Riley ED, Perry S, Bangsberg DR, Guzman D, Clark RA, Charlebois E, Moss AR; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. WePeC6136.

University of California, San Francisco, United States

BACKGROUND: We compared characteristics of HIV-infected homeless and marginally housed (HMH) individuals who did and did not receive HAART among those eligible. METHODS: Between 1996 and 2001, HIV-specific questions regarding sociodemographics, housing, health care, and medication were asked among a population-based cohort of HIV-infected HMH individuals living in San Francisco (the REACH study). Interviews and blood draws occurred every three months. Current analyses are limited to individuals who were eligible for HAART, defined as those whose lowest CD4 count was <500 before July 2000 or <350 during or after July 2000. Descriptive statistics and inferences were based on ever receiving HAART. RESULTS: Among 269 individuals eligible, 70% had ever received HAART. This population was comprised of individuals who were African American (40%), Latino(a) (16%), had not completed high school (33%), were current drug users (53%), and 40 years old on average. Half (52%) of respondents reported living on the street or in a shelter for more than one year. After controlling for lowest CD4 count in a logistic regression model, characteristics associated with ever receiving HAART were living on the streets or in a shelter for more than one year (OR=0.46) and identifying a regular health care provider (OR=2.37). Characteristics not associated with ever receiving HAART included ethnicity, sex, age, education, health insurance, drug use (ever or current), and time period of study entry. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the majority of eligible HMH living in San Francisco have accessed HAART. Among individuals transitioning in and out of homelessness, those who have experienced more than one year of street or shelter living are less likely to receive HAART. The remaining 30% of HAART-naive HMH will likely be the most challenging to reach. New outreach methods may need to be developed to target long-term street and shelter-based individuals.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• CD4 Lymphocyte Count
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Interviews as Topic
• San Francisco
• Substance-Related Disorders

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0018898

UI: 102256396

From Meeting Abstracts