Underutilization of HIV Testing Among Men with Incarceration Histories.

Annual HIV testing is recommended for individuals at high risk of infection, specifically incarcerated populations. Incarcerated men carry a higher lifetime risk of acquiring HIV than the general population, yet little is known about their HIV testing behaviors. We collected Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview data for 819 men entering a state prison in North Carolina. We assessed correlates of previous HIV testing, including stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs, and explored two outcomes: (1) ever HIV tested before current incarceration, and (2) recency of last HIV test. Eighty percent had been HIV tested before; of those, 36% reported testing within the last year. Being African American, having education beyond high school, prior incarceration, and higher HIV knowledge increased odds of ever having tested. Results of this study highlight the need to expand HIV testing and education specific to incarcerated populations. Additionally, efforts should be made to monitor and encourage repeat screening.

Supporting Community-based Healthy Eating and Active Living Efforts in Sustaining Beyond the Funding Cycle.

INTRODUCTION: Considerable research has been done to define, conceptualize, and study sustainability for public health initiatives. New research suggests evaluating sustainability through additional characteristics, like type of intervention or focus of change, may help uncover differences in approaches and resources needed for sustainability. Additionally, available research often misses perspectives from those involved on what is necessary to sustain strategies long term. METHODS: Data collected through community reports and interviews with eight Colorado communities implementing large-scale community-based healthy eating and active living initiatives were used to document strategy characteristics, barriers to sustainability, and community-based perspectives on supports needed for long-term sustainability. Characteristics of implementation were also assessed based on intervention type (program, environment, policy) and to identify similarities and differences in implementation. RESULTS: Policy and environment interventions were sustained more often compared with program interventions. Coalitions or formal committees, community-level coordination, and diverse partnerships were associated with sustainable strategies regardless of intervention type, though primary transition partners varied by intervention type. Loss of a sole champion and shifts in institutional priorities were common barriers for sustainability. Communities requested supports for creative funding and formal coordination, public and political will-building, inclusivity, and advanced evaluation methods to support long-term sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that community intervention strategies can be highly sustainable, particularly for environment and policy change, and suggest strategies may require similar, yet tailored, partnerships based on intervention type. Additionally, supports requested highlight sophisticated community needs, offering important insights for how providers and funders can best support communities in long-term sustainability efforts. SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION: This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health.

Does the quality of safetalk motivational interviewing counseling predict sexual behavior outcomes among people living with HIV?

OBJECTIVE: Although past research has demonstrated a link between the quality of motivational interviewing (MI) counseling and client behavior change, this relationship has not been examined in the context of sexual risk behavior among people living with HIV/AIDS. We studied MI quality and unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse (UAVI) in the context of SafeTalk, an evidence-based secondary HIV prevention intervention. METHODS: We used a structured instrument (the MISC 2.0 coding system) as well as a client-reported instrument to rate intervention sessions on aspects of MI quality. Then we correlated client-reported UAVI with specific counseling behaviors and the proportion of interactions that achieved MI quality benchmarks. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: Higher MISC-2.0 global ratings and a higher ratio of reflections to questions both significantly predicted fewer UAVI acts at 8-month follow-up. Analysis of client ratings, which was more exploratory, showed that clients who rated their sessions higher in counselor acceptance, client disclosure, and relevance reported higher numbers of UAVIs, whereas clients who selected higher ratings for perceived benefit were more likely to have fewer UAVI episodes. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Further research is needed to determine the best methods of translating information about MI quality into dissemination of effective MI interventions with people living with HIV.

Systematic review: effect of alcohol intake on adherence to outpatient medication regimens for chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Nonadherence to medications can lead to adverse health outcomes. Alcohol consumption has been shown to be associated with nonadherence to antiretroviral medications, but this relationship has not been examined at different drinking levels or with other chronic disease medications. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the association of alcohol consumption with nonadherence to medications for four chronic diseases. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for relevant studies published through 2009. To be included in this analysis, studies had to be quantitative; have a sample size of 50 or greater; and examine the effect of alcohol consumption on medication adherence for diabetes, hypertension, depression, or HIV/AIDS. Study characteristics and results were abstracted according to pre-specified criteria, and study quality was assessed. Study heterogeneity prevented a systematic synthesis. RESULTS: Sixty eligible studies addressed medication adherence for HIV in 47 (78%), diabetes in 6 (10%), hypertension in 2 (3%), both diabetes and hypertension in 1 (2%), depression in 2 (3%), and all medications in 2 (3%). Mean number of subjects was 245 (range: 57-61,511). Effect sizes for the association of alcohol use with nonadherence varied (0.76-4.76). Six of the seven highest quality studies reported significant effect sizes (p < .05), ranging from 1.43 to 3.6. Most (67%) studies reporting multivariate analyses, but only half of non-HIV medicine studies, reported significant associations. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies reported negative effects of alcohol consumption on adherence, but evidence among non-HIV studies was less consistent. These data suggest the relevance of addressing alcohol use in improving antiretroviral adherence and a need for further rigorous study in non-HIV chronic diseases.