Risk-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing fails to detect the majority of HIV-infected persons in medical care Settings.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate opportunities for earlier human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis within a comprehensive public health care system.


METHODS
Retrospective review of newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients between September 2001 and December 2003.


RESULTS
One hundred twenty of 348 (34%) newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients had medical care within our system in the 3 years before diagnosis. One hundred five of 120 (88%) patients had at least 1 prior encounter in the emergency department or urgent care center, whereas just 12 (10%) HIV diagnoses were made in these 2 sites. Only 33 (28%) patients previously presented with an HIV clinical indicator condition or sexually transmitted infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Although one-third of newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients had clinical visits in the 3 years before diagnosis, few presented with clinical conditions typically associated with HIV infection. Targeted testing based on clinical presentations is not likely to result in substantially earlier HIV diagnosis. Routine screening in high prevalence settings could be more effective.
Denver Public Health, Denver, Colorado 80204, USA.
Timothy C
TC
Jenkins
Edward M
EM
Gardner
Mark W
MW
Thrun
David L
DL
Cohn
William J
WJ
Burman
D000328:Adult; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors