title: A prospective evaluation of the feasibility and utility of additional tools to obtain information from recently diagnosed HIV infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Can additional information be obtained from recently HIV diagnosed individuals?
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year prospective Swiss study, including all newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients. Information on circumstances of HIV infection was collected through physician- and patient questionnaires and patient interviews. Information on timing of infection was linked with an HIV-antibody avidity assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 710 newly HIV diagnosed patients, 543 (76%) physician questionnaires (PhyQ) and 145 (20%) patient questionnaires (PaQ) were returned. PhyQ required fewer reminders (57% vs 28% spontaneous return). Patients whose doctors had returned the PhyQ were comparable to total population group. In contrast, a strong bias towards well educated recently infected Swiss men having sex with men (MSM) was seen in patients returning PaQ or agreeing to an interview. 83% of patients claimed that they knew the infection source and 85% infection place. Unprotected sexual contact was the most frequently cited infection source (92%; n = 404). Men mainly claimed occasional (43%) and women steady (61%) partners as the most likely source of HIV infection. Serum for timing of infection was available in 98% of patients. Recent infections (RI) were highest in MSM (51%) and intravenous drug users (IDU, 54%). Compared to women, heterosexual men were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with a RI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relevant additional information on circumstances of HIV infection in newly diagnosed patients can easily be collected from treating physicians. Collecting information from patients is not a feasible option, with the exception of qualitative interviews in a selected group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Cantonal Hospital, St. Gallen, Switzerland. Synove.Daneel@kssg.ch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daneel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schüpbach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staub
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vernazza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult