HIV Jail POC-AgAB Testings

"Enhancing a universal testing and treatment strategy in jail to promote viral load suppression among justice-involved people living with HIV" is an observational research study led by Dr. Matthew Akiyama, MSc of Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center and Dr. Anne Spaulding, MPH of Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. Due to the high rates of undiagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the correctional setting and the short length of stay in jails, this study aims to evaluate whether care coordination within the D.C. Central Detention Facility (DC DOC) and upon release, including testing procedures and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, can improve the connection of adults (age 18 and over) living with HIV to care in the community. The researchers will retrospectively look at the aggregate-level de-identified data of roughly 3,000 individuals admitted to the DC DOC over a 6-month period to determine the most effective HIV diagnostic test for routine opt-out testing in the correctional setting. Over the course of these 6 months, the correctional facility will transition from using POC only to POC + antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab), to solely using Ag/Ab, each for a 2-month duration. Individuals from this time period who are identified by corrections staff as HIV-positive either through testing upon admission, their electronic medical record (EMR) or self-report, and have a known release date will be considered eligible for the follow-up study to assess if care coordination is effective in linking others with HIV leaving the DC DOC to care. This follow-up will enroll 100 of these individuals who have consented to participate following their release from the DC DOC, and will consist of a chart review of their DC DOC EMRs and those from their community healthcare provider for up to two years after their release.