A two-stage sampling method for clinical surveillance of individuals in care for HIV infection in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
The goals of this study were two-fold: (1) to describe methods for drawing a population-based sample of individuals in care for HIV infection and (2) to compare data from the sample with data from existing surveillance systems that describe care for HIV.


METHODS
The authors implemented a two-stage sampling method, using local HIV/AIDS surveillance data as a sampling frame of HIV care providers in three states. At selected providers, medical records of a random sample of patients were abstracted.


RESULTS
The medical records of a number of patients, ranging from 253 to 374 individuals per state, were abstracted. The demographics of sampled individuals and of individuals reported to the local HIV/AIDS surveillance program were similar; however, differences existed in the proportion of individuals receiving HIV care consistent with treatment guidelines between the sample and a contemporary facility-based supplemental surveillance project. The median design effect for outcomes collected in the sample was 1.8 (range=0.5-29.6).


CONCLUSIONS
This survey method is feasible for collecting population-based data on patients in care for HIV. Sample size and some design elements should be changed in future studies to increase precision of estimates and usefulness of data for local planning and evaluation.
Sullivan
Patrick S
PS
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. pss0@cdc.gov
Karon
John M
JM
Malitz
Faye E
FE
Broyles
Stephanie
S
Mokotoff
Eve D
ED
Buskin
Susan E
SE
Fleming
Patricia L
PL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D018563:Disease Notification; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D018401:Sample Size; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014488:United States Health Resources and Services Administration; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents