Transitioning youths into care: linking identified HIV-infected youth at outreach sites in the community to hospital-based clinics and or community-based health centers.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and analyze the process of transitioning HIV-infected youths from the point of HIV diagnosis into HIV treatment. Rather than simply offering HIV positive youths a list of referrals, the youth-focused SPNS grantees (AWAC) found it vital that youths were immediately assisted with linkage to a medical provider.


METHODS
From February 1997 to December 2000, 107 identified HIV-infected youths from the five adolescent SPNS projects were surveyed on needs and barriers. The time interval between HIV testing and youth linkage to care was also noted.


RESULTS
Nine percent of youth reported perceived barriers to accessing health care. Perceived needs were identified as Mental Health (44.9%; n = 48); Alcohol and drug treatment (14%; n = 15); transportation to health care settings (40.2%; n = 43); and housing (46.7%; N = 50). At sites tracking linkage to care, the time of being transitioned into a medical setting ranged from 5 to 55 days (average 26 days).


CONCLUSIONS
The period of transitioning identified HIV-infected youths into care can be reduced from 1-5 years to as short as 5-55 days. Success with linking these youth to care involves establishing a series of contacts at outreach sites wherein program staff seeks to build trusting relationships with youths, is able to track these youths and identify and address perceived needs.
Martinez
Jaime
J
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Bell
Douglas
D
Dodds
Sally
S
Shaw
Kimberly
K
Siciliano
Carl
C
Walker
Lynn E
LE
Sotheran
Jo L
JL
Sell
Randall L
RL
Friedman
Lawrence B
LB
Botwinick
Geri
G
Johnson
Robert L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000328:Adult; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D014481:United States