Analysis of a population-based Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia index as an outcome measure of access and quality of care for the treatment of HIV disease.
OBJECTIVE
A population-based Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) Index was developed in New York City to identify geographic areas and subpopulations at increased risk for PCP.


METHODS
A zip code-level PCP Index was created from AIDS surveillance and hospital discharge records and defined as (number of PCP-related hospitalizations)/(number of persons living with AIDS).


RESULTS
In 1997, there were 2262 hospitalizations for PCP among 39 740 persons living with AIDS in New York City (PCP Index =.05691). PCP Index values varied widely across neighborhoods with high AIDS prevalence (West Village =.02532 vs Central Harlem =.08696). Some neighborhoods with moderate AIDS prevalence had strikingly high rates (Staten Island =.14035; northern Manhattan =.08756).


CONCLUSIONS
The PCP Index highlights communities in particular need of public health interventions to improve HIV-related service delivery.
Arno
Peter S
PS
Dept. of Epidemiology and Soicial Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 E 210 Street, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. parno@montefiore.org
Gourevitch
Marc N
MN
Drucker
Ernest
E
Fang
Jing
J
Goldberg
Clara
C
Memmott
Margaret
M
Bonuck
Karen
K
Deb
Nandini
N
Schoenbaum
Ellie
E
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005843:Geography; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011177:Postal Service; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012984:Software