IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2404: HIV Infection-Related Care Outcomes among U.S.-Born and Non-U.S.-Born Blacks with Diagnosed HIV in 40 U.S. Areas: The National HIV Surveillance System, 2016

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2404: HIV Infection-Related Care Outcomes among U.S.-Born and Non-U.S.-Born Blacks with Diagnosed HIV in 40 U.S. Areas: The National HIV Surveillance System, 2016

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112404

Authors: Hanna B. Demeke Anna S. Johnson Hong Zhu Zanetta Gant Wayne A. Duffus Hazel D. Dean

HIV care outcomes must be improved to reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and health disparities. HIV infection-related care outcome measures were examined for U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born black persons aged ≥13 years by using National HIV Surveillance System data from 40 U.S. areas. These measures include late-stage HIV diagnosis, timing of linkage to medical care after HIV diagnosis, retention in care, and viral suppression. Ninety-five percent of non-U.S.-born blacks had been born in Africa or the Caribbean. Compared with U.S.-born blacks, higher percentages of non-U.S.-born blacks with HIV infection diagnosed during 2016 received a late-stage diagnoses (28.3% versus 19.1%) and were linked to care in ≤1 month after HIV infection diagnosis (76.8% versus 71.3%). Among persons with HIV diagnosed in 2014 and who were alive at year-end 2015, a higher percentage of non-U.S.-born blacks were retained in care (67.8% versus 61.1%) and achieved viral suppression (68.7% versus 57.8%). Care outcomes varied between African- and Caribbean-born blacks. Non-U.S.-born blacks achieved higher care outcomes than U.S.-born blacks, despite delayed entry to care. Possible explanations include a late-stage presentation that requires immediate linkage and optimal treatment and care provided through government-funded programs.

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