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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Pre-Function Lobby & Grand Ballroom D2/E (M4) (Omni Hotel)
Background:
Testing and treatment for syphilis is recommended as an intervention to reduce HIV transmissionObjectives:
To describe the early syphilis and HIV syndemic in Davidson Co. and results of a client survey from a sample of PLWHA with questions about syphilis testingMethods:
Electronic matching of early syphilis cases reported between January 1996 and December 2008 and cases from the Tennessee HIV/AIDS reporting system. Review of results from a survey conducted PLWHA receiving medical care inResults:
Of the 1,073 reported early (primary, secondary, and early latent) syphilis cases, 268 (10.2%) were HIV positive. Sixty-eight percent (68.6%, n = 184) were men, of which 117 (63.5%) were black and 58 (31.5%) were white. Roughly 30% (n = 80) were concurrently diagnosed with HIV at the time of the syphilis diagnosis. Comparatively, 40% (n = 107) were diagnosed more than 1 year prior to the early syphilis diagnosis. From the consumer survey (N = 489), 46% of respondents stated they had not received a syphilis test in the past year; 55% were black males. Fifty-six (56%) of those who stated they had not received a Syphilis test indicated they didn’t know they needed one, 9% responded they didn’t like having their blood drawn, and 32% stated they didn’t think they were at risk of contracting syphilis.Conclusions:
There is a need for targeted and culturally relevant education for people with HIV. Additionally, there is a need for interventions that are adaptable and portable to facilitate implementation in critical access points (i.e., substance abuse facilities, jails, etc.) to reach populations at risk for HIV that are not in care.Implications for Programs, Policy, and/or Research:
Patient education and routine syphilis testing of HIV positive individuals will lower incidence of HIV co-infection and improve long-term health outcomes.