Sexually transmitted infection diagnoses among Hispanic immigrant and migrant men who have sex with men in the United States.

Hispanic immigrant/migrant men who have sex with men (MSM) should be at higher risk for sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus (STIs/HIV) given individual-level factors associated with the migration process that have been theorised to increase susceptibility to STIs/HIV among migrant populations. However, relatively little is known if these individual level factors are actually associated with the STI prevalence among this population. During 2005-2007, 2576 men and women foreign-born Hispanics were surveyed at three community-based organisations offering services to immigrant/migrant communities in the US. We analysed demographic characteristics, sexual risk behaviours, migration patterns, and factors associated with STI diagnoses (syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea) in the past 12 months among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM. Of 1482 Hispanic immigrant/migrant men surveyed who reported having sex in the past 12 months, 353 (24%) reported sex with a man, and of these, 302 answered questions regarding whether or not they had been diagnosed with a bacterial STI in the past year. Of these 302 men, 25% reported being married; 42% self-identified as being heterosexual and 20% as bisexual. Twenty-nine (9.6%) men reported that they had received an STI diagnosis in the past year. In the multivariate logistic regression model, men who reported receiving money or goods for sex had increased odds of a self-reported STI diagnosis. The prevalence of bacterial STIs among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM is lower than the prevalence of bacterial STIs among other MSM in the United States. Nevertheless, receiving money or goods for sex was significantly associated with a self-reported STI diagnosis among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM. It is important to understand factors contributing to participation in exchange sex among this population. HIV/STI prevention interventions tailored to non-gay identifying MSM are important for Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM.

Migration Patterns and Characteristics of Sexual Partners Associated with Unprotected Sexual Intercourse Among Hispanic Immigrant and Migrant Women in the United States.

In 2011, Hispanic immigrant women comprised 44% of HIV diagnoses among Hispanic women in the United States but little is known about factors that may place these women at risk for infection with HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. From March 2005 to February 2007, women were recruited at community-based organizations offering services to immigrant and migrant communities in five U.S. states. We report factors independently associated with unprotected anal and vaginal sex in the past 12 months among Hispanic immigrant and migrant women. Greater work-related mobility was associated with unprotected anal sex, while recency of immigration and prior refusal of HIV testing were associated with women's reports of unprotected vaginal sex. Prior sex with an injection drug user was associated with reports of both unprotected anal and vaginal sex. Findings highlight the need for HIV/STD risk reduction interventions designed specifically for Hispanic immigrant and migrant women.

Sleep disturbance, depression and pain in adults with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbance and depression are commonly encountered in primary care. In sickle cell disease, depression is associated with pain, poor treatment compliance, and lower quality of life. The prevalence of sleep disturbance and its effect upon quality of life in adults with sickle cell disease is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance and if it is associated with pain and depression in sickle cell disease. METHODS: Three hundred twenty eight adults with sickle cell disease enrolled on the Bethesda Sickle Cell Cohort Study were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Beck Depression Inventory II screening measures as a cross-sectional survey. Scores greater than 5 (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and 16 (Beck Depression Inventory II) defined sleep disturbance and depression, respectively. Clinical and laboratory parameters were also assessed. RESULTS: The mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was 8.4 (SD ± 4.2) indicating a 71.2% prevalence of sleep disturbance. The mean Beck Depression Inventory II score was 8.0 (SD ± 8.9). Sixty five (20.6%) participants had a score indicating depression, and half of these (10.0%) had thoughts of suicide. Both Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Beck Depression Inventory II scores were significantly correlated (p < .001). The number of days with mild/moderate pain (p = .001) and a history of headaches (p = .005) were independently associated with depression by multivariate regression analysis. Patients with sleep disturbance were older (p = .002), had higher body mass index (p = .011), had more days of pain (p = .003) and more frequent severe acute painful events (emergency room visits and hospitalizations) during the previous 12 months (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: More than 70 percent of adults with sickle cell disease had sleep disturbance, while 21 percent showed evidence of clinical depression. Sleep disturbance and depression were correlated, and were most common among those with more frequent pain. Providers caring for adults with sickle cell disease and frequent pain should consider screening for these common co-morbidities. Additional study is needed to confirm these findings and to determine if treatments for pain, depression or sleep disturbances will improve quality of life measures in this patient population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00011648.

Excess burden of depression among HIV-infected persons receiving medical care in the united states: data from the medical monitoring project and the behavioral risk factor surveillance system.

BACKGROUND: With increased life expectancy for HIV-infected persons, there is concern regarding comorbid depression because of its common occurrence and association with behaviors that may facilitate HIV transmission. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of current depression among HIV-infected persons receiving care and assess the burden of major depression, relative to that in the general population. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) and the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS). The eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire was used to identify depression. To assess the burden of major depression among HIV-infected persons receiving care, we compared the prevalence of current major depression between the MMP and BRFSS populations using stratified analyses that simultaneously controlled for gender and, in turn, each of the potentially confounding demographic factors of age, race/ethnicity, education, and income. Each unadjusted comparison was summarized as a prevalence ratio (PR), and each of the adjusted comparisons was summarized as a standardized prevalence ratio (SPR). Among HIV-infected persons receiving care, the prevalence of a current episode of major depression and other depression, respectively, was 12.4% (95% CI: 11.2, 13.7) and 13.2% (95% CI: 12.0%, 14.4%). Overall, the PR comparing the prevalence of current major depression between HIV-infected persons receiving care and the general population was 3.1. When controlling for gender and each of the factors age, race/ethnicity, and education, the SPR (3.3, 3.0, and 2.9, respectively) was similar to the PR. However, when controlling for gender and annual household income, the SPR decreased to 1.5. CONCLUSIONS: Depression remains a common comorbidity among HIV-infected persons. The overall excess burden among HIV-infected persons receiving care is about three-times that among the general population and is associated with differences in annual household income between the two populations. Relevant efforts are needed to reduce this burden.

HIV testing histories and risk factors among migrants and recent immigrants who received rapid HIV testing from three community-based organizations.

Migrants and recent immigrants in the US constitute a large population that is vulnerable to HIV. From March 2005 to February 2007, three community-based organizations conducted rapid HIV testing among migrants in five states. Participants were asked to complete a survey on sociodemographics, HIV-risk behaviors, and HIV-testing histories with the aim of understanding factors associated with HIV testing. Among 5,247 persons tested, 6 (0.1 %) were HIV-positive. Among 3,135 persons who completed surveys, more than half had never been tested for HIV previously (59 %). Participants reported high levels of HIV-risk behaviors in the past year, including 2 or more sex partners (45 %), sex while high/drunk (30 %), and transactional sex (29 %). Multivariate analysis identified several factors independently associated with decreased likelihood of prior HIV testing, including poor spoken English. Continued efforts are needed to ensure that migrant populations have improved access to HIV testing and prevention services. Understanding factors associated with migrants' lack of previous HIV testing may help focus these efforts.

Clinical implications of drug abuse epidemiology.

Research on the epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders provides continued critical insights into the distribution and determinants of drug use and drug use disorders in the United States. This research serves as a foundation for understanding the etiology of these disorders, helping to disentangle the complex interrelationship of developmental, genetic, and environmental risk and protective factors. Building on an understanding of this research in substance abuse epidemiology, it is important for clinicians to understand the unique trends in drug use in the overall communities that they serve and the unique risk factors for given individuals. The generally high prevalence of substance use disorders, along with their high comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders and with the HIV epidemic, make prevention, evaluation, and referral for treatment for drug abuse an important part of routine clinical practice in a range of clinical settings, including primary care, psychiatric, and emergency department settings. Ongoing efforts to ensure insurance coverage parity for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders offer the promise of continued improvements in the integration and availability of such services in the broader US health care system.

Parents' retrospective reports of youth psychological responses to the sniper attacks in the Washington, DC, area.

A random-digit-dial telephone survey was conducted in May 2003, with 355 parents of children ages 2-17 years old, living in Washington, DC, or in the two surrounding counties during the October 2002 sniper shootings, to examine parent retrospective reports of child event-related psychological distress. An estimated 32% of parents reported that children experienced at least one psychological distress symptom related to sniper shootings. Older children, females, children with a history of trauma exposure prior to sniper attacks, children whose parents reported routine disruption as the result of attacks, children whose parents perceived them as at great risk for harm from sniper attacks, and those children whose parents reported more traumatic stress symptoms in response to attacks were at greatest risk for reported psychological distress.

Costs and effectiveness of finding new HIV diagnoses by using rapid testing in transgender communities.

We assessed the costs and effectiveness of rapid HIV testing services provided to transgender communities in New York City and San Francisco from April 2005 to December 2006. Program costs were estimated based on service provider's perspective and included the costs attributable to staff time, incentives, transportation, test kits, office space, equipment, supplies, and utilities. The average annual numbers of persons tested were 195 and 106 persons and numbers notified of new HIV diagnoses were 35 (18.2%) in New York City and 8 (7.3%) in San Francisco, respectively. The estimated annual program costs were $125,879 and $64,323 and average costs per person notified of new diagnosis were $3,563 and $8,284 in New York City and San Francisco, respectively. The primary reason for differences in program costs by site was differences in the proportion of undiagnosed HIV infection among persons tested. Our findings can inform decisions about program planning and allocation of limited HIV testing resources.

Substance abuse in the United States: findings from recent epidemiologic studies.

Recent research on the epidemiology of substance use disorders (SUDs) has provided important insights into these conditions and their impact on public health. In the United States, annual surveys of drug use in household and school populations serve as one of the primary sources of information about the distribution of illicit drug use. This research has demonstrated continued shifts in trends in illicit drug use in the United States and called attention to rising rates of prescription drug misuse and abuse. Findings have also continued to highlight the substantial comorbidity of SUDs with other psychiatric disorders and with the ongoing HIV epidemic. Building on these foundations, future challenges for research in substance abuse epidemiology will include using novel methodologic approaches to further unravel the complex interrelationships that link individual vulnerabilities for SUDs, including genetic factors, with social and environmental risk factors.

Results of a rapid HIV screening and diagnostic testing program in an urban emergency department.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We describe outcomes of a rapid HIV testing program integrated into emergency department (ED) services, using existing staff. METHODS: From April 2005 through December 2006, triage nurses in an urban ED offered HIV screening to medically stable patients aged 12 years or older. Clinicians could also order diagnostic testing according to presenting signs and symptoms and suspicion of HIV-related illness. Nurses obtained consent, performed rapid testing, and disclosed negative test results. Clinicians disclosed positive test results and arranged follow-up. Outcome measures included number and proportion of visits during which screening was offered, accepted, and completed; number of visits during which diagnostic testing was completed; and number of patients with confirmed new HIV diagnosis and their CD4 counts. RESULTS: HIV screening and diagnostic testing were completed in 9,466 (8%) of the 118,324 ED visits (14.2% of the 60,306 unique patients were tested at least once). Screening was offered 45,159 (38.2%) times, accepted 21,626 (18.3%) times, and completed 7,923 (6.7%) times; diagnostic testing was performed 1,543 (1.3%) times. Fifty-five (0.7%) screened patients and 46 (3.0%) of those completing diagnostic testing had confirmed positive HIV test results. Median CD4 count was 356 cells/microL among screened patients and 99 cells/microL among those who received diagnostic testing. CONCLUSION: Although existing staff was able to perform HIV screening and diagnostic testing, screening capacity was limited and the HIV prevalence was low in those screened. Diagnostic testing yielded a higher percentage of new HIV diagnoses, but screening identified greater than 50% of those found to be HIV positive, and the median CD4 count was substantially higher among those screened than those completing diagnostic testing.

Rapid HIV testing in transgender communities by community-based organizations in three cities.

OBJECTIVES: This article describes the demographic and behavioral characteristics, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing history, and results of HIV testing of transgender (TG) people recruited for rapid HIV testing by community-based organizations (CBOs) in three cities. METHODS: CBOs in Miami Beach, Florida, New York City, and San Francisco offered TG people rapid HIV testing and prevention services, and conducted a brief survey. Participants were recruited in outreach settings using various strategies. The survey collected information on demographic characteristics, HIV risk behaviors, and HIV testing history. RESULTS: Among 559 male-to-female (MTF) TG participants, 12% were newly diagnosed with HIV infection. None of the 42 female-to-male participants were newly diagnosed with HIV. A large proportion of MTF TG participants reported high-risk behaviors in the past year, including 37% who reported unprotected receptive anal intercourse and 44% who reported commercial sex work. Several factors were independently associated with increased likelihood of being newly diagnosed with HIV infection among MTF TG participants, including having a partner of unknown HIV status in the past year; being 20-29 or > or = 40 years of age; having last been tested for HIV more than 12 months ago; and having been recruited at the New York City site. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the high proportion of undiagnosed HIV infection among those tested, TG people represent an important community for enhanced HIV testing and prevention efforts. MTF TG people should be encouraged to have an HIV test at least annually or more often if indicated, based upon clinical findings or risk behaviors. Efforts should continue for developing novel strategies to overcome barriers and provide HIV testing and prevention services to TG people.

Patient and regimen characteristics associated with self-reported nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: Nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy (ARVT) is an important behavioral determinant of the success of ARVT. Nonadherence may lead to virological failure, and increases the risk of development of drug resistance. Understanding the prevalence of nonadherence and associated factors is important to inform secondary HIV prevention efforts. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used data from a cross-sectional interview study of persons with HIV conducted in 18 U.S. states from 2000-2004. We calculated the proportion of nonadherent respondents (took <95% of prescribed doses in the past 48 hours), and the proportion of doses missed. We used multivariate logistic regression to describe factors associated with nonadherence. Nine hundred and fifty-eight (16%) of 5,887 respondents reported nonadherence. Nonadherence was significantly (p<0.05) associated with black race and Hispanic ethnicity; age <40 years; alcohol or crack use in the prior 12 months; being prescribed >or=4 medications; living in a shelter or on the street; and feeling "blue" >or=14 of the past 30 days. We found weaker associations with having both male-male sex and injection drug use risks for HIV acquisition; being prescribed ARVT for >or=21 months; and being prescribed a protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen not boosted with ritonavir. The median proportion of doses missed was 50%. The most common reasons for missing doses were forgetting and side effects. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Self-reported recent nonadherence was high in our study. Our data support increased emphasis on adherence in clinical settings, and additional research on how providers and patients can overcome barriers to adherence.

Psychological responses to the sniper attacks: Washington DC area, October 2002.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the psychological and behavioral responses of residents of the Washington DC metropolitan area to the October 2002 sniper shootings, as well as the association between measures of exposure to the shootings and elevated traumatic stress symptoms. METHODS: Random-digit-dial telephone survey of 1205 adults living in Washington DC and two surrounding counties during the shootings, conducted May 2003. Main outcome measures included self-reports regarding traumatic stress symptoms, perceptions of safety, behavioral responses, and exposures to incidents. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of residents reported going to public spaces such as parks and shopping centers less than usual, and 5.5% reported missing at least 1 day of work because of the sniper attacks. Women who reported living within 5 miles of any shooting incident were significantly more likely to report elevated traumatic stress symptoms-consistent with a probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder-than women who reported living farther from incidents (odds ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.9-9.3). Among men, there was no significant association between reported residential proximity and elevated traumatic stress symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the substantial behavioral and psychological impact that traumatic events such as these sniper shootings can have on communities. They support the importance of clinicians and community leaders addressing psychological functioning in the setting of such events that threaten a population. The results further suggest that women who report residing closest to such incidents are at greatest risk for experiencing elevated symptoms of traumatic stress, and perhaps warrant special attention.

Prevalence of malaria parasitemia among clients seeking treatment for fever or malaria at drug stores in rural Tanzania 2004.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of malaria parasitemia and other common illnesses among drug store clients in one rural community, with a view to the potential role of specialist drug stores in expanding coverage of effective malaria treatment to households in highly endemic areas. METHOD: Follow-back study of 2466 client visits selected from all 10 drug stores operating in the town of Ikwiriri between May 30 and August 31 2004. Of these, 521 (21.2%) were made by or on behalf of persons ill with fever or malaria. Two hundred and ninety three were eligible as residents of the surrounding nine villages and all agreed to participate in the study. Each patient was evaluated by a clinical officer and provided a blood sample for malaria on the day of the shop visit, either at the shop or at home. RESULTS: Only 50 (17.1%) visits by or on behalf of febrile patients resulted in the purchase of an antimalarial drug, while an antipyretic medication was obtained at 226 visits (77.1%). Clinicians diagnosed malaria in 63.8% of patients. Malaria parasites were identified in blood film samples from 24.2% (95% CI: 19.6, 29.5). This is double the parasite prevalence rate of 10.7% (95% CI: 8.6, 13.1) obtained from a household survey of 1004 healthy individuals selected from these villages at the same time. It is not significantly lower than the prevalence observed among 880 clients presenting with fever at health facilities in the district: 29.7% (95% CI: 23.0, 37.3). The prevalence of malaria parasitemia among children younger than 5 years whose families sought fever treatment from drug stores (42.1%; 95% CI: 31.4, 53.5) was equal to that of children presenting with fever at health facilities (42.5%; 95% CI: 25.0, 62.2). CONCLUSIONS: Currently, drug store clients do not obtain malaria-specific treatment in the majority of cases where it might be warranted. Parasitological findings indicate that drug store clients, especially children, are as likely to be infected with malaria as patients seeking care for similar illnesses at health facilities. Drug stores may be attractive partners for policy makers eager to engage the private retail sector in expanding coverage of malaria treatment.