity rates in Wisconsin counties, 1994-2003.

INTRODUCTION: Although county-level obesity estimates are necessary for planning and evaluating community-based interventions, the quality of these data has never been examined. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability of the county-level obesity prevalence estimates from Wisconsin's 72 counties and to highlight the variation of obesity among Wisconsin counties. METHODS: Obesity prevalence data for each county in Wisconsin were obtained from the Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys (BRFS) from 1994 to 2003. During this 10-year period, 26,635 residents were interviewed by telephone, with sample sizes ranging from 6586 in Milwaukee County to 15 in Menominee County. The number of counties with reportable and reliable estimates, using criteria of sample sizes > or = 50 and > or = 300, respectively, was determined. RESULTS: The 10-year obesity prevalence was reportable for 68 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, ranging from 9.7% in Bayfield County to 29% in Langlade County. By pooling data from the BRFS for 5-, 3-, and 1-year periods, estimates are reportable for 43, 24, and 4 counties, respectively. A sample size of at least 300 provides a more reliable estimate, but is available for only 5 counties for a 5-year period. CONCLUSIONS: By pooling 10 years of survey data, obesity rates can be estimated for most of Wisconsin's 72 counties, demonstrating marked variation in rates across the state. This surveillance system provides valuable data for larger counties for planning and program evaluation. Supplemental surveys can be conducted to provide more reliable and timely estimates.