Open AccessNeighborhood Matters: Impact on Time Living with Detectable Viral Load for New Adult HIV Diagnoses in South Carolina
Author(s) -
Bankole Olatosi,
Sharon Weissman,
Jiajia Zhang,
Shujie Chen,
Mohammad Rifat Haider,
Xiaoming Li
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
aids and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.994
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1573-3254
pISSN - 1090-7165
DOI - 10.1007/s10461-019-02734-y
Subject(s) - medicine , health psychology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , demography , public health , linkage (software) , gerontology , viral load , population , disadvantage , environmental health , immunology , biology , nursing , biochemistry , sociology , political science , law , gene
We examined the association between neighborhood disadvantages and percent person-time spent with increased transmission risk (VL > 1500 copies/ml) for people living with HIV (PLWH) in South Carolina (SC). The study population included PLWH diagnosed between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2017, with two or more VL tests 6 months apart (n = 2076). Proportion of time living with VL > 1500 copies/ml after linkage to care was determined. Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed using the area deprivation index (ADI). A generalized linear model was fit to generate parameter estimates for time spent with detectable VL. Almost half of PLWH (49.5%) lived with VL > 1500 copies/ml for some time (median days = 46). Young adults and PLWH who injected drugs experienced the highest proportion for time living with detectable VL. Targeted programs are needed to improve VL suppression, reduce new transmissions and decrease disparities in HIV outcomes in all neighborhoods.