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Researchers evaluated methods of
emphasizing the importance of keeping HIV care appointments at HIV specialty
clinics.
The researchers launched the first
phase of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s and the Health
Resources and Services Administration’s Retention in Care study in May 2008.
The study ran from May 1, 2009, to April 30, 2010, with a pre-intervention
period from May 1, 2008, to April 30, 2009. There were 10,018 patients in the
pre-intervention study and 11,039 during the intervention study. The
intervention consisted of posters, brochures, and staff-generated verbal
messages of the importance of regular care and keeping appointments.
During the intervention phase the
adjusted percentage of improvement for keeping two consecutive visits was 7
percent. There was a significant improvement in new or reengaging patients,
patients with a detectable viral load, and patients aged 16 to 29 years. The
overall adjusted relative improvement in the mean proportion of all visits kept
was 3 percent.
The researchers concluded that
although the impact of the intervention was relatively small across all
patients, it provided a relatively low-cost and low-effort clinic-wide process
that could improve adherence to clinic visits.
PNU Editor’s Note: The article
titled, “A Low-Effort, Clinic-Wide Intervention Improves Attendance for HIV
Primary Care,” was published the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases
2012;55(8):1124–1134.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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