title: HIV care and treatment of American Indians/Alaska natives with diagnosed HIV infection - 27 states and the District of Columbia, 2012.
abstract: The objective of this study was to measure linkage to care, retention in care, and suppressed viral load (VL) among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) aged ≥13 years with diagnosed HIV infection. We used national HIV case surveillance data to measure linkage to care, defined as ≥1 CD4 or VL test ≤1 month after HIV diagnosis during 2013; retention in care, defined as ≥2 CD4 or VL tests ≥3 months apart during 2012; and suppressed VL, defined as <200 copies/mL at the most recent VL test during 2012. In 2013, 74.1% of AIs/ANs were linked to care. At year-end 2012, 46.9% of AIs/ANs were retained in care and 45.1% were virally suppressed. A lower percentage of females (41.3%), compared with males (46.5), were virally suppressed. By age group, the lowest percentage of virally suppressed AIs/ANs (37.5%) were aged 13-34 years. To improve individual health and to prevent HIV among AIs/ANs, outcomes must improve - particularly for female AIs/ANs and for AIs/ANs aged 13-34 years. Screening for HIV infection in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's testing recommendations can lead to improvements along the continuum of HIV care.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsch
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.|2 ICF Macro International, Inc., Corporate Square, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Aruna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Surendera Babu
authors.affiliation: 3 Office for State, Local, Territorial and Tribal Support, Office of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seneca
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Y Omar
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Whiteside
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Public Health, College of Health Professions, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Warne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000072957:Alaska Natives / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents
keywords: Epidemiology; HIV; North America; highly active antiretroviral therapy; prevention