The potential for elimination of racial-ethnic disparities in HIV treatment initiation in the Medicaid population among 14 southern states.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the racial and ethnic disparities in initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ARV treatment or ART) among HIV-infected Medicaid enrollees 18-64 years of age in 14 southern states which have high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and high racial disparities in HIV treatment access and mortality.


METHODS
We used Medicaid claims data from 2005 to 2007 for a retrospective cohort study. We compared frequency variances of HIV treatment uptake among persons of different racial- ethnic groups using univariate and multivariate methods. The unadjusted odds ratio was estimated through multinomial logistic regression. The multinomial logistic regression model was repeated with adjustment for multiple covariates.


RESULTS
Of the 23,801 Medicaid enrollees who met criteria for initiation of ARV treatment, only one third (34.6%) received ART consistent with national guideline treatment protocols, and 21.5% received some ARV medication, but with sub-optimal treatment profiles. There was no significant difference in the proportion of people who received ARV treatment between black (35.8%) and non-Hispanic whites (35.7%), but Hispanic/Latino persons (26%) were significantly less likely to receive ARV treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall ARV treatment levels for all segments of the population are less than optimal. Among the Medicaid population there are no racial HIV treatment disparities between Black and White persons living with HIV, which suggests the potential relevance of Medicaid to currently uninsured populations, and the potential to achieve similar levels of equality within Medicaid for Hispanic/Latino enrollees and other segments of the Medicaid population.
National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Shun
S
Zhang
Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Shanell L
SL
McGoy
Office of the President, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Daniel
D
Dawes
Department of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Mesfin
M
Fransua
National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
George
G
Rust
Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
David
D
Satcher
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D063505:Racism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015144:Southeastern United States; D015206:Southwestern United States; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult