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HIV monitoring tools improve progress locally in California
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ATLANTA — Local health jurisdictions in California that used evaluation tools to monitor progress in HIV reported incremental improvements in identifying new cases and expanding testing to high-to-moderate risk populations, according to data presented at the CDC’s National HIV Prevention Conference.
In 2010, the White House established goals for the HIV/AIDS strategy to reduce new cases of HIV, increase access to care, reduce health disparities and refine the national response. To meet these goals with limited funding, Deanna L. Sykes, PhD, from the California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS, and colleagues developed a cost-effective approach using evaluation tools that monitor progress in the state where approximately 5,000 new HIV cases are diagnosed annually. The tools included an automated report that tracks progress in HIV, a companion worksheet comparing performance with goals and a data-driven communication.
Deanna L. Sykes
Sykes and colleagues distributed the tools to HIV prevention providers in 19 local jurisdictions and developed prevention objectives for each jurisdiction based on HIV burden. Researchers communicated the goals through an interactive worksheet that displayed the proportion of statewide goals each jurisdiction was responsible for achieving. The jurisdictions were encouraged to use the tools to assess their progress and adjust midyear performances when needed.
Steady progress was observed across the jurisdictions over a 3-year duration, according to the researchers. HIV diagnoses increased from 0.61% in 2011 to 0.69% in 2012, 0.87% in 2013 and 0.88% in 2014. In addition, the number of tests offered to high-to–moderate risk populations increased from 47% in 2011 and 2012 to 49% in 2013 and 56% in 2014.
Sykes and colleagues concluded the tools can provide a positive impact on local goals and offer providers the opportunity to increase prevention efforts. – by Stephanie Viguers
Reference: Sykes D, et al. Abstract 2224. Presented at: National HIV Prevention Conference; Dec. 6-9, 2015; Atlanta.
Disclosure: Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.