Abstract
Washington is still experiencing a severe HIV epidemic despite the statistics showing a decrease in the number of diagnosed patients. Many different bodies and organizations aimed at helping change the state of the epidemic for instance the PP program assist community based organization have taken up roles in serving the community by linking the clients to the appropriate service providers in the area. Such clients in most cases have health needs that have not been fully addressed by the basic health facilities in the community hence the need for specialized services. These PP programs analyze data collected from the patient’s visits, their needs, stigma experiences, deficiencies in their health requirements as well as the barriers to accessing a healthy life style as documented by the statistics.
Background
Even with a decrease in 42 percent in the number of patients diagnosed with HIV in Washington, the World Health Organization still deems the prevalence as a severe epidemic. Studies show that African American males have the highest percentage of people infected with the virus. There is need for a prompt and sustained medical care in the community to help reduce the viral load thus better health outcomes. This is the reason the PP program was developed to assist community based organizations that help serve the people living with the virus.
Collection of data for statistical analysis begins with enrollment of eligible clients into the program what is referred to as intake assessment. Data gathered include for example the participant’s clinical outcomes, the number of visits for medical treatment or examinations since the last assessment, the unmet needs of the patients especially regarding the medical requirements. Data is also fetched regarding the possible barriers the patients face in reaching the necessary medical requirements.
Scope
The research project will have the responsibility of analyzing the data collected to ensure their accuracy and completion thus ascertain the impacts of the program on the clients HIV outcomes, health care and stigmatization as well as access to pertinent needs.
Principal Aims and Hypotheses
The study is aimed at proving a number of hypotheses regarding the HIV outcome of the clients who will be enrolled into the program. These will include ensuring that the viral load is reduced by a substantial percentage, collecting data on the stigma experience of the HIV patients in the place, documenting the statistics regarding the access to HIV related needs besides proving that the greatest barriers to health care are greatly reduced by the roll out of the program among the patients enrolled into it.
METHODS
Study design and data source
This study was a prospective cohort study of HIV patients and the different factors linked to the increased use of HIV-related care. In accomplishing this objective, the study explores the effectiveness of the PP program on the HIV results of the clients, the use of healthcare, the HIV-related stigma experience, the clients’ access to vital needs and the different barriers to care. The study determines the potential relationships between all four PP evaluations and the range of viral load suppression; the number of completed medical visits; the HIV-related stigma experience; access to need related and not related to HIV; urgent unmet needs; reduced barriers to care related and not related to HIV; and greatest obstacles to care. The assessment started last July 2000 to October 2014. The data sources used would come from the records of the patients enrolled for the service with a minimum of 900participants of the PP program. The dataset includes the participants’ age, marital status, race or ethnicity, sex, education, income, employment and a lot more.
Patient eligibility
The study population included HIV patients. These patients participated in the PP program which is a sub grantee of the AUA2C Initiative funded by a grant from the CNCS SIF. The PP program renders assistance to six community-based organizations that serve individuals with HIV/AIDS. The program links the clients to the clinics or organizations. The patients have unmet care needs which means that the individuals are aware of the sickness and their HIV condition but have not obtained any HIV-related medical care in the past 12 months. Majority of the patients reside in wards in 5, 6, 7 and 8 and are unreasonably affected by both HIV/AIDS and a number of social determinants of poor health outcomes and health disparities. Eligible patients were enrolled in the PP program. The community health workers evaluated them and interviewed each of the participants at the 6-, 12- and 18-month marks.
Definitions
Patient demographics included age, marital status, race or ethnicity, sex, education, income, employment and a lot more. Sex, race, and marital status were characterized as the most recognized reporting of these demographics, as demonstrated by the health records, over the duration of the study. The data sources used would come from the records of the patients enrolled for the service with a minimum of 900 participants of the PP program. In order to complete the program, the clients will be required to go through the four stages of the program assessment hence the primary independent variable for assessment. The patients will be divided into groups through their age. The primary dependent variable will be defined by the viral load suppression and achievement of the other objectives of the program. The program requires intensive statistical analysis of data which will be conducted by the use of the SAS platform which is statistical analysis software that is platform independent and allows for remote computing of data. Specifically, this paper will make use of ANOVA to analyze the different factors that increase the use of HIV-related care.
Protection of Participants
All information concerning the client will be kept confidential. The initial ethical considerations revolve around the validity and viability of the data to be collected. A consent form is to be sent for eligibility concerns and an enumeration of risks and benefits of the activity. After the interview, a summary will be shown to the participant. The project will seek full approval from the IRB in order to initiate delivery of its services.
Discussion
The main aim and target of the project will be basically helping the community in Washington dc access the necessary medical needs they require such that they are capable of having quality medical care. This is also aimed at having the viral load suppressed thus reducing the strain on medical services as a result of the victims getting exposed to diseases due to their weak immune system
With a further follow up project there is need for recognition of the community as having a role to play in the development and success of the project as they will determine whether the clients are comfortable and free to access the program through their continued support.
Works cited
District of Columbia Department of Health. Annual Epidemiology and Surveillance Report. December 2012.
Cohen MS, Chen YQ, McCauley M, et al. Prevention of HIV-1 Infection with Early Antiretroviral Therapy. N Eng J Med 2011;365(5):493-505
Das M, Chu PL, Santos, G-M, et al. Decreases in Community Viral Load Are Accompanied by Reductions in New HIV Infections in San Francisco. PLoS ONE 2010;5(6):e11068.
The Urban Institute & Washington DC Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). DC 2012 Ward Profile. http://www.neighborhoodinfodc.org/wards/nbr_prof_wrd1.html. Revised April 2014. Accessed March 2015.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2012; vol. 24.http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/surveillance/. Published November 2014. Accessed January 2015.
