Veterans' Perspectives on Interventions to Improve Retention in HIV Care.

Minick SG, Stafford CL, Kertz BL, Cully JA, Stanley MA, Davila JA, Dang BN, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, Giordano TP. Veterans' Perspectives on Interventions to Improve Retention in HIV Care. PLoS ONE. 2016 Feb 1; 11(2):e0148163.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• IBB 09-033 – Developing an Intervention to Retain HIV-infected Veterans in HIV Care

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Abstract:

Poor retention in HIV medical care is associated with increased mortality among patients with HIV/AIDS. Developing new interventions to improve retention in HIV primary care is needed. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is the largest single provider of HIV care in the US. We sought to understand what veterans would want in an intervention to improve retention in VA HIV care. We conducted 18 one-on-one interviews and 15 outpatient focus groups with 46 patients living with HIV infection from the Michael E. DeBakey VAMC (MEDVAMC). Analysis identified three focus areas for improving retention in care: developing an HIV friendly clinic environment, providing mental health and substance use treatment concurrent with HIV care and encouraging peer support from other Veterans with HIV.