Oral/oropharyngeal "selfies" in gay and bisexual men: a pilot study exploring oropharyngeal screening for HPV-related possible malignancies.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the potential uptake and quality of oropharyngeal "selfies" taken by gay/bisexual men as a screening approach for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. Methods: From 1,699 gay/bisexual men in the US, surveyed about knowledge and attitudes to HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, a random sample of 320 men were invited to take an oropharyngeal "selfie" by smartphone and send it to the study website: 113 (35.5%) did so. Images were rated for quality by three healthcare professional raters blinded to each other's rating, with an otolaryngologist as the gold standard. In the second wave, those whose images were rated as unacceptable were sent a short instructional video and asked to send another image. Of the 65 invited, 46 did so. An additional 15.2% sent acceptable images, and a total of 28.3% of the sample was acceptable. Results: A total of 1,121 men willing to participate in the future study who believed they could take a quality "oral selfie" were potentially eligible for this activity. A random sample of 320 participated: 153 participants started (47.8%) and 113 participants (35.3%) submitted an image. Responders were more likely to be younger, have higher knowledge scores on oropharyngeal HPV-related cancer, and have had HPV vaccination. There was high agreement between the three raters. Images of good/acceptable quality were 22.1%; oropharynx partially occluded images were 29.2%; oropharynx not visible images were 18.6%; images too dark were 21.2%; and images too small were 8.8%. From the second wave of requests with instructional videos, an additional 15.2% sent in quality images, with the remaining issues being partial occlusion of the tonsils by the tongue. Conclusion: One-third of the invited gay and bisexual men sent oropharyngeal selfie images to the study website and a total of 28.3% were of clinically acceptable quality. Following an instructional video on poorer-quality images, additional quality images were received. One barrier, i.e., partial occlusion of the oropharynx by the tongue remained. Quality oropharyngeal "selfies" are obtainable online.

HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer early detection in gay and bisexual men is an "orphan" practice: A qualitative analysis among healthcare providers.

Introduction: Among US men, oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the back of the mouth and throat) is the 8th most common cancer. If detected early, human papillomavirus (HPV)-16-associated oropharyngeal cancer has a high 5-year survival rate. Risk factors such as high numbers of oral sex partners, disparities in smoking and drinking, and low rates of HPV vaccination may put gay and bisexual men at even higher risk for oropharyngeal cancer. Methods: We recruited 21 healthcare providers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota and Houston, Texas to participate in semi-structured interviews. Nurses, physician assistants, dental hygienists, and dentists were asked about their clinical experiences serving gay and bisexual men and opinions on potential interventions for the early detection of oropharyngeal cancer. Results: Providers typically did not tailor health screenings and examinations for gay and bisexual men. Participants lacked confidence in their ability to effectively implement routine screening for oropharyngeal cancer. The extent to which oropharyngeal cancer screening was incorporated into clinical practice varied by specialty, and practices necessary to detect it were scattered across clinical environments. HIV- and LGBTQ-focused healthcare providers were more aware of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer in gay and bisexual men, and appeared readier to act and lead on this issue. Discussion: Further studies should (1) evaluate protocols for oropharyngeal cancer detection; (2) identify and assess the acceptability of screening in the community; and (3) study how to best close gaps in health services for gay and bisexual men which might contribute to low early detection rates of oropharyngeal cancer.

Screening for HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer in Gay and Bisexual Men: Acceptability and Predicting Possible Use of "Oral Selfies" by Smartphone as a Secondary Prevention Approach.

Oropharyngeal cancers (OPCa) caused by HPV have emerged as one of the leading causes of malignancies caused by HPV infection. They are also significantly more likely to occur in males and in people with a history of oral sex with multiple partners. Gay and bisexual men are disproportionately affected by HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers. We studied 1699 gay and bisexual men on 2 major dating sites in the US to assess their knowledge about HPV-related OPCa, attitudes toward screening for it, beliefs about oropharyngeal cancer screening based on the Health Belief Model, and attitudes toward possible screening approaches for OPCa. Knowledge on a 12-item scale was low, with a median of 5 items correct: 72% knew of the benefits of HPV vaccination. Significant predictors of needing OPCa screening included perception of risk for OPCa, seeing it as severe, having lower barriers, fewer reasons to avoid screening, higher knowledge, and being HPV vaccinated were significant predictors, explaining half the total variance. Most participants would accept routine, virtual/online doctor or dental appointments, and over half would accept an in-person screening. Nearly two-thirds stated that they would accept getting checked for OPCa if they could do self-screening at home, and half were prepared to use an online screening tool or app, where they could take an "oral selfie" and send it to a healthcare provider for examination. One-third stated that they would trust the results of a home screening completed by themselves and posted to a website equally as cancer screening completed online by a healthcare provider. Data indicate that despite low OPCA knowledge levels, the risk of HPV-associated OPCa was known. Being at personal risk and having knowledge of disease severity had 70% of the sample thinking about, or preparing to get, screening. Self-screening by a smartphone "oral selfie" transmitted to a screening website was acceptable to many gay and bisexual men, and online screening by a doctor or dentist was acceptable to most. OPCa screening in this population using electronic technology, together with the increasing incidence of HPV-associated OPCa in gay and bisexual men, brings together an opportunity to detect OPCa early.

Implications for PrEP Uptake in Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness: A Mixed Methods Study.

Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) have a high risk of contracting HIV; however, they remain relatively unreached by pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-based HIV prevention initiatives. We used a cross-sectional mixed-methods study to explore PrEP knowledge, interest, facilitators, and barriers among YEH. Young adults were recruited from agencies serving YEH in Houston, TX (n = 30) and Los Angeles, CA (n = 15) to participate in an electronic self-report survey and a semistructured interview. Survey results indicate that 68.2% of YEH had low or no prior knowledge of PrEP, though 63.7% reported interest in taking PrEP. Qualitative results revealed facilitators of PrEP use, including high PrEP acceptability and awareness, and supportive social networks. Several barriers emerged, including medication-related barriers, adherence, cost, access barriers, low perceived HIV risk, perceived stigma of PrEP use, and low PrEP awareness. Despite high PrEP acceptability, PrEP use among YEH remains low partly due to low PrEP awareness, low perceived HIV risk, and medical mistrust.

Network Modeling of PrEP Uptake on Referral Networks and Health Venue Utilization Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men.

The objective of this study is to identify individual-level factors and health venue utilization patterns associated with uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and to evaluate whether PrEP uptake behavior is further diffused among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) through health venue referral networks. A sample of 543 HIV-seronegative YMSM aged 16-29 were recruited in 2014-2016 in Chicago, IL, and Houston, TX. Stochastic social network models were estimated to model PrEP uptake. PrEP uptake was associated with more utilization of health venues in Houston and higher levels of sexual risk behavior in Chicago. In Houston, both Hispanic and Black YMSM compared to White YMSM were less likely to take PrEP. No evidence was found to support the spread of PrEP uptake via referral networks, which highlights the need for more effective PrEP referral network systems to scale up PrEP implementation among at-risk YMSM.

Knowledge and Attitudes About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Seven U.S. Cities.

PURPOSE: Evidence suggests that young adults experiencing homelessness (YEH) are at elevated risk of HIV compared to housed youth. Given the limited research on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness among YEH, this study examined their PrEP knowledge and attitudes. METHODS: Data from a cross-sectional survey among YEH (ages 18-26) (n = 1,427) in seven U.S. cities were used to assess their knowledge and attitudes regarding PrEP to inform HIV prevention efforts. RESULTS: Participants were primarily male youth of color. The mean age was 20.9years. While 66% felt at risk for HIV, only 14% strongly agreed that they try to protect themselves from getting infected with HIV. Most (84%) were eligible for PrEP based on risk, yet only 29% had knowledge of PrEP. Despite this, 59% reported they were likely/extremely likely to take PrEP. Access to free PrEP (55%), HIV testing (72%), healthcare (68%), and one-on-one (62%), and text messaging support (57%) were rated as very/extremely important for PrEP uptake and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest missed opportunities to prevent new HIV infections among YEH. Efforts to increase PrEP uptake among this population should consider provider- and system-level interventions to increase PrEP awareness, decrease PrEP-associated healthcare costs, improve access to PrEP providers, and provide in-person and text messaging support.

HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Program Implementation Using Intervention Mapping.

INTRODUCTION: HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis has been proven to be an effective tool in HIV prevention. However, numerous barriers still exist in pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation. METHODS: The framework of Intervention Mapping was used from August 2016 to October 2017 to describe the process of adoption, implementation, and maintenance of an HIV prevention program from 2012 through 2017 in Houston, Texas, that is nested within a county health system HIV clinic. Using the tasks outlined in the Intervention Mapping framework, potential program implementers were identified, outcomes and performance objectives established, matrices of change objectives created, and methods and practical applications formed. RESULTS: Results include the formation of three matrices that document program outcomes, change agents involved in the process, and the determinants needed to facilitate program adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Key features that facilitated successful program adoption and implementation were obtaining leadership buy-in, leveraging existing resources, systematic evaluation of operations, ongoing education for both clinical and nonclinical staff, and attention to emergent issues during launch. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of Intervention Mapping to delineate the program planning steps can provide a model for pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation in other settings.

Social networks as drivers of syphilis and HIV infection among young men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVES: Syphilis and HIV epidemics overlap, yet little is known about combined network and behavioural factors that drive syphilis-HIV coinfection. Our study objective was to assess network contexts and sexual behaviours associated with syphilis-HIV co-infection and monoinfection among a particularly vulnerable subgroup: young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). To achieve this objective, we examined factors associated with coinfection by each subgroup as classified by syphilis-HIV infection status: (A) HIV monoinfected, (B) syphilis monoinfected and (C) neither syphilis infected nor HIV infected. In addition, we further identified the factors that are associated with HIV infection or syphilis monoinfection. METHODS: Data were collected from a sample of 365 YBMSM, aged 16-29 years, recruited through respondent-driven sampling between 2014 and 2016, in two cities with large HIV epidemics: Houston, TX, and Chicago, IL. We conducted a series of multinomial logistic regression models to predict coinfection, HIV monoinfection and syphilis monoinfection as a function of network and sexual behavioural factors. RESULTS: Coinfection was associated with having network members who are coinfected or HIV infected within one's social network. Syphilis monoinfection was associated with a higher number of social venues attended, and HIV monoinfection was associated with having more condomless top partners. CONCLUSION: Public health interventions that address the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis infection and ensure that those with syphilis are being tested for HIV may be promising in limiting the synergy of syphilis-HIV infections in onward transmission. Advancing HIV and syphilis prevention efforts in high-prevalence networks may allow prioritisation of limited resources.

Single tablet HIV regimens facilitate virologic suppression and retention in care among treatment naïve patients.

Newer HIV regimens are typically taken once daily but vary in the number of pills required. Whether the number of pills in a once-daily HIV regimen affects clinical outcomes is unknown. We retrospectively compared adherence, retention in care, and virologic outcomes between patients starting a once daily single-tablet regimen (STR) to patients starting a once-daily multi-tablet regimen (MTR) in a publicly funded clinic in the United States. Outcomes were measured in the year after starting ART and included retention in care, virologic suppression, and medication possession ratio of at least 80%. Data from patients initiating therapy from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2011 were analyzed with both unadjusted and propensity-score adjusted regression. Overall, 622 patients started with an STR (100% efavirenz-based) and 406 with an MTR (65% atazanavir-based and 35% darunavir-based) regimen. Retention in care was achieved in 80.7% of STR patients vs. 72.7% of MTR patients (unadjusted OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.17-2.11; adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10-2.02). Virologic suppression occurred among 84.4% of STR patients vs. 77.6% of MTR patients (unadjusted OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.14-2.15; adjusted OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.02-1.96). There was no difference in the proportion of patients achieving at least 80% adherence, as measured by medication possession ratio (33.0% of STR patients and 30.1% of MTR patients; unadjusted OR 1.14; 95% CI 0.87-1.50; adjusted OR 1.04, CI 0.79-1.38). While it is difficult to eliminate confounding in this observational study, retention in care and virologic outcomes were better in patients prescribed STRs.

Correlates of Linkage to HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Among HIV-Testing Clients.

BACKGROUND: Publicly funded HIV-testing sites can identify HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) candidates and provide PrEP linkage. SETTING: Harris Health System's HIV clinic, HIV-testing program, and HIV-prevention program (HPP) in Houston, TX, a high HIV-incidence city. METHODS: A prospective assessment of individuals aged 18 years and older recruited from walk-in HIV testing from December 2013 to April 2015 included risk assessment, HIV testing, and self-administered survey, with follow-up surveys at 6 and 12 months and medical record review. RESULTS: The mean age of our sample (n = 300) was 38.3 ± 11.7 years. Men constituted 63.1% of the sample and 53.7% were black non-Hispanic, 26.3% Hispanic, and 14.7% white non-Hispanic. Most were uninsured (63.5%). Only 27% always used condoms, although 67% perceived personal HIV risk. Of 300 participants, 64 (21.3%) linked to PrEP care and 49 (16.3%) took PrEP. In multivariable analysis, compared with heterosexual men, women [adjusted OR (aOR) 4.1, 95% CI: 1.5 to 11.1] and MSM (aOR 10.2, 95% CI: 3.4 to 31.0) were more likely to attend HPP and to take PrEP (aOR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.6 to 15.1 and 3.0, 95% CI: 1.1 to 8.3, respectively). Serodiscordance and PrEP interest correlated with program attendance (aOR 14.0, 95% CI: 6.1 to 32.3 and aOR 6.7, 95% CI: 1.8 to 25.4) and taking PrEP (aOR 13.1, 95% CI: 5.2 to 32.8 and 14.4, 95% CI: 1.8 to 166.9), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Preexposure prophylaxis interest, being female or MSM, and serodiscordance correlated with PrEP linkage. Safety-net health systems can facilitate PrEP access in marginalized populations, but the PrEP initiation rates remain low.

Evolving Models and Ongoing Challenges for HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Implementation in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2012, but delivery to at-risk persons has lagged. This critical review analyzes the current state of PrEP implementation in the United States, by reviewing barriers and innovative solutions to enhance PrEP access and uptake. SETTING: Clinical care settings, public health programs, and community-based organizations (CBOs). METHODS: Critical review of recent peer-reviewed literature. RESULTS: More than 100 papers were reviewed. PrEP is currently provided in diverse settings. Care models include sexually transmitted disease clinics, community health centers, CBOs, pharmacies, and private primary care providers (PCPs). Sexually transmitted disease clinics have staff trained in sexual health counseling and are linked to public health programs (eg, partner notification services), whereas PCPs and community health centers may be less comfortable counseling and feel time-constrained in managing PrEP. However, PCPs may be ideal PrEP providers, given their long-term relationships with patients, integrating PrEP into routine care. Collaborations with CBOs can expand PrEP care through adherence support and insurance navigation. Pharmacies can deliver PrEP, given their experience with medication dispensing and counseling, and may be more accessible for some patients, but to address other health concerns, liaisons with PCPs may be needed. CONCLUSIONS: PrEP implementation in the United States is moving forward with the development of diverse models of delivery. Optimal scale-up will require learning about the best features of each model and providing choices to consumers that enhance engagement and uptake.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention in women: current perspectives.

There are ~900,000 new HIV infections among women every year, representing nearly half of all new HIV infections globally. In the US, nearly one-fifth of all new HIV infections occur among women, and women from racial and ethnic minority communities experience disproportionately high rates of new HIV infections. Thus, there is a need to develop and implement effective HIV prevention strategies for women in the US and internationally, with a specific need to advance strategies in minority communities. Previous studies have demonstrated that oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of antiretroviral medications by HIV-uninfected persons to prevent HIV acquisition, can reduce HIV incidence among women who are adherent to PrEP. However, to date, awareness and uptake of PrEP among women have been very limited, suggesting a need for innovative strategies to increase the knowledge of and access to PrEP among women in diverse settings. This narrative review summarizes the efficacy and safety data of PrEP in women, discusses considerations related to medication adherence for women who use PrEP, and highlights behavioral, social, and structural barriers to maximize the effectiveness of PrEP in women. It also reviews novel modalities for PrEP in women which are being developed and tested, including topical formulations and long-acting injectable agents that may offer advantages as compared to oral PrEP and proposes a community-oriented, social networking framework to increase awareness of PrEP among women. If women are provided with access to PrEP and support to overcome social and structural barriers to adhere to PrEP, this prevention strategy holds great promise to impact the HIV epidemic among women in the US and globally.

Benefits of a routine opt-out HIV testing and linkage to care program for previously diagnosed patients in publicly funded emergency departments in Houston, TX.

BACKGROUND: The Routine Universal Screening for HIV program provides opt-out HIV testing and linkage to care for emergency department (ED) patients in Harris Health System, Houston, TX. Seventy-five percent of patients testing positive in this program have been previously diagnosed. Whether linkage to care is increased among these patients is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of persons tested for HIV in the ED between 2008 and 2012 but had a previously documented positive HIV test ≥1 year prior. Outcomes were engagement in care (≥1 HIV outpatient visits in 6 months), retention in care (≥2 HIV outpatient visits in 12 months, at least 3 months apart), and virologic suppression (<200 copies/mL in 12 months) compared before and after the ED visit. Analysis was conducted using McNemar test and multivariate conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 202,767 HIV tests identified 2068 previously diagnosed patients. The mean age was 43 years with 65% male and 87% racial and ethnic minorities. Engagement in care increased from 41.3% previsit to 58.8% postvisit (P < 0.001). Retention in care increased from 32.6% previsit to 47.1% postvisit (P < 0.001). Virologic suppression increased from 22.8% previsit to 34.0% postvisit (P < 0.001). Analyses revealed that engagement in care after visit improved most among younger participants (ages 16-24 years), retention improved across all groups, and virologic suppression improved most among participants aged 25-34 years. CONCLUSIONS: Routine opt-out HIV testing in an ED paired with standardized service linkage improves engagement, retention, and virologic suppression in previously diagnosed patients.

Two years of Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis utilization in the US.

INTRODUCTION: Truvada® (TVD) was approved in July 2012 by the US FDA for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in combination with safer sex practices to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in high-risk adults. This study explores the characteristics of US PrEP users and their prescribers over the past two years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A previously described algorithm was used to identify TVD for PrEP by excluding use for HIV treatment, post-exposure prophylaxis, and off-label treatment of chronic hepatitis B. National electronic patient level data from ~55% of all US retail pharmacies that dispensed TVD between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2014 was collected. De-identified patient-level data including prescription refill data, medical claims and patient demographics were analyzed via logistic regression to estimate the odds of change by year. RESULTS: A total of 3253 unique individuals who started TVD for PrEP between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2014 were included in this analysis. Women comprised 42.0% of PrEP users. Although mean age was 38.1+11.9 years, with males being significantly older (39.3+11.6) than females (36.4+12.3), 11.5% of individuals were under 25 years old. The proportion of males under 25 was 7.4% (95% CI 6.3-8.7); significantly lower than that of women, 17.2% (95% CI 15.3-19.3). New starts have increased from 293 in 2012 to 472 Q1 2014. During the 12-month period ending March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2014 the number of new starts among females dropped from 44.5% to 22.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The population of TVD for PrEP users in the US nationally appears to be shifting demographically. It continues to be initiated mostly by primary care providers. Over a two-year period new starts of Truvada for PrEP have increased considerably among males. While the overall proportion of female users decreased between Q1 2012 and Q1 2014, females that started on PrEP are younger than males. More community-level data on PrEP usage will be helpful in informing local efforts to integrate PrEP in HIV prevention messaging and services.

Perspectives on HIV prevention among urban black women: a potential role for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Limited data exist regarding attitudes and acceptability of topical and oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among US black women. This investigation explored interest in HIV chemoprophylaxis and modes of use. Five focus groups enrolled 26 black women recruited from an inner-city community health center and affiliated HIV testing sites. Thematic analysis utilized Atlas.ti. Most women expressed interest in PrEP, as many reported condom failure concerns. Most women preferred a pill formulation to intravaginal gel because of greater perceived privacy and concerns about vaginal side effects and gel leakage. Women who had taken pills previously advocated daily dosing and indicated adherence concerns about episodic or post-coital PrEP. Many women desired prophylactic strategies that included partner testing. Urban black women are interested in utilizing PrEP; however, misgivings exist about gel inconvenience and potential side effects for themselves and their partners. Most women preferred oral PrEP, dosed daily.

Trypanosoma cruzi meningoencephalitis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

As a result of global migration, a significant number of people with Trypanosoma cruzi infection now live in the United States, Canada, many countries in Europe, and other non-endemic countries. Trypanosoma cruzi meningoencephalitis is a rare cause of ring-enhancing lesions in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that can closely mimic central nervous system (CNS) toxoplasmosis. We report a case of CNS Chagas reactivation in an AIDS patient successfully treated with benznidazole and antiretroviral therapy in the United States.

The Promise of Antiretrovirals for HIV Prevention.

With an estimated 2.6 million new HIV infections diagnosed annually, the world needs new prevention strategies to partner with condom use, harm reduction approaches for injection drug users, and male circumcision. Antiretrovirals can reduce the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission and limit HIV acquisition after occupational exposure. Macaque models and clinical trials demonstrate efficacy of oral or topical antiretrovirals used prior to HIV exposure to prevent HIV transmission, ie pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Early initiation of effective HIV treatment in serodiscordant couples results in a 96% decrease in HIV transmission. HIV testing to determine serostatus and identify undiagnosed persons is foundational to these approaches. The relative efficacy of different approaches, adherence, cost and long-term safety will affect uptake and impact of these strategies. Ongoing research will help characterize the role for oral and topical formulations and help quantify potential benefits in sub-populations at risk for HIV acquisition.

Disparity in hospital utilization of rapid HIV-1 testing for women in labor with undocumented HIV status.

OBJECTIVES: The implementation of rapid HIV-1 testing for women in labor with undocumented HIV status is an essential tool for the prevention of perinatal HIV transmission. Unfortunately, practices of rapid HIV testing for women with unknown HIV status in labor have not been studied. We evaluated the utilization of rapid HIV testing prior to and after implementation of CDC recommendations as well as factors that may affect the utilization rate. DESIGN STUDY: participants were randomly selected from all deliveries (n = 2,359) six months prior to (n = 422) and after (n = 403) hospital implementation of the rapid HIV testing protocol. We reviewed prenatal and labor/delivery records to identify HIV testing history during pregnancy and HIV status at admission; we studied Rapid HIV testing utilization in respect to the implementation of the CDC recommendation; and we analyzed maternal sociodemographic and perinatal factors in association with rapid HIV testing utilization. RESULTS: Unknown HIV status at admission was recorded for 22.0% of women who gave birth prior to, and 18.1% after, implementation of the hospital policy due to either no offering or no acceptance of HIV testing during the pregnancy. Among those eligible for rapid HIV testing, 7.6% were tested prior to, and 9.6% were tested after, implementation of the new policy. As compared with tested women, women not tested were more likely to be white, married, and to have received prenatal primary care from a private physician. CONCLUSIONS: We found that low utilization of rapid HIV-1 testing for women in labor with undocumented HIV status is mostly associated with the sociodemographic inequality of the population of women served. Continuous education of health care providers and a systematic review of rapid HIV testing utilization in the hospital setting are needed in order to achieve successful implementation of the current CDC recommendations.

The Promise Clinic: a service learning approach to increasing access to health care.

The goal of the Promise Clinic (a project of an academic medical center and a local social services group) is to increase access to primary care for an underserved population while addressing deficiencies in medical education. Students manage common primary care problems, creating access for this mostly uninsured population.