Purpose:
Routine HIV screening reduces Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) progression and transmission. Our aims were to determine prevalence and factors associated with prior HIV screening among a cohort of youth living with HIV (YLWH).
Methods:
Retrospective chart review of YLWH aged 14–26 at an HIV clinic comparing characteristics between those with and without HIV screening within the year prior to diagnosis.
Results:
Subjects (n=301) were male (85%), African-American (87%), and men who have sex with men (MSM) (84%). Subjects seen one year prior to diagnosis (n=58) contributed 179 visits for missed opportunities with 59% having a documented sexual history in the electronic health record (EHR) and 48% tested for HIV. Subjects with symptoms suggesting acute HIV infection (51%) were more likely to be tested (p=0.04). In the adjusted model, documentation of sexual history and demographic factors were not associated with prior testing.
Conclusion:
We identified high rates of missed opportunities for HIV testing and sexual history documentation in the year prior to diagnosis, underscoring the need for routine HIV screening in adolescents.
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