Integration of Health Care and Public Health to Improve HIV Early Detection and Control

Lack of coordination between primary care providers and the public health and community-based organizations conducting HIV prevention and screening contributes to late diagnosis, delayed entry into care, and poor retention in care for significant numbers of persons with HIV/AIDS. This research seeks to understand how the structure and function of care systems for persons with or at risk for HIV are critical to improving outcomes for persons with HIV. Led by investigators from Research Triangle Institute, HIV systems of care will be studied in four regional service areas of Florida to: 1) examine how public health, primary care, and community organizations work as a system to identify, link to care, and provide continuous care for HIV patients; 2) determine the organizational and system characteristics associated with delivery of continuous care for persons with HIV; and 3) develop resources to improve HIV systems of care, based on the study findings. Project data sources will include demographic data, interviews with program managers in each region, organizational relationship data collected via the PARTNER social network survey, organizational outcome data from Ryan White HIV/AIDS Services providers’ annual reports, and state department of health surveillance data on HIV/AIDS-related outcomes. The research team includes representatives from three universities, the Florida Department of Health in partnership with the Florida Public Health Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN), and the leadership of four HIV service areas in Florida.