HIV Services Utilization in Los Angeles County, California

Abstract

Recipients of HIV/AIDS prevention services in Los Angeles County California were surveyed in 2004 by 220 HIV prevention service provider staff from 51 agencies funded by the Office of AIDS Programs and Policy. This resulted in 2,102 usable surveys for cluster analysis purposes. This Countywide Risk Assessment Survey assessed demographics, sexual history, substance use, perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS, and use of 18 different services at both the agency administering the survey and at other agencies. The 36 types of service use data were subjected to a cluster analysis that found five clusters. These service pattern clusters differed from each other on proportion HIV positive, HIV testing history, history of abuse, education, type of residence, type of funding, intervention type, and ethnicity. The analysis also suggests that domestic violence services availability and utilization should be examined more thoroughly in the future for HIV infected/affected populations.

Falling Through the Cracks

“…One study of service utilization by more than 2,100 consumers of HIV prevention and care programs in California showed a wide-range of services accessed, with some individuals receiving multiple services and others receiving none. Similar to previous research (Lo, MacGovern, & Bradford, 2002), Fisher and colleagues (2010) found that accessing and utilizing HIV-related services was related to receiving ART.…”

Emergency room use after being released from incarceration

“…The potential mediator variables included use of specific types of drugs (marijuana, opiates such as heroin and non-prescription methadone, crack, cocaine, amphetamine) in the last 30 days, use of injected drugs, and whether the respondent had ever traded sex for drugs or money. Previous work has indicated that these variables are associated with health services usage among at-risk individuals in Los Angeles County (Erlyana, et al 2014 in press) especially those who access publicly funded HIV and sexually transmitted diseases testing services (Fisher, et al 2010). …”

The Relationship Between Sexual Minority Verbal Harassment and Utilization of Health Services: Results from Countywide Risk Assessment Survey (CRAS) 2004

“…Stratified sampling was employed because it was believed that there were differences in client characteristics among the different agencies. Systematic sampling was used to facilitate a representative sample of participants (Fisher, et al, 2010). Each interviewer was given a number (n) after he/she completed six hours of training on the CRAS and was told to interview each nth client.…”

“…Participants were offered one of three incentives for completing the CRAS: 1) a non cash food voucher worth $10; 2) two movie tickets with an approximate value of $20; or a non cash gift card in the amount of $15. The data collection methods used for the CRAS have been previously described in detail (Edwards, Fisher, & Reynolds, 2007; Fisher, et al, 2010). …”

“…However, little research has been conducted on the relationships between social discrimination and health, and health care-seeking behaviors within sexual minority groups in the United States (Hughes & Eliason, 2002). Previously published findings based on the Los Angeles Countywide Risk Assessment Survey (CRAS) demonstrated that those who used more health care services were more likely to be HIV positive, to have had a recent HIV test, and to have been the victim of physical partner abuse (Fisher et al, 2010). …”