HIV

Question 1

Five Social Determinants of Health Affecting HIV Diagnosis and Treatment

Answer 1

1. poverty
2. unemployment
3. health insurance coverage
4. educational level
5. median household income

Question 2

Top 3 Causes of AIDS related deaths

Answer 2

1. liver disease
2. cardiovascular disease
3. non-AIDS malignancies

Question 3

Goals of HIV Screening

Answer 3

• early identification of those with HIV will improve survival and quality of life for the person with HIV through the ability to start treatment earlier
• early identification of those with HIV will help prevent the person from transmitting HIV to others
• those who begin effective ART and achieve and maintain undetectable plasma HIV RNA levels (viral loads) do not sexually transmit HIV to others (undetectable means untransmittable)

Question 4

HIV Screening Guidelines

Answer 4

• All persons ages 13-64 at least once
• all persons diagnosed with TB
• all persons seeking treatment for STIs, including all persons attending sexual health clinics
• repeat testing at least annually for those high-risk
• voluntary testing (consent, opt-out)
• pregnant people as early as possible in the pregnancy or an expedited test for those who are in labor and do not have a known HIV status
• diagnostic testing with a plasma HIV RNA test for those who are symptomatic or have an OI

Question 5

Barriers to HIV Screening

Answer 5

• person did not believe they were at risk
• afraid of the result and how loved ones may react
• lack of knowledge that HIV is treatable
• criminalization of HIV
• financial
• counseling and testing procedures
• clinician logistical barriers

Question 6

CDC HIV Testing Algorithm

Answer 6

• HIV 1/2 antigen-antibody lab based immunoassay (if negative, no further testing needed unless recent exposure within past 4 weeks)
• HIV 1/2 differentiation assay (determine if HIV-1 or HIV-2)
• HIV 1 NAT (quantitative HIV RNA testing: viral load)