STI diagnosis and HIV testing among OEF/OIF/OND veterans

HIV Prevalence and HIV Screening History Among a Veterans Association Cohort of People with Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorders

BACKGROUND

Veterans face high risk for HIV and substance use, and thus could be disproportionately impacted by the HIV and substance use disorder (SUD) "syndemic." HIV prevalence among veterans with SUD is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To project HIV prevalence and lifetime HIV screening history among US veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD), opioid use disorder (OUD), or both.

DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data.

PARTICIPANTS

We selected three cohorts of veterans with SUD: (1) AUD, (2) OUD, and (3) AUD/OUD. Included veterans had ICD codes for AUD/OUD from 2016 to 2022 recorded in VHA electronic medical records, sourced from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW).

MAIN MEASURES

We estimated HIV prevalence by dividing the number of veterans who met two out of three criteria (codes for HIV diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, or HIV screening/monitoring) by the total number of veterans in each cohort. We also estimated lifetime HIV screening history (as documented in VHA data) by cohort. We reported HIV prevalence and screening history by cohort and across demographic/clinical subgroups.

KEY RESULTS

Our sample included 669,595 veterans with AUD, 63,787 with OUD, and 57,015 with AUD/OUD. HIV prevalence was highest in the AUD/OUD cohort (3.9%), followed by the OUD (2.1%) and AUD (1.1%) cohorts. Veterans of Black race and Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity, with HCV diagnoses, and aged 50-64 had the highest HIV prevalence in all cohorts. Overall, 12.8%, 29.1%, and 33.1% of the AUD/OUD, OUD, and AUD cohorts did not have history of HIV screening, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

HIV prevalence was high in all SUD cohorts, and was highest among veterans with AUD/OUD, with disparities by race/ethnicity and age. A substantial portion of veterans had not received HIV screening in the VHA. Findings highlight room for improvement in HIV prevention and screening services for veterans with SUD.

Trends in Follow-up Testing Among Patients Positive for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in the Veterans Health Administration, 2013 to 2019

BACKGROUND

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing patients with chlamydia (CT)/gonorrhea (GC) for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and repeating CT/GC testing 3 to 12 months later. We assessed repeat CT/GC testing and testing for HIV/syphilis in accordance with CDC guidelines in the US Veterans Health Administration.

METHODS

Molecular laboratory testing for CT/GC during January 1, 2013-December 31, 2020 was retrieved from Veterans Health Administration data sources. Patients were evaluated for syphilis, HIV, and repeat CT/GC testing within 1 year after a positive CT/GC test result. Differences of CT/GC-positive patients associated with receiving recommended testing were assessed using χ2 /Fisher exact tests.

RESULTS

A total of 41,630 of 1,005,761 CT (4.1%) and 17,649 of 1,013,198 GC (1.7%) results were positive. Median ages of positive CT/GC patients were 29 and 36 years, respectively. Repeat testing rates for CT/GC within 90 to 119 days were 3.9% and 2.9%, and rates within 90 to 365 days were 32.8% and 34.7%, with 8.6% and 15% being positive again, respectively. Guideline-compatible repeat testing in known HIV-positive patients nearly doubled (75.7% for CT and 67.8% for GC). The CDC-recommended HIV testing was performed for 72.4% and 65.5% CT and GC first positives, respectively, whereas syphilis testing was completed for 66.5% and 60.5% CT and GC, respectively. Compared with 25- to 34-year-old patients with CT or GC, those younger than 25 years had higher odds of guideline-discordant repeat testing but had lower odds of not receiving HIV/syphilis testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly two-thirds of patients did not receive recommended repeat testing, and nearly one-third were not tested for HIV/syphilis. Veterans Health Administration providers may benefit from additional education on CDC-recommended sexually transmitted infection guidelines and testing recommendations.

Missed opportunities for HIV testing among those who accessed sexually transmitted infection (STI) services, tested for STIs and diagnosed with STIs: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Of 37.7 million people living with HIV in 2020, 6.1 million still do not know their HIV status. We synthesize evidence on concurrent HIV testing among people who tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using five databases, HIV conferences and clinical trial registries. We included publications between 2010 and May 2021 that reported primary data on concurrent HIV/STI testing. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression of the pooled proportion for concurrent HIV/STI testing.

RESULTS

We identified 96 eligible studies. Among those, 49 studies had relevant data for a meta-analysis. The remaining studies provided data on the acceptability, feasibility, barriers, facilitators, economic evaluation and social harms of concurrent HIV/STI testing. The pooled proportion of people tested for HIV among those attending an STI service (n = 18 studies) was 71.0% (95% confidence intervals: 61.0-80.1, I2 = 99.9%), people tested for HIV among those who were tested for STIs (n = 15) was 61.3% (53.9-68.4, I2 = 99.9%), people tested for HIV among those who were diagnosed with an STI (n = 13) was 35.3% (27.1-43.9, I2 = 99.9%) and people tested for HIV among those presenting with STI symptoms (n = 3) was 27.1% (20.5-34.3, I2 = 92.0%). The meta-regression analysis found that heterogeneity was driven mainly by identity as a sexual and gender minority, the latest year of study, country-income level and region of the world.

DISCUSSION

This review found poor concurrent HIV/STI testing among those already diagnosed with an STI (35.3%) or who had symptoms with STIs (27.1%). Additionally, concurrent HIV/STI testing among those tested for STIs varied significantly according to the testing location, country income level and region of the world. A few potential reasons for these observations include differences in national STI-related policies, lack of standard operation procedures, clinician-level factors, poor awareness and adherence to HIV indicator condition-guided HIV testing and stigma associated with HIV compared to other curable STIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Not testing for HIV among people using STI services presents a significant missed opportunity, particularly among those diagnosed with an STI. Stronger integration of HIV and STI services is urgently needed to improve prevention, early diagnosis and linkage to care services.

Themes in experiences of PTSD symptoms and relationships among male veterans with risky sexual behavior

OBJECTIVE

United States veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are at elevated risk for high-risk sexual behavior (HRSB). Although quantitative research has examined relationships between PTSD symptoms and HRSB, qualitative research to understand the lived experiences of veterans with PTSD symptoms and HRSB has not been conducted.

METHOD

Qualitative interviews were conducted with N = 29 male veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who had PTSD symptoms and reported recent HRSB. The interviews were analyzed using a phenomenological framework.

RESULTS

Six themes emerged: (a) avoiding social contact due to feeling different since return from service; (b) effortful self-management; (c) supportive relationships; (d) sex as a means to an end; (e) sex, risk, and intimacy; and (f) responsibility and growth.

CONCLUSION

Male veterans with PTSD symptoms and HRSB reported engagement in significant self-management to reengage in life, and still reported high levels of difficulty in relationships. They described both wanting to avoid perceived risk associated with intimate relationships and wanting to take risks that caused them to feel alive. Implications for treatment include increased efforts to facilitate coping, to recognize and moderate risk-taking urges, and to build intimacy and trust. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Screening for Military Sexual Trauma Is Associated With Improved HIV Screening in Women Veterans

OBJECTIVE

To examine factors associated with HIV screening among women veterans receiving health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study of women veterans receiving Veterans Affairs care between 2001 and 2014 derived from the Women Veteran's Cohort Study. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated comparing patients with and without an HIV screen. Generalized estimating equations were conducted to estimate the odds of HIV screening among women screened for military sexual trauma (MST) and the subset with a positive MST screen. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, mental health diagnoses, pregnancy, HIV risk factors, and facility level clustering.

RESULTS

Among the 113,796 women veterans in the sample, 84.3% were screened for MST and 13.2% were screened for HIV. Women screened for MST were over twice as likely to be tested for HIV (odds ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-3.5). A history of MST was inversely associated with HIV screening (odds ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-0.9).

CONCLUSIONS

Women veterans screened for sexual trauma received more comprehensive preventive health care in the form of increased HIV screening.

Sexual Behaviors and Health Practices Among Student Service Members and Veterans

The purpose of the study was to determine whether veteran students and non-veteran students differed in their sexual behaviors and health practices and, furthermore, whether or not those differences were gender specific. Demographic characteristics of the study sample were explored by calculating frequencies and percentages by military service status. Research questions were explored with maximum likelihood multiple logistic regression. Results showed that student veterans were more likely than non-veteran students to have sex with multiple partners, with males and transgender students more likely than females to report multiple sexual partners. Student veterans were more likely than non-veterans to perform a self-examination for either breast cancer or testicular cancer, with transgender students more likely than females to report having engaged in a self-examination. Student veterans were also more likely than non-veterans to have been vaccinated against HPV or Hepatitis B, with male students more likely than females to have been vaccinated. Furthermore, transgender student veterans were less likely than female veterans to have been vaccinated. Finally, male student veterans were more likely than female veterans to report an STI-related doctor visit, with transgender student veterans more likely than female veterans to report an STI-related doctor visit. College campuses are increasingly implementing student veteran-specific programs and services; however, little if any research specifically has explored ways in which safety and health can be promoted within university settings. We recommend that institutions of higher education make concerted efforts to promote safety and health among its student veteran population.

Screening Veterans for Syphilis: Implementation of the Reverse Sequence Algorithm

We evaluated the syphilis reverse sequence algorithm (RSA) in a Veteran Affairs facility, finding 5.5% reactive Treponema pallidum enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests. In a subset of EIA+/VDRL-/TP-PA+ cases, 48% were previously treated. Of veterans with unknown/no prior therapy, only 45% had documentation of subsequent treatment, suggesting suboptimal interpretation of RSA results.

Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Male Veterans and Nonveterans

Little is known about the sexual health of male veterans. This study used nationally representative data from the 2011 to 2013 National Survey of Family Growth to compare sexual behaviors and history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) between male veterans and nonveterans. The sample included 3,860 men aged 18 to 44 years who reported ever having sex with a man or woman. The key independent variable was veteran status. Sexual behavior outcomes included ≥6 lifetime female partners, ≥10 lifetime partners of either sex, ≥2 past-year partners of either sex, having past-year partners of both sexes, and condom nonuse at last vaginal sex. STI outcomes included past-year history of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or receiving any STI treatment; lifetime history of herpes, genital warts, or syphilis; and an aggregate measure capturing any reported STI history. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between veteran status and each outcome. In models adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, income, and marital status, veterans had significantly greater odds than nonveterans of having ≥6 lifetime female partners (OR = 1.5, 95% CI [1.02, 2.31]). In models adjusting for age and marital status, veterans had significantly greater odds of having partners of both sexes in the past year (OR = 4.8, 95% CI [1.2, 19.8]), and gonorrhea in the past year (OR = 3.2, 95% CI [1.2, 8.5]). Male veterans were thus significantly more likely than nonveterans to have STI risk factors. Health care providers should be aware that male veterans may be at higher risk for STIs and assess veterans’ sexual risk behaviors.

HIV Screening Rates among Medicaid Enrollees Diagnosed with Other Sexually Transmitted Infections

Introduction

Approximately 20 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diagnosed yearly in the United States costing the healthcare system an estimated $16 billion in direct medical expenses. The presence of other STIs increases the risk of HIV transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long recommended routine HIV screening for individuals with a diagnosed STI. Unfortunately, HIV screening prevalence among STI diagnosed patients are still sub-optimal in many healthcare settings.

Objective

To determine the proportion of STI-diagnosed persons in the Medicaid population who are screened for HIV, examine correlates of HIV screening, and to suggest critical intervention points to increase HIV screening in this population.

Methods

A retrospective database analysis was conducted to examine the prevalence and correlates of HIV screening among participants. Participant eligibility was restricted to Medicaid enrollees in 29 states with a primary STI diagnosis (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) or pelvic inflammatory disease claim in 2009. HIV-positive persons were excluded from the study. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were conducted to characterize the sample in general and by STI diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to estimate unadjusted odds ratios and adjusted odds ratio respectively and the 95% confidence intervals. Multivariate logistic regression models that included the independent variables (race, STI diagnosis, and healthcare setting) and covariates (gender, residential status, age, and state) were analyzed to examine independent associations with HIV screening.

Results

About 43% of all STI-diagnosed study participants were screened for HIV. STI-diagnosed persons that were between 20–24 years, female, residing in a large metropolitan area and with a syphilis diagnosis were more likely to be screened for HIV. Participants who received their STI diagnosis in the emergency department were less likely to be screened for HIV than those diagnosed in a physician’s office.

Conclusion

This study showed that HIV screening prevalence among persons diagnosed with an STI are lower than expected based on the CDC’s recommendations. These suboptimal HIV screening prevalence present “missed opportunities” for HIV screening in at-risk populations. Measures and incentives to increase HIV screening among all STI-diagnosed persons are vital to the timely identification of HIV infection, linkage to HIV care, and mitigating further HIV transmission.