title: HIV status among patients with tuberculosis and HIV testing practices by Connecticut health care providers.
abstract: Knowing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of persons infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is important for individual treatment and preventing transmission. This evaluation analyzed surveillance data and surveyed health care providers who care for patients with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) to understand the factors contributing to suboptimal levels of Connecticut patients with TB having a known HIV status. During 2008 to 2010, 208 (76.2%) of 273 patients had a known HIV status; 12 (5.8%) were HIV-positive. Patients who were more likely to have a known HIV status were younger (40.5 vs 54.6 years, P < .001) or received care in a TB clinic (risk ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.42). Among 77 providers, 48 (62.3%) completed the survey, 42 (87.5%) reported routinely offering HIV testing to patients with TB, and 26 (54.2%) reported routinely offering HIV testing to patients with latent TB infection (LTBI). We conclude that interventions for improving HIV testing should focus on non-TB clinic providers and patients with LTBI.
authors: Lifespan Learning Institute, Lifespan Health System, Providence, RI, USA. iclarkI@lifespan.org
authors: Ian T
authors: IT
authors: Clark
authors: Mark N
authors: MN
authors: Lobato
authors: Jesus
authors: J
authors: Gutierrez
authors: Lynn E
authors: LE
authors: Sosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: HIV; latent tuberculosis infection; surveillance; tuberculosis