Dataset Information

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency department-based opt-out HIV screening program in a South Florida hospital: An interrupted time series analysis, July 2018-March 2021.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a tremendous burden on healthcare services. We evaluated its impact on an emergency department (ED)-based opt-out Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in a public healthcare system.

Methods

The programmatic data of ED-based HIV testing from July 2018 to March 2021 at the Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood, Florida was analyzed by interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the immediate and gradual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of monthly HIV tests, with an interruption point at March 2020.

Results

The average number of monthly HIV tests were significantly lower during the pandemic than the pre-pandemic (791 ± 187 vs 1745 ± 266, P < .001). There was a slight decline trend in the number of monthly HIV tests before the pandemic (estimate -10.29, P = .541). HIV testing dramatically decreased during the initial 7 months of the pandemic, compared to the pre-pandemic period, with the largest decline in the number of HIV tests on March 2020 (estimate -678.48, P = .007). HIV testing slightly increased every month (estimate 4.84, P = .891) during the pandemic period, and the number of HIV tests per month rebounded to the pre-pandemic levels by October 2020.

Conclusions

ED-based HIV testing significantly decreased during the initial 7 months of the pandemic in south Florida. Multiple strategies are necessary to maintain HIV testing during this pandemic era.

SUBMITTER: Niu J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9106395 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency department-based opt-out HIV screening program in a South Florida hospital: An interrupted time series analysis, July 2018-March 2021.

Niu Jianli J Sareli Candice C Eckardt Paula A PA

American journal of infection control 20220514 9

<h4>Background</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a tremendous burden on healthcare services. We evaluated its impact on an emergency department (ED)-based opt-out Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in a public healthcare system.<h4>Methods</h4>The programmatic data of ED-based HIV testing from July 2018 to March 2021 at the Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood, Florida was analyzed by interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the immediate and gradual effects of the COVID-19 pandem ...[more]

PMID: 35577060

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Project description:BackgroundHepatitis C (HCV) is the most common infectious disease among people who inject drugs (PWID). Engaging PWID in harm reduction services, such as syringe service programs (SSPs), is critical to reduce HCV and HIV transmission. Additionally, testing for HIV and HCV among PWID is important to improve diagnosis and linkage to care. On March 1, 2018, Florida's only legal SSP implemented bundled opt-out HIV/HCV testing at enrollment. We aimed to examine the differences in HIV/HCV testing uptake before and after the implementation of the opt-out testing policy.MethodsMultivariable logistic regression was used to assess predictors of accepting HIV/HCV tests, controlling for opt-in and opt-out policy. Monthly estimates of the percent of participants accepting an HIV test, HCV test, or both were generated. Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis evaluated the immediate policy impact on level of uptake and trend in uptake over time for bundled HIV/HCV testing before and after the opt-out testing policy.ResultsThe total study period was 37 months between December 2016-January 2020 with 512 SSP participants 15 months prior and 547 SSP participants 22 months after implementation of bundled HIV/HCV opt-out testing. Significant predictors of accepting both HIV/HCV tests were cocaine injection (aOR = 2.36), self-reported HIV positive status (aOR = 0.39) and self-reported HCV positive status (aOR = 0.27). Based on the ITS results, there was a significant increase in uptake of HIV/HCV testing by 42.4% (95% CI: 26.2%-58.5%, p < 0.001) immediately after the policy change to opt-out testing.ConclusionBundled opt-out HIV/HCV testing substantially increased the percentage of SSP clients who received HIV and HCV rapid tests at enrollment into the program, and the effect remained stable across the 22 months post opt-out testing policy. Future investigation must assess PWID-level perspective of testing preferences and examine whether this testing approach improves HIV/HCV detection among PWID previously unaware of their status.

Dataset Information

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency department-based opt-out HIV screening program in a South Florida hospital: An interrupted time series analysis, July 2018-March 2021.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency department-based opt-out HIV screening program in a South Florida hospital: An interrupted time series analysis, July 2018-March 2021.

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