Clinical and behavioral characteristics of adults receiving medical care for HIV infection --- Medical Monitoring Project, United States, 2007.

PROBLEM

As of December 31, 2008, an estimated 663,084 persons were living with a diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the 40 U.S. states that have had confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since at least January 2006. Although HIV surveillance programs in the United States collect information about persons who have received a diagnosis of HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), supplemental surveillance projects are needed to collect information about care-seeking behaviors, health-care use, and other behaviors among persons living with HIV. Data on the clinical and behavioral characteristics of persons receiving medical care for HIV infection are critical to reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality and for program planning to allocate services and resources, guide prevention planning, assess unmet medical and ancillary service needs, and help develop intervention programs and health policies at the local, state, and national levels.

REPORTING PERIOD COVERED

Data were collected during June 2007-September 2008 for patients who received medical care in 2007 (sampled from January 1-April 30).

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM

The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is an ongoing, multisite supplemental surveillance project that assesses behaviors, clinical characteristics, and quality of care of HIV-infected persons who are receiving medical care. Participants must be aged ≥ 18 years and have received medical care at sampled facilities that provide HIV medical care within participating MMP project areas. Self-reported behavioral and selected clinical data are collected using an in-person interview. A total of 26 project areas in 19 states and Puerto Rico were funded to collect data during the 2007 MMP data collection cycle.

RESULTS

The results from the 2007 MMP cycle indicated that among 3,643 participants, a total of 3,040 (84%) had some form of health insurance or coverage during the 12 months before the interview; of these, 45% reported having Medicaid, 37% reported having private health insurance or coverage through a health maintenance organization, and 30% reported having Medicare. A total of 3,091 (85%) of the participants were currently taking antiretroviral medications. Among 3,609 participants who reported ever having a CD4 T-lymphocyte test, 2,996 (83%) reported having three or more CD4 T-lymphocyte tests in the 12 months before the interview. Among 3,567 participants who reported ever having an HIV viral load test, 2,946 (83%) reported having three or more HIV viral load tests in the 12 months before the interview. Among 3,643 participants, 45% needed HIV case management, 33% needed mental health counseling, and 32% needed assistance finding dental services during the 12 months before the interview; 8%, 13%, and 25% of these participants who needed the services, respectively, had not received these services by the time of the interview. Noninjection drugs were used for nonmedical purposes by 1,117 (31%) participants during the 12 months before the interview, and 122 (3%) participants had used injection drugs for nonmedical purposes. Unprotected anal intercourse was reported by 527 (54%) of 970 men who reported having anal sex with a man during the 12 months before the interview. Unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse was reported by 176 (32%) of the 553 men who reported having anal or vaginal intercourse with a woman during the 12 months before the interview. Unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse was reported by 216 (42%) of the 516 women who reported having anal or vaginal intercourse with a man during the 12 months before the interview.

INTERPRETATION

The findings in this report indicate that in 2007, most persons with HIV infection who were receiving medical care were taking antiretroviral therapy and had some form of health insurance or coverage; however, some persons were not receiving needed critical ancillary services, such as HIV case management or help finding dental services. In addition, some persons living with HIV infection engaged in behaviors, such as unprotected sex, that increase the risk for transmitting HIV to sexual partners, and some used noninjection or injection drugs for nonmedical purposes, which might decrease adherence to antiretroviral therapy and increase health-risk behaviors.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

MMP data can be used to monitor the national HIV/AIDS strategy goal of increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes among persons living with HIV. Persons infected with HIV who are not receiving needed ancillary services highlight missed opportunities for access to care and other supportive services, information that can be used to advocate for additional resources. Drug use among persons with HIV infection underscores the continued need for substance abuse treatment services for this population. In addition, prevention services and programs are needed to decrease the number of HIV-infected persons engaging in unprotected sex. The data in this report can be included in local, state, and national HIV/AIDS epidemiologic profiles and shared with community stakeholders. Although data from the 2007 MMP cycle might not be representative of all persons receiving medical care for HIV infection in the United States or in the individual project areas, future MMP cycles are expected to yield weighted national estimates representing all HIV-infected persons receiving medical care in the United States.