title: Medical and support service utilization in a medical program targeting marginalized HIV-infected individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One strategy to facilitate HIV health care services utilization is to incorporate support services with medical services. We developed a program that delivers HIV medical care and support services to marginalized people, and evaluated the association between support and medical services utilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  We extracted data on 218 newly enrolled program participants 3 months prior to through 6 months after program enrollment, and analyzed associations between support and medical services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Case management visits (AOR=1.95, 95% CI 1.04-3.67) and group visits (AOR=2.59, 95% CI 1.30-5.16) were associated with greater odds of quarterly medical visits. Outreach visits were associated with greater odds of having a medical visit in a traditional medical setting (AOR=2.31, 95% CI 1.15-4.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Case management, support groups, and outreach were associated with HIV medical visits. Further research exploring how integration of support services into HIV medical programs can improve health care delivery is crucial for health policy and program development.
authors.affiliation: Medicine and Family & Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. ccunning@montefiore.org
authors.forename: Chinazo O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: John-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daliah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sohler
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D019090:Case Management; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014504:Urban Health; D035862:Vulnerable Populations