TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of network-based strategies for screening at-risk hispanic/latino adolescents and young adults for undiagnosed asymptomatic HIV infection
AU - Boyer, Cherrie B.
AU - Robles-Schrader, Grisel M.
AU - Li, Su X.
AU - Miller, Robin L.
AU - Korelitz, James
AU - Price, Georgine N.
AU - Rivera Torres, Carmen M.
AU - Chutuape, Kate S.
AU - Stines, Stephanie J.
AU - Straub, Diane M.
AU - Peralta, Ligia
AU - Febo, Irma
AU - Hightow-Weidman, Lisa
AU - Gonin, René
AU - Kapogiannis, Bill G.
AU - Ellen, Jonathan M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - Purpose Hispanic/Latino adolescents and young adults are disproportionately impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic; yet little is known about the best strategies to increase HIV testing in this group. Network-based approaches are feasible and acceptable means for screening at-risk adults for HIV infection, but it is unknown whether these approaches are appropriate for at-risk young Hispanics/Latinos. Thus, we compared an alternative venue-based testing (AVT) strategy with a social and sexual network-based interviewing and HIV testing (SSNIT) strategy.Methods All participants were Hispanics/Latinos aged 13-24 years with self-reported HIV risk; they were recruited from 11 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico and completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview and underwent HIV screening.Results A total of 1,596 participants (94.5% of those approached) were enrolled: 784 (49.1%) through AVT and 812 (50.9%) through SSNIT. HIV infection was identified in three SSNIT (.37%) and four AVT (.51%) participants (p =.7213).Conclusions Despite high levels of HIV risk, a low prevalence of HIV infection was identified with no differences by recruitment strategy. We found overwhelming support for the acceptability and feasibility of AVT and SSNIT for engaging and screening at-risk young Hispanics/Latinos. Further research is needed to better understand how to strategically implement such strategies to improve identification of undiagnosed HIV infection.
AB - Purpose Hispanic/Latino adolescents and young adults are disproportionately impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic; yet little is known about the best strategies to increase HIV testing in this group. Network-based approaches are feasible and acceptable means for screening at-risk adults for HIV infection, but it is unknown whether these approaches are appropriate for at-risk young Hispanics/Latinos. Thus, we compared an alternative venue-based testing (AVT) strategy with a social and sexual network-based interviewing and HIV testing (SSNIT) strategy.Methods All participants were Hispanics/Latinos aged 13-24 years with self-reported HIV risk; they were recruited from 11 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico and completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview and underwent HIV screening.Results A total of 1,596 participants (94.5% of those approached) were enrolled: 784 (49.1%) through AVT and 812 (50.9%) through SSNIT. HIV infection was identified in three SSNIT (.37%) and four AVT (.51%) participants (p =.7213).Conclusions Despite high levels of HIV risk, a low prevalence of HIV infection was identified with no differences by recruitment strategy. We found overwhelming support for the acceptability and feasibility of AVT and SSNIT for engaging and screening at-risk young Hispanics/Latinos. Further research is needed to better understand how to strategically implement such strategies to improve identification of undiagnosed HIV infection.
KW - HIV testing/screening
KW - Hispanic/Latino adolescents and young adults
KW - Network-based HIV screening
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.07.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.07.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 25223476
AN - SCOPUS:84918827972
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 55
SP - 765
EP - 773
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 6
ER -