Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis: a single-center retrospective study in the Bronx, New York.

OBJECTIVE: There is paucity of data on the epidemiological, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients admitted with infective endocarditis (IE) in the Bronx, New York. PATIENT AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study at Jacobi Medical Center, a tertiary care hospital in the Bronx. All adult patients who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of new-onset IE between January 1st, 2010 and September 30th, 2020 were included. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. A logistic regression model was used to identify baseline variables associated with in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: 182 patients were included in this analysis (female sex: 38.5%, median age: 54 years). 46 patients (25.3%) reported intravenous drug use. 153 patients (84.1%) had positive blood cultures. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was the most common isolated pathogen (45.1% of monomicrobial IE). Nearly half of the cases secondary to S. aureus were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (34/69). 164 patients (90.1%) were diagnosed with native valve IE. The mitral valve was involved in 32.4% of patients followed by the aortic valve (19.8%). The in-hospital mortality was 18.1%. The mortality was higher in the cohort 2010-2015 compared to the cohort 2016-2020 (22.1% vs 14.6%). Increasing age, MRSA IE, and active malignancy were the only variables found to have significant association with in-hospital death. CONCLUSION: S. aureus was the most common causative agent and MRSA accounted for about half of the S. aureus IE cases. The incidence of IE in patients with intravenous drug use increased over time, while the median age decreased. The in-hospital death rate was higher in 2010-2015 compared to 2016-2020.

HIV Diagnosis and the Clinical Course of COVID-19 Among Patients Seeking Care Within the New York City Public Hospital System During the Initial Pandemic Peak.

Reports conflict on how HIV infection influences the clinical course of COVID-19. The New York City (NYC) public hospital system provides care for over 14,000 people with HIV, was central in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is therefore in a unique position to evaluate the intersection of these concurrent infections. Retrospective chart review of patients presenting to NYC Health and Hospitals (NYC H+H) diagnosed with COVID-19 infection from March 1, 2020, through April 28, 2020, compared people living with HIV (PLWH) and a propensity-matched (PM) control group of patients without HIV to evaluate associations between HIV status and COVID-19 outcomes. Two hundred thirty-four PLWH presented for COVID-19 testing and 110 (47%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. Among 17,413 patients with COVID-19 and without HIV, 1:n nearest neighbor propensity score matching identified 194 patients matched on age, sex, race, and any comorbidity. In the sample with COVID-19 (N = 304), PLWH (9.1%) had lower rates of mortality than controls [19.1%; PM odds ratio (PM-OR): 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19-0.86]. Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients (N = 179), HIV infection was associated with lower rates of mechanical ventilation (PM-OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.84) and mortality (PM-OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0. 17-0.95). In the extended pandemic period through April 2021, aggregate data by HIV status suggested elevated hospitalization and mortality rates in PLWH versus people without HIV. These results suggest that the direct biological impacts of the HIV virus do not negatively influence COVID-19-related outcomes when controlling for comorbidity and demographic variables.

Sex-specific impact of severe obesity in the outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a large retrospective study from the Bronx, New York.

It has been demonstrated that obesity is an independent risk factor for worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Our objectives were to investigate which classes of obesity are associated with higher in-hospital mortality and to assess the association between obesity and systemic inflammation. This was a retrospective study which included consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in a tertiary center. Three thousand five hundred thirty patients were included in this analysis (female sex: 1579, median age: 65 years). The median body mass index (BMI) was 28.8 kg/m2. In the overall cohort, a J-shaped association between BMI and in-hospital mortality was depicted. In the subgroup of men, BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2 and BMI ≥40 kg/m2 were found to have significant association with higher in-hospital mortality, while only BMI ≥40 kg/m2 was found significant in the subgroup of women. No significant association between BMI and IL-6 was noted. Obesity classes II and III in men and obesity class III in women were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. The male population with severe obesity was the one that mainly drove this association. No significant association between BMI and IL-6 was noted.

Primary HPV and Molecular Cervical Cancer Screening in US Women Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

BACKGROUND: Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening (PHS) utilizes oncogenic human papillomavirus (oncHPV) testing as the initial cervical cancer screening method and typically, if positive, additional reflex-triage (eg, HPV16/18-genotyping, Pap testing). While US guidelines support PHS usage in the general population, PHS has been little studied in women living with HIV (WLWH). METHODS: We enrolled n = 865 WLWH (323 from the Women's Interagency HIV Study [WIHS] and 542 from WIHS-affiliated colposcopy clinics). All participants underwent Pap and oncHPV testing, including HPV16/18-genotyping. WIHS WLWH who tested oncHPV[+] or had cytologic atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse (ASC-US+) underwent colposcopy, as did a random 21% of WLWH who were oncHPV[-]/Pap[-] (controls). Most participants additionally underwent p16/Ki-67 immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Mean age was 46 years, median CD4 was 592 cells/µL, 95% used antiretroviral therapy. Seventy WLWH had histologically-determined cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or greater (CIN-2+), of which 33 were defined as precancer (ie, [i] CIN-3+ or [ii] CIN-2 if concurrent with cytologic high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions [HSILs]). PHS had 87% sensitivity (Se) for precancer, 9% positive predictive value (PPV), and a 35% colposcopy referral rate (Colpo). "PHS with reflex HPV16/18-genotyping and Pap testing" had 84% Se, 16% PPV, 30% Colpo. PHS with only HPV16/18-genotyping had 24% Colpo. "Concurrent oncHPV and Pap Testing" (Co-Testing) had 91% Se, 12% PPV, 40% Colpo. p16/Ki-67 immunochemistry had the highest PPV, 20%, but 13% specimen inadequacy. CONCLUSIONS: PHS with reflex HPV16/18-genotyping had fewer unnecessary colposcopies and (if confirmed) could be a potential alternative to Co-Testing in WLWH.

Practices and Barriers in Sexual History Taking: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Public Adult Primary Care Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Surveys report low frequencies of sexual history (SH) obtained in primary care. Sexually transmitted infections incidence can be reduced with timely screening. It is important to determine whether providers obtain thorough SH and to identify needs for improvement. AIM: To evaluate the frequency and depth of SH taking in primary care. METHODS: In this cross-sectional cohort study, 1,017 primary care visits were reviewed (1,017 adult patients, female 55.26%). 417 patients were seen by male providers and 600 patients were seen by female providers. Multivariate ordered and logit models were deployed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measures included SH taking rates and completeness based on the 5 P model as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: All components of SH were explored in 1.08% of visits. Partial SH was obtained in 33.92% of visits. No SH was taken in the majority of visits (65%). SH was more likely to be taken from female patients than from male patients (P < .001), and was less likely to be obtained from older patients as compared to younger individuals (P < .001). There was no significant difference in SH taking between male and female providers (P = .753). The provider title and the level of training were found to be independent predictors of SH taking (P < .001). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study highlight an unmet need for more comprehensive and consistent SH taking amongst providers, particularly in high-risk settings, so that SH can be used as a valuable tool in preventive care. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study to date examining SH taking in the primary care setting. Limitations include the retrospective study design, lack of generalizability to other hospitals, and inconsistencies in available data. CONCLUSION: The SH taking rates in primary care clinics are globally low with a variation depending on the provider position or level of training, provider gender, and patient age. Palaiodimos L, Herman HS, Wood E, et al. Practices and Barriers in Sexual History Taking: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Public Adult Primary Care Clinic. J Sex Med 2020;17:1509-1519.

Diagnosis Setting and Colorectal Cancer Outcomes: The Impact of Cancer Diagnosis in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: The rate of diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the emergency department (ED), its characteristics, and its effect on outcomes have been poorly described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chart review was conducted to identify presenting clinical setting leading to diagnosis, symptoms, and history of colonoscopy for patients diagnosed with CRC at a single institution from 2012-2014. Patients diagnosed with CRC as a result of an ED visit (EDDx) were compared with those diagnosed after presentation to other settings (non-EDDx). RESULTS: Of 638 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 271 (42.4%) were EDDx patients. These patients were more likely to be older than 80 y (29.89% versus 19.35%), have Medicare (59.78% versus 42.78%) or Medicaid (23.62% versus 12.81%) insurance, have stage IV cancer (45.02% versus 18.26%), and were symptomatic at the time of presentation (94.83% versus 64.03%). EDDx patients were less likely to ever have had a colonoscopy (21.77% versus 41.69%). In a model adjusted for patient demographics, cancer stage, presence of symptoms, and history of prior colonoscopy, EDDx was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-2.8). On stratifying survival by stage, it was found that for all stages, EDDx was associated with decreased survival. CONCLUSIONS: More than 40% of patients with CRC received their diagnosis through the ED. EDDx was associated with a nearly twofold mortality risk increase. EDDx should be considered a marker of poor outcomes for CRC and may be related to unaccounted patient-level or systems-level factors. Efforts should be made to identify modifiable risks of cancer diagnosis in the ED to improve cancer outcomes.

Bundled HIV and Hepatitis C Testing in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: An estimated 25% of the 1.2 million individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the U.S. are co-infected with hepatitis C (HCV). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends HCV testing for high-risk groups. Our goal was to measure the impact of bundled HIV and HCV testing vs. HIV testing alone on test acceptance and identification of HCV and HIV. Methods: We conducted a two-armed, randomized controlled trial on a convenience sample of 478 adult patients in the Jacobi Medical Center emergency department from December 2012 to May 2013. Participants were randomized to receive either an offer of bundled HIV/HCV testing or HIV testing alone. We compared the primary outcome, HIV test acceptance, between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included HIV and HCV prevalence, and HCV test acceptance, refusal, risk, and knowledge. Results: We found no significant difference in HIV test acceptance between the bundled HCV/HIV (91.8%) and HIV-only (90.6%) groups (p=0.642). There were also no significant differences in test acceptance based on gender, race, or ethnicity. A majority of participants (76.6%) reported at least one HCV risk factor. No participants tested positive for HIV, and one (0.5%) tested positive for HCV. Conclusion: Integrating bundled, rapid HCV/HIV testing into an established HIV testing program did not significantly impact HIV test acceptance. Future screening efforts for HCV could be integrated into current HIV testing models to target high-risk cohorts.

A Randomized-Controlled Trial of Computer-based Prevention Counseling for HIV-Positive Persons (HPTN 065).

OBJECTIVE: Decreasing the risk of HIV transmission from HIV-positive individuals is an important public health priority. We evaluated the effectiveness of a computer-based sexual risk reduction counseling intervention (CARE+) among HIV-positive persons enrolled in care. METHODS: HIV-positive eligible participants (N=1075) were enrolled from 11 care sites in the Bronx, NY and Washington, DC and randomized 1:1 to either a tablet-based self-administered CARE+ intervention or standard of care (SOC). The primary outcome was the proportion of participants reporting any unprotected vaginal/anal sex at last sex, among all partners, HIV-negative or HIV-unknown-status partners and for primary and non-primary partners. RESULTS: At baseline, 7% of participants in both arms reported unprotected sex with an HIV-negative or HIV-unknown-status partner, while 13% in the CARE+ arm and 17% in the SOC arm reported unprotected sex with any partner. Most participants (88%) were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at baseline. There was no significant difference in changes over time in unprotected vaginal/anal sex between the CARE+ and SOC arms for any partners (p=0.67) or either HIV-negative or HIV-unknown-status partners (p=0.40). At the Month 12 visit, most participants (85%) either strongly agreed or agreed that computer counseling would be a good addition to in-person counseling by a provider. CONCLUSION: The CARE+ intervention was not effective at reducing sexual risk behaviors among HIV-positive patients in care, most of whom were on ART. Further research may be warranted around the utility of computer-based counseling for HIV prevention.

Financial Incentives for Linkage to Care and Viral Suppression Among HIV-Positive Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial (HPTN 065).

Importance: Achieving linkage to care and viral suppression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients improves their well-being and prevents new infections. Current gaps in the HIV care continuum substantially limit such benefits. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives on linkage to care and viral suppression in HIV-positive patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: A large community-based clinical trial that randomized 37 HIV test and 39 HIV care sites in the Bronx, New York, and Washington, DC, to financial incentives or standard of care. Interventions: Participants at financial incentive test sites who had positive test results for HIV received coupons redeemable for $125 cash-equivalent gift cards upon linkage to care. HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at financial incentive care sites received $70 gift cards quarterly, if virally suppressed. Main Outcomes and Measures: Linkage to care: proportion of HIV-positive persons at the test site who linked to care within 3 months, as indicated by CD4+ and/or viral load test results done at a care site. Viral suppression: proportion of established patients at HIV care sites with suppressed viral load (<400 copies/mL), assessed at each calendar quarter. Outcomes assessed through laboratory test results reported to the National HIV Surveillance System. Results: A total of 1061 coupons were dispensed for linkage to care at 18 financial incentive test sites and 39 359 gift cards were dispensed to 9641 HIV-positive patients eligible for gift cards at 17 financial incentive care sites. Financial incentives did not increase linkage to care (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.73-1.67; P = .65). However, financial incentives significantly increased viral suppression. The overall proportion of patients with viral suppression was 3.8% higher (95% CI, 0.7%-6.8%; P = .01) at financial incentive sites compared with standard of care sites. Among patients not previously consistently virally suppressed, the proportion virally suppressed was 4.9% higher (95% CI, 1.4%-8.5%; P = .007) at financial incentive sites. In addition, continuity in care was 8.7% higher (95% CI, 4.2%-13.2%; P < .001) at financial incentive sites. Conclusions and Relevance: Financial incentives, as used in this study (HPTN 065), significantly increased viral suppression and regular clinic attendance among HIV-positive patients in care. No effect was noted on linkage to care. Financial incentives offer promise for improving adherence to treatment and viral suppression among HIV-positive patients. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01152918.

Design of the HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) study: A study to evaluate the feasibility of an enhanced test, link-to-care, plus treat approach for HIV prevention in the United States.

Background/Aims HIV continues to be a major public health threat in the United States, and mathematical modeling has demonstrated that the universal effective use of antiretroviral therapy among all HIV-positive individuals (i.e. the "test and treat" approach) has the potential to control HIV. However, to accomplish this, all the steps that define the HIV care continuum must be achieved at high levels, including HIV testing and diagnosis, linkage to and retention in clinical care, antiretroviral medication initiation, and adherence to achieve and maintain viral suppression. The HPTN 065 (Test, Link-to-Care Plus Treat [TLC-Plus]) study was designed to determine the feasibility of the "test and treat" approach in the United States. Methods HPTN 065 was conducted in two intervention communities, Bronx, NY, and Washington, DC, along with four non-intervention communities, Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Miami, FL; and Philadelphia, PA. The study consisted of five components: (1) exploring the feasibility of expanded HIV testing via social mobilization and the universal offer of testing in hospital settings, (2) evaluating the effectiveness of financial incentives to increase linkage to care, (3) evaluating the effectiveness of financial incentives to increase viral suppression, (4) evaluating the effectiveness of a computer-delivered intervention to decrease risk behavior in HIV-positive patients in healthcare settings, and (5) administering provider and patient surveys to assess knowledge and attitudes regarding the use of antiretroviral therapy for prevention and the use of financial incentives to improve health outcomes. The study used observational cohorts, cluster and individual randomization, and made novel use of the existing national HIV surveillance data infrastructure. All components were developed with input from a community advisory board, and pragmatic methods were used to implement and assess the outcomes for each study component. Results A total of 76 sites in Washington, DC, and the Bronx, NY, participated in the study: 37 HIV test sites, including 16 hospitals, and 39 HIV care sites. Between September 2010 and December 2014, all study components were successfully implemented at these sites and resulted in valid outcomes. Our pragmatic approach to the study design, implementation, and the assessment of study outcomes allowed the study to be conducted within established programmatic structures and processes. In addition, it was successfully layered on the ongoing standard of care and existing data infrastructure without disrupting health services. Conclusion The HPTN 065 study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing and evaluating a multi-component "test and treat" trial that included a large number of community sites and involved pragmatic approaches to study implementation and evaluation.

"It Makes You Feel Like Someone Cares" acceptability of a financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression in the HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) study.

BACKGROUND: HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of providing quarterly $70 gift card financial incentives to HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to encourage ART adherence and viral suppression, and represents the largest study to-date of a financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression. A post-trial qualitative substudy was undertaken to examine acceptability of the financial incentives among those receiving and implementing the intervention. METHODS: Between July and October 2013, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 72 patients and 12 investigators from 14 sites; three focus groups were conducted with 12 staff from 10 sites. Qualitative data collection elicited experiences with and attitudes about the intervention, including philosophical viewpoints and implementation experiences. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo 10. Memos and matrices were developed to explore themes from different participant group perspectives. RESULTS: Patients, investigators, and staff found the intervention highly acceptable, primarily due to the emotional benefits gained through giving or receiving the incentive. Feeling rewarded or cared for was a main value perceived by patients; this was closely tied to the financial benefit for some. Other factors influencing acceptability for all included perceived effectiveness and health-related benefits, philosophical concerns about the use of incentives for health behavior change, and implementation issues. The termination of the incentive at the end of the study was disappointing to participants and unexpected by some, but generally accepted. CONCLUSION: Positive experiences with the financial incentive intervention and strategies used to facilitate implementation led to high acceptability of the intervention, despite some reluctance in principle to the use of incentives. The findings of this analysis provide encouraging evidence in support of the acceptability of a large-scale financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression in a clinical setting, and offer valuable lessons for future applications of similar interventions.

Increasing HIV testing among African immigrants in ireland: challenges and opportunities.

In 2012, immigrants constitute 63% of new cases of heterosexually transmitted HIV among individuals born outside Ireland. Current strategies to encourage testing can be ineffective if immigrants perceive them as culturally insensitive. We obtained qualitative data to explore challenges to voluntary HIV-testing for immigrants in Ireland. Content analysis was undertaken to identify and describe pertinent themes. Widespread beliefs that HIV is primarily a disease of African immigrants were identified as challenges that constrain access to testing and care. The organization and location of testing services, attitude of health workers, and beliefs regarding mandatory HIV-testing for immigrants seeking access to welfare benefits were also identified. Immigrants in Ireland encounter a variety of structural, cultural and personal constraints to HIV testing. Opportunities exist in the Irish Health system to increase testing among immigrants through greater acknowledgement of cultural sensitivities of immigrant groups.

HCV and HBV testing acceptability and knowledge among urban emergency department patients and pharmacy clients.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis C and hepatitis B are public health problems in the United States and remain largely undiagnosed. In response to the availability of rapid, point of care hepatitis tests, we assessed hepatitis knowledge and acceptability of hepatitis testing during an emergency department (ED) or pharmacy visit. METHODS: From June 2010 to May 2011, an anonymous prospective survey was administered to a convenience sample of New York City ED patients and pharmacy clients. RESULTS: The study population (N=2078) was 54% female, 36% Hispanic and 41% black. Mean age was 39, SD ± 15 years. The majority (72%;1480/2,2060) of the participants responded that they would get tested if free testing were offered, and 67% (1272/1912) of those responded that they would test for hepatitis B/C in conjunction with HIV. Participants who had previously tested for hepatitis had higher mean knowledge scores than those who had never tested. Pharmacy clients, those of black race, and those with higher mean knowledge scores would be more willing to accept hepatitis B/C testing if offered. CONCLUSIONS: Urban ED patients and pharmacy clients were receptive to hepatitis testing. Most individuals would elect to be tested for hepatitis with HIV, which raises the possibility of integrated testing.

Barriers and facilitators of linkage to HIV primary care in New York City.

One in 5 people living with HIV are unaware of their status; they account for an estimated 51% of new infections. HIV transmission can be reduced through a "Test and Treat" strategy, which can decrease both viral load and risk behaviors. However, linkage of newly diagnosed HIV-positive persons to care has proved challenging. We report quantitative and qualitative data on linkage to care from HIV testing sites that partnered with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to implement "The Bronx Knows" (TBK), an initiative that tested 607,570 residents over 3 years. During TBK, partner agencies reported the aggregate number of HIV tests conducted, the number of confirmed positives (overall and new), and the number of confirmed positives linked to medical care. We conducted qualitative interviews with directors of 24 of 30 TBK HIV testing agencies to identify linkage barriers and selected 9 for case studies. Barriers to linkage fell into 3 domains: (1) health care system factors (long wait for provider appointments, requirement of a positive confirmatory test before scheduling an appointment, system navigation, and disrespect to patients); (2) social factors (HIV stigma); and (3) characteristics of risk populations (eg, mental illness, homelessness, substance use, and immigrant). Best practices for linkage included networking among community organizations, individualized care plans, team approach, comprehensive and coordinated care services, and patient peer navigation. Research and public health implications are discussed.

Counselor-based rapid HIV testing in community pharmacies.

The purpose of this study was to examine the results of implementing a rapid counselor-based HIV testing program in community pharmacies. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of clients at five community pharmacies in New York City (NYC). In 294 days of pharmacy testing, 2805 clients were eligible to receive testing, and 2030 individuals agreed to test. The average age was 33±15 years, 41% were male, 59% were Hispanic, 77% had been previously tested for HIV, and 34% were uninsured. HIV incidence was 0.3%, median CD4 cell count was 622.0, and the average age of the newly diagnosed positives was 36.0±13.9 years. Participants were satisfied with a counselor-based rapid HIV testing program in community-based pharmacies.

Analysis of HIV testing acceptance and risk factors of an adolescent cohort using emergency department-based multimedia HIV testing and counseling.

BACKGROUND: The social environment in the Bronx, NY, has led to HIV infection rates among young people that are much higher than the national average. METHODS: A prospective observational study on a convenience sample of medically stable emergency department (ED) patients was conducted from October 1, 2005, to August 31, 2012. Acceptability of the tested model was determined by assessing the number of patients tested and identified HIV infections. Data were compared with data from the rest of the ED that tested for HIV. RESULTS: A total of 10,149 adolescents were approached during this period, of which 9.5% refused or were ineligible to test. Of those approached, 38.9% of patients were male, 59.7% were Hispanic, and 33.6% were black. The mean age was 19.4 ± 1.4 years, and 8.2% of patients were men who have sex with men. For risk behavior profiles, 24.3% never used condoms in the past 3 months. Incidence of HIV was less than 1%, and 92.6% of HIV-positive patients were linked to care. Of the patients who completed a postsatisfaction survey, 82.4% felt influenced to change their sexual practices. A smaller percentage of adolescent had tested previously for HIV compared with nonadolescents (67.7% vs. 80.6%). There was a slightly larger percentage of adolescents that accepted HIV testing compared with nonadolescents (95.4% vs. 90.8%). Adolescents who were positive for HIV were tested earlier in the progression of the disease, with higher median CD4 cell counts and lower viral loads compared with nonadolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents were highly receptive to a multimedia-integrated ED-based HIV testing program, as indicated by their high uptake of testing.

A human immunodeficiency virus posttest video to increase condom use among adolescent emergency department patients.

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of a theory-based HIV educational video tool with in-person HIV counseling in promoting safer sex behaviors among adolescent patients of an urban Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial taking place in the Emergency Department of Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. A total of 203 stable, sexually active patients aged 15-21 years completed pre-intervention and postintervention measures. Participants were randomized to the intervention video series (102 participants), a theory-based, youth-friendly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) educational video, or an in-person HIV counseling session with a trained HIV counselor (101 participants). Participants completed pre-intervention and postintervention measures on the primary outcomes: condom intention, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Participants in the video group improved condom use intention (adjusted differential mean improvement [ADMI] = .98 units; confidence interval [CI], .20-1.77; Holm adjusted p = .028), condom self-efficacy outcome (ADMI = .26 units; CI, .04-.48; Holm adjusted p = .019), and condom outcome expectancy scores (ADMI = .15 units; CI, .07-.23; Holm adjusted p < .001) significantly more than those in the counselor group, adjusting for stage of change. The intervention helped participants progress to the next level of readiness or maintain their positive behavior, and did not differ by age, gender, or race. CONCLUSIONS: A theory-based, youth-friendly video can be a valid means to provide posttest HIV education and prevention messages within an urban emergency department. The theory-based prevention messages can improve teenagers' condom intentions, condom self-efficacy, and condom outcome expectancies immediately after the intervention.

A qualitative assessment of emergency department patients' knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and acceptance toward revised HIV testing strategies.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore emergency department (EDs) patients' knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and acceptability toward revised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing recommendations. METHODS: Participants were recruited in proportion to the racial, sex, and ethnic makeup of the study ED. Interviewers presented participants with a stimulus followed by questions about opt-out consent, elimination of separate written consent, and curtailed counseling. Three investigators coded all transcripts using an iterative coding strategy until thematic saturation was achieved. RESULTS: Thirty-four semistructured, in-depth, individual interviews were conducted, including five with patients ages 13 to 17 years and five with Spanish-speaking patients. Nineteen (56%) participants were women. The mean (± SD) age was 31 (± 12) years. Most were Hispanic (38%) or African American/black (44%). Only one (2.9%) participant knew about the revised testing recommendations. Participants believed that opt-out consent would result in increased testing, but this was confounded by misunderstanding of the consent process: "so the opt-out is, you basically don't have a choice." Participants thought eliminating separate written consent was a positive change but that it could result in people being tested without their knowledge. Attitudes diverged over curtailed counseling, but participants felt patients "should have options" for counseling because "everybody isn't the same." CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department patients were unaware of revised HIV testing recommendations. Most felt that opt-out consent and elimination of separate written consent were positive changes but could result in a patient being tested without his or her knowledge. The response to curtailed counseling was polarized but participants agreed on the need to accommodate personal preferences. This information may be useful when designing ED-based HIV testing programs.

Acceptability and feasibility of universal offer of rapid point of care testing for HIV in an acute admissions unit: results of the RAPID project.

BACKGROUND: UK guidance recommend all acute medical admissions be offered an HIV test. Our aim was to determine whether a dedicated staff member using a multimedia tool, a model found to be effective in the USA, is an acceptable, feasible, and cost-effective model when translated to a UK setting. DESIGN: Between 14(th) Jan to 12(th) May 2010, a Health advisor (HA) approached 19-65 year olds at a central London acute medical admissions unit (AAU) and offered a rapid HIV point of care test (POCT) with the aid of an educational video. Patients with negative results had the option to watch a post-test video providing risk-reduction information. For reactive results the HA arranged a confirmatory test, and ensured linkage into HIV specialist care. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed through surveys and uptake rates. Costs per case of HIV identified were established. RESULTS: Of the 606 eligible people admitted during the pilot period, 324 (53.5%) could not be approached or testing was deemed inappropriate. In total 23.0% of eligible admissions had an HIV POCT. Of the patients who watched the video and had not recently tested for HIV, 93.6% (131/140) agreed to an HIV test; four further patients had an HIV test but did not watch the video. Three tests (2.2%, 3/135) were reactive and all were confirmed HIV positive on laboratory testing. 97.5% felt HIV testing in this setting was appropriate, and 90.1% liked receiving the information via video. The cost per patient of the intervention was £21. DISCUSSION: Universal POCT HIV testing in an acute medical setting, facilitated by an educational video and dedicated staff appears to be acceptable, feasible, effective, and low cost. These findings support the recommendation of HIV testing all admissions to AAU in high prevalence settings, although with the model used a significant proportion remained untested.