+ BAY AREA NETWORK for POSITIVE HEALTH Engaging the Invisible: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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BAY AREA NETWORK for POSITIVE HEALTH

Engaging the Invisible: Locating and Linking the Long-Term, Out-of-Care PLWH in the Bay Area

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Background

 650,000 PLWH are not receiving HIV care in the United

States

 HIV treatment is critical to ending the pandemic.  Estimated 8,000 individuals in San Francisco and

Alameda County (Oakland), CA with known HIV not receiving adequate care.

 Little is known about the contextual realities that keep

PLWH out of care in the resource-rich setting of the SF Bay Area.

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Methods

 Collaboration of 12 CBOs, HIV clinics, and county

Departments of Public Health Health.

 Clients are located through a variety of outreach strategies  Data are collected on:

 Barriers to care  Experience of stigma  Quality of Life  Needs  Demographics

 Eligible individuals are offered assistance to access HIV care

and other support services.

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Client Characteristics

 Known HIV+ average of 10 years  34% reported no HS diploma or equivalent  63% over 40 years old  66% reported living in someone else’s home, a

treatment center, SRO, shelter, or outdoors.

 10 Attempts on average to engage  95 clients (63%) linked to HIV care in average 56 days

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Barriers

44 40 39 39 10 20 30 40 50 Drug Use Transportation Homelessness Competing Priorities

Percent of Clients Reporting Barrier

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Conclusions

• 1. Barriers to care have been persistent and difficult to

remediate.

• 2. Other priority needs must be met before linking to

HIV medical care.

• 3. Extra time and additional resources are imperative

to reach and link these individuals critical to the containment of the pandemic.