Here at The Data Maven, we’re always on the look out for new studies on HIV and other public health issues, and recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published data that revealed key issues that contribute to the late diagnosis of HIV. It’s something that most definitely needs to change.
So here’s the deal. The Surveillance of HIV-related Service Barriers Among Individuals with Early or Late Diagnoses (SHIELD) surveyed 462 people who received an HIV diagnosis in the earliest stage (stage 0) or the latest stage (stage 3) in Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, and the city of Houston. The findings exposed key areas in which screening and conversations around HIV were routinely missed.
Nearly half (46%) of all survey respondents who were diagnosed with stage 3 HIV had never been tested for HIV prior to diagnosis. More than half (51%) of people with stage 3 diagnosis reported they didn’t test because they didn’t believe they were at risk.
Even more stark is that only 20% of people diagnosed with stage 3 HIV said they spoke with a healthcare worker about being tested for HIV or knowing their status in the twelve months prior to diagnosis.
Stigma is a major driver of the ongoing HIV epidemic. In order for people to be diagnosed and treated, they must first be screened by their healthcare provider. Yet approximately 20% of all survey respondents reported experiencing discrimination from a healthcare worker before diagnosis, primarily pertaining to sexual orientation.
If the provider doesn’t initiate conversations about sexual health and/or assess risk factors for HIV, they miss key opportunities to screen and diagnose early.
Early diagnosis is super important. It leads to better overall health outcomes for people living with HIV and reduces risk of one person transmitting it to another. Expanding routine HIV screening and fostering open, stigma-free conversations around sexual health are essential to close the gap that leads to late diagnosis.
While healthcare providers may not always screen for HIV, individuals can take an active role in protecting their own sexual health by visiting a free HIV testing site. Find yours at freestdcheck.org.
Lauren Natoli is the Director of Advocacy and Policy Research in the Public Health Division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
