The Capacity of HIV Care Facilities to Implement Strategies Recommended by the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative: The Medical Monitoring Project Facility Survey.

BACKGROUND: Data are needed to assess the capacity of HIV care facilities to implement recommended Ending the HIV Epidemic activities. SETTING: US HIV care facilities. METHODS: We analyzed 2021 survey data from 514 facilities that were recruited from a census of facilities providing care to a national probability sample of US adults with HIV. We present weighted estimates of facility characteristics, services, and policies and estimates of the proportion of all US HIV patients attending these facilities. RESULTS: Among HIV care facilities, 37% were private practices, 72% were in areas with population >1 million, and 21% had more than 1000 HIV patients. Most provided preexposure prophylaxis (83%) and postexposure prophylaxis (84%). More than 67% of facilities provided HIV-specific stigma or discrimination training for all staff (covering 70% of patients) and 66% provided training on cultural competency (covering 74% of patients). A majority of patients attended facilities that provided on-site access to HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission risk reduction counseling (89%); fewer had on-site access to treatment for substance use disorders (35%). We found low provision of on-site assistance with food banks or meal delivery (14%) and housing (33%). Approximately 71% of facilities reported using data to systematically monitor patient retention in care. On-site access to adherence tools was available at 58% of facilities; 29% reported notifying patients of missed prescription pickups. CONCLUSION: Results indicate some strengths that support Ending the HIV Epidemic-recommended strategies among HIV care facilities, such as high availability of preexposure prophylaxis/postexposure prophylaxis, as well as areas for improvement, such as provision of staff antistigma trainings and adherence supports.

Asthma management practices among children in Georgia.

BACKGROUND: Asthma self-management, the involvement of patients or their caregivers in the management of their disease, reduces healthcare visits and costs. We assessed selected asthma self-management practices among a representative sample of children in Georgia to guide statewide asthma control programs. METHODS: A random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 2,121 households with 3,896 children 17 years of age or younger was conducted. Primary caretakers were asked about asthma and medication use of their children. Child data were weighted according to the number of telephone lines in the household and to the 2000 Georgia Census population. RESULTS: Approximately 10 percent of children in Georgia had asthma. Among children with asthma, 30 percent did not have regular asthma checkups and 66 percent did not have a written management plan; 19 percent filled 2 or more prescriptions per year for quick-relief medicine but did not take control medication. For children with asthma for whom tobacco exposure was a known trigger, 35 percent were exposed to tobacco smoke in the home. CONCLUSIONS: Opportunities exist to improve self-management, pharmacotherapy, and exposure to triggers for children with asthma. These data can be used to guide organizations and agencies working to reduce the burden of asthma.