Christine L. Mattson

Disparities in HIV transmission risk among HIV-infected black and white men who have sex with men, United States, 2009

Objective:To better understand why HIV incidence is substantially higher among black than white men who have sex with men (MSM), we present the first nationally representative estimates of factors that contribute to transmission – sexual behavior, antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, and viral suppression – among HIV-infected black and white MSM in the United States. Design:The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States. Methods:We used weighted interview and medical record data collected during June 2009 to May 2010 to estimate the prevalence of sexual behaviors, ART use, and viral suppression among sexually active HIV-infected black and white MSM. We used &khgr;2 tests to assess significant differences between races and logistic regression models to identify factors that mediated the racial differences. Results:Sexual risk behaviors among black and white MSM were similar. Black MSM were significantly less likely than white MSM to take ART (80 vs. 91%) and be durably virally suppressed (48 vs. 69%). Accounting for mediators (e.g. age, insurance, poverty, education, time since diagnosis, and disease stage) reduced, but did not eliminate, disparities in ART use and rendered differences in viral suppression among those on ART insignificant. Conclusion:Lower levels of ART use and viral suppression among HIV-infected black MSM may increase the likelihood of HIV transmission. Addressing the patient-level factors and structural inequalities that contribute to lower levels of ART use and viral suppression among this group will improve clinical outcomes and might reduce racial disparities in HIV incidence.

Use of and Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in a Large U.S. Sample of HIV-infected Adults in Care, 2007-2008

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the cornerstone of HIV clinical care and is increasingly recognized as a key component of HIV prevention. However, the benefits of ART can be realized only if HIV-infected persons maintain high levels of adherence. Methods: We present interview data (collected from June 2007 through September 2008) from a national HIV surveillance system in the United States—the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP)—to describe persons taking ART. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess behavioral, sociodemographic, and medication regimen factors associated with three measures that capture different dimensions of nonadherence to ART: dose, schedule, and instruction. Results: The use of ART among HIV-infected adults in care was high (85%), but adherence to ART was suboptimal and varied across the three measures of nonadherence. Of MMP participants currently taking ART, the following reported nonadherence during the past 48 hours: 13% to dose, 27% to schedule, and 30% to instruction. The determinants of the three measures also varied, although younger age and binge drinking were associated with all aspects of nonadherence. Conclusion: Our results support the measurement of multiple dimensions of medication-taking behavior in order to avoid overestimating adherence to ART.

Scale-up and continuation of antiretroviral therapy in South African treatment programs 2005-2009.

Background: South Africa has the greatest burden of HIV-infection in the world with about 5.2 million HIV-infected adults. In 2003, the South African Government launched a comprehensive HIV and AIDS care treatment program supported by the United States in 2004 through the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Methods: To describe the scale-up and continuation of antiretroviral therapy in South African Government and PEPFAR-supported sites in South Africa, we conducted a retrospective analysis of routinely collected program reporting data, 2005-2009. Results: From 2005 through 2009, the average rate of persons initiated on antiretroviral therapy in PEPFAR-supported South African Government treatment programs increased nearly four-fold from 6,327 a month in 2005-2006 to 24,622 a month in 2008-2009 resulting in an increase from 33,543 patients on continued treatment in April-June 2005 to 631,985 patients in July-September 2009. Of those 631,985 patients receiving treatment, 65% were women. Men were more likely to be lost to follow-up (9.2% vs. 7.8%, PR 1.18, 95% CI 1.17-1.19) and more likely to die (5.6% vs. 4.1%, PR 1.36, 95% CI 1.35-1.37) than women. Conclusions: Scale-up and continuation of antiretroviral therapy in South Africa has been a remarkable medical accomplishment. Because more women receive and continue treatment, more efforts are needed to treat and retain men.

Understanding Cross-Sectional Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Antiretroviral Use and Viral Suppression Among HIV Patients in the United States

AbstractTo examine racial/ethnic and gender disparities in antiretroviral (ART) use and viral suppression among HIV-infected persons in care and identify factors that might account for observed disparities.The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States.We used weighted interview and medical record data collected 06/2009 to 05/2012 to estimate the prevalence of ART use and viral suppression among gender-stratified racial/ethnic groups. We used &khgr;2 tests to identify significant differences in outcomes between white men versus other groups, and logistic regression models to identify the most parsimonious set of factors that could account for each observed difference.We found no significant disparity in ART use between white and Hispanic men, and no disparities between white men and white and Hispanic women after adjustment for disease stage, age, and poverty. Disparities in ART use between white men and black persons persisted after adjusting for other factors, but the observed differences were relatively small. Differences in ART use and adherence, demographic characteristics, and social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and insurance accounted for the observed disparities in viral suppression between white men and all groups except black men. In our model, accounting for these factors reduced the prevalence difference in viral suppression between white and black men by almost half.We found that factors associated with disparities differed among men and women of the same race/ethnicity, lending support to the assertion that gender affects access to care and health status among HIV-infected patients. In addition to supporting efforts to increase ART use and adherence among persons living with HIV, our analysis provides evidence for the importance of social determinants of health in understanding racial/ethnic and gender differences in ART use and viral suppression.

Sexual risk behaviour and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States

Objective:To describe the prevalence and association of sexual risk behaviours and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults in the United States. Design:Cross-sectional analysis of weighted data from a probability sample of HIV-infected adults receiving outpatient medical care. The facility and patient response rates were 76 and 51%, respectively. Methods:We analysed 2009 interview and medical record data. Sexual behaviours were self-reported in the past 12 months. Viral suppression was defined as all viral load measurements in the medical record during the past 12 months less than 200 copies/ml. Results:An estimated 98 022 (24%) HIV-infected adults engaged in unprotected vaginal or anal sex; 50 953 (12%) engaged in unprotected vaginal or anal sex with at least one partner of negative or unknown HIV status; 23 933 (6%) did so while not virally suppressed. Persons who were virally suppressed were less likely than persons who were not suppressed to engage in vaginal or anal sex [prevalence ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.82–0.93]; unprotected vaginal or anal sex (prevalence ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73–0.98); and unprotected vaginal or anal sex with a partner of negative or unknown HIV status (prevalence ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.99). Conclusion:The majority of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the U.S. did not engage in sexual risk behaviours that have the potential to transmit HIV, and of the 12% who did, approximately half were not virally suppressed. Persons who were virally suppressed were less likely than persons who were not suppressed to engage in sexual risk behaviours.

Discontinuation of Antiretroviral Therapy Among Adults Receiving HIV Care in the United States

Background:Continuous antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important for maintaining viral suppression. This analysis estimates prevalence of and reason for ART discontinuation. Methods:Three-stage sampling was used to obtain a nationally representative, cross-sectional sample of HIV-infected adults receiving HIV care. Face-to-face interviews and medical record abstractions were collected from June 2009 to May 2010. Data were weighted based on known probabilities of selection and adjusted for nonresponse. Patient characteristics of ART discontinuation, defined as not currently taking ART, stratified by provider-initiated versus non–provider-initiated discontinuation, were examined. Weighted logistic regression models predicted factors associated with ART discontinuation. Results:Of adults receiving HIV care in the United States who reported ever initiating ART, 5.6% discontinued treatment. Half of those who discontinued treatment reported provider-initiated discontinuation. Provider-initiated ART discontinuation patients were more likely to have a nadir CD4 ≥200 cells per cubic millimeter. Non–provider-initiated ART discontinuation patients were more likely to have unmet need for supportive services and to have not received HIV care in the past 3 months. Among all patients who discontinued, younger age, female gender, not having continuous health insurance, incarceration, injection drug use, nadir CD4 count ≥200 cells per cubic millimeter, unmet need for supportive services, no care in the past 3 months and HIV diagnosis ≥5 years before interview were independently associated with ART discontinuation. Conclusions:These findings inform development of interventions to increase ART persistence by identifying groups at increased risk of ART discontinuation. Evidence-based interventions targeting vulnerable populations are needed and are increasingly important as recent HIV treatment guidelines have recommended universal ART.

Increased antiretroviral therapy prescription and HIV viral suppression among persons receiving clinical care for HIV infection

Objective:To assess trends during 2009–2013 in antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription and viral suppression among adults receiving HIV clinical care in the United States. Design:We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project, a surveillance system producing national estimates of characteristics of HIV-infected adults receiving clinical care in the United States. Methods:We estimated weighted proportions of persons receiving HIV medical care who were prescribed ART and achieved HIV viral suppression (<200 copies/ml) at both last test and at all tests in the previous 12 months during 2009–2013. We assessed trends overall and by gender, age, race/ethnicity, and sexual behavior/orientation. Results:ART prescription and viral suppression increased significantly during 2009–2013, overall and in subgroups. ART prescription increased from 89 to 94% (P for trend <0.01). Viral suppression at last measurement increased from 72 to 80% (P for trend <0.01). The largest increases were among 18–29 year olds (56–68%), 30–39 year olds (62–75%), and non-Hispanic blacks (64–76%). Sustained viral suppression increased from 58 to 68% (P for trend <0.01). The largest increases were among 18–29 year olds (32–51%), 30–39 year olds (47–63%), and non-Hispanic blacks (49–61%). Conclusion:Adults receiving HIV medical care are increasingly likely to be prescribed ART and achieve viral suppression. Recent efforts to promote early antiretroviral therapy use may have contributed to these increases, bringing us closer to realizing key goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Obesity Among HIV-Infected Adults Receiving Medical Care in the United States: Data From the Cross-Sectional Medical Monitoring Project and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

AbstractOur objective was to compare obesity prevalence among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults receiving care and the U.S. general population and identify obesity correlates among HIV-infected men and women.Cross-sectional data was collected in 2009 to 2010 from 2 nationally representative surveys: Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Weighted prevalence estimates of obesity, defined as body mass index ≥30.0 kg/m2, were compared using prevalence ratios (PR, 95% confidence interval [CI]). Correlates of obesity in HIV-infected adults were examined using multivariable logistic regression.Demographic characteristics of the 4006 HIV-infected adults in MMP differed from the 5657 adults from the general U.S. population in NHANES, including more men (73.2% in MMP versus 49.4% in NHANES, respectively), black or African Americans (41.5% versus 11.6%), persons with annual incomes <

Design and Weighting Methods for a Nationally Representative Sample of HIV-infected Adults Receiving Medical Care in the United States-Medical Monitoring Project

20,000 (64.5% versus 21.9%), and homosexuals or bisexuals (50.9% versus 3.9%). HIV-infected men were less likely to be obese (PR 0.5, CI 0.5–0.6) and HIV-infected women were more likely to be obese (PR1.2, CI 1.1–1.3) compared with men and women in the general population, respectively. Among HIV-infected women, younger age was associated with obesity (<40 versus >60 years). Among HIV-infected men, correlates of obesity included black or African American race/ethnicity, annual income >

Increased STD testing among sexually active persons receiving medical care for HIV infection in the United States, 2009 – 2013

20,000 and <