Evaluation of multiple data sources for predicting increased need for HIV prevention among cisgender women: understanding missed opportunities for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

BACKGROUND: Ciswomen constitute a disproportionately low percentage of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention (PrEP) users compared to men. Despite PrEP's effectiveness, women are 5.25 times less likely to take PrEP than men. Identifying women who have increased reasons for HIV prevention and educating and offering PrEP to these women is crucial to reducing HIV transmission and overall health equity. However, the best method of identifying women at highest risk of acquiring HIV remains unknown. This study aimed to identify common HIV risk factors and data sources for identifying these common factors (e.g., electronic medical record data, open source neighborhood data), as well as potential intervention points and missed opportunities for PrEP linkage. METHODS: We conducted an evaluation of multiple data sources: semi-structured qualitative interviews, electronic medical record (EMR) chart abstraction, and open source data abstraction. We accessed EMRs for enrolled participants and all participants signed a standard release of medical information (ROI) form for all institutions at which they had received medical care for the five-year period preceding their HIV diagnosis. Data were abstracted using a standardized procedure. Both structured and unstructured fields (i.e., narrative text of free notes) within the EMR were examined and included for analysis. Finally, open data sources (e.g., STI cases, HIV prevalence) were examined by community area of Chicago. Open data sources were used to examine several factors contributing to the overall Economic Hardship Index (EHI) score. We used these calculated scores to assess the economic hardship within participants' neighborhoods. RESULTS: A total of 18 cisgender women with HIV participated in our study. Participants were mostly Black/African American (55.6%) and young (median age of 34). Our analysis identified two main themes influencing HIV risk among participants: contextual factors and relationship factors. Further, potential pre-diagnosis intervention points and missed opportunities were identified during reproductive health/prenatal visits, behavioral/mental health visits, and routine STI testing. Our evaluation of multiple data sources included investigating the presence or absence of information in the EMR (STI history, HIV testing, substance use, etc.) as well as whether pertinent information could be gathered from open access sources. CONCLUSION: Ciswomen recently diagnosed with HIV identified many shared experiences, including syndemic conditions like mental illness and substance abuse, sex with men who have sex with men, and frequent moving in areas with high HIV incidence prior to their diagnosis. It is imperative that providers ask patients about social history, information about partners, and other key variables, in addition to the standardized questions. Findings can be used to better recognize ciswomen most vulnerable to HIV and offer PrEP to them, reducing HIV transmission.

Sexual Activity Screening and Referral to Gynecology Services among Adolescent Women with Chronic Disease in the Pediatric Subspecialty Setting.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Medically complex adolescent girls have significantly increased risk of disease exacerbation from pregnancy, and their use of teratogenic medications poses a risk to a developing fetus. Pediatric subspecialists have an opportunity to screen for sexual activity and refer to gynecology if indicated. METHODS: Subspecialist pediatricians (n = 39) completed a survey of their screening and referral practices. A retrospective chart review of a proportion of visits by these providers in the previous 6 months (n = 222) was conducted to compare documented sexual activity, contraception counseling, and referral practices with self-report data. RESULTS: Less than half of providers reported routinely asking about sexual activity (46%), whereas 69% reported routinely referring sexually active adolescents to gynecology. Documentation indicated 11 instances of sexual activity screening (4.9%) and 7 referrals (2.7%). CONCLUSION: Despite frequent contact with the medical field and use of teratogenic medications, medically complex adolescent girls are inconsistently screened for sexual activity and are rarely referred to gynecology.