Showing papers by "Samuel A. Bozzette published in 2002"

Guidelines for preventing opportunistic infections among HIV-infected persons - 2002

Abstract: In 1995, the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) developed guidelines for preventing opportunistic infections (OIs) among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); these guidelines were updated in 1997 and 1999. This fourth edition of the guidelines, made available on the Internet in 2001, is intended for clinicians and other health-care providers who care for HIV-infected persons. The goal of these guidelines is to provide evidence-based guidelines for preventing OIs among HIV-infected adults and adolescents, including pregnant women, and HIV-exposed or infected children. Nineteen OIs, or groups of OIs, are addressed, and recommendations are included for preventing exposure to opportunistic pathogens, preventing first episodes of disease by chemoprophylaxis or vaccination (primary prophylaxis), and preventing disease recurrence (secondary prophylaxis). Major changes since the last edition of the guidelines include 1) updated recommendations for discontinuing primary and secondary OI prophylaxis among persons whose CD4+ T lymphocyte counts have increased in response to antiretroviral therapy; 2) emphasis on screening all HIV-infected persons for infection with hepatitis C virus; 3) new information regarding transmission of human herpesvirus 8 infection; 4) new information regarding drug interactions, chiefly related to rifamycins and antiretroviral drugs; and 5) revised recommendations for immunizing HIV-infected adults and adolescents and HIV-exposed or infected children.

Participation in research and access to experimental treatments by HIV-infected patients.

Abstract: Background Although there is concern that minority groups and women are underrepresented in research involving patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the available data are inconclusive. Methods We used nationally representative data from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study to determine the characteristics of the participants and nonparticipants in trials of medications for HIV infection and whether or not patients had access to experimental treatments. A probability sample of 2864 persons, representing all 231,400 adults with known HIV infection who are cared for in the contiguous United States, were interviewed on three occasions between 1996 and 1998. They were asked about participation in clinical research studies of medications and past receipt of experimental medications for HIV. Results We estimate that 14 percent of adults receiving care for HIV infection participated in a medication trial or study; 24 percent had received experimental medications; and 8 percent had tr...

Specialty Training and Specialization Among Physicians Who Treat HIV/AIDS in the United States

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of specialty training and experience in the care of HIV disease with HIV-specific knowledge, referral patterns, and HIV-related education activities.

Where to seek care: an examination of people in rural areas with HIV/AIDS.

Abstract: Though HIV/AIDS has spread to rural areas, little empirical evidence is available on where patients living in these areas receive care. This article presents estimates of rural residents in care for HIV/AIDS, their demographic and health-related characteristics, information about whether they receive care in a rural or urban setting, and data on the drug therapies prescribed. The estimates come from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS), a nationally representative probability sample of HIV-infected adults receiving care in the contiguous United States. Regardless of the definition used--enrollment site, usual source of HIV care, or site of most recent hospitalization--almost three quarters of rural residents with HIV/AIDS obtained their health care in urban areas. The authors find that differences in the demographic characteristics of those using urban vs. rural care do not drive the decision on where to obtain care, with the primary difference being that people with a rural provider tend to be older. Rural residents with an urban usual source of HIV care incurred significant inconvenience in obtaining care--the majority said their care was not conveniently located, they had substantially longer mean travel times, and over 25% had put off obtaining care in the past 6 months because they did not have a way to get to their provider. Given the considerable burden this places on a chronically ill population,further research is needed to explore how provider supply and provider experience affect the decision to travel for care and how quality of care is affected.

Efficacy of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for the prevention of bacterial infections in a randomized prophylaxis trial of patients with advanced HIV infection.

Abstract: We compared the occurrences of several types of infections in HIV-infected patients participating in a randomized clinical trial of three treatment strategies given for the primary prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and toxoplasmosis. In a phase III open label trial, 842 patients with HIV infection and fewer than 200 CD4+ cells/mm(3) received zidovudine (standard dose) plus one of three randomly assigned prophylactic agents: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ), or dapsone (DAP), or aerosolized pentamidine (AP). Patients developing intolerance to treatment were crossed over to another predefined prophylactic therapy. Patients were monitored for infections every other week for 8 weeks and then monthly until the study was completed. Primary statistical models were proportional hazards models adapted to recurrent end points. In an intent-to-treat analysis, compared with AP and DAP, TMP-SMZ significantly reduced the risk of any bacterial infection (combining all distinct types) (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). When considering distinct types separately, compared with AP, TMP-SMZ significantly reduced the risk of infectious diarrhea (p = 0.04); compared with DAP, AP and TMP-SMZ significantly reduced the risk of sinusitis/otitis media (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively); compared with AP and DAP, TMP-SMZ significantly reduced the risk of a second occurrence of pneumonia (p = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). For any bacterial infection, infection rates per 100 patient-years of follow-up were 31, 39, and 38 for TMP-SMZ, DAP, and AP, respectively. In patients with advanced HIV infection not taking highly active antiretroviral therapy, the treatment strategy that initiates prophylaxis with TMP-SMZ is superior to those initiating with AP or DAP for preventing any bacterial infection, with most of the advantage manifested through infectious diarrhea, sinusitis/otitis media, and pneumonia.

Measuring medication: do interviews agree with medical record and pharmacy data?

Abstract: BACKGROUND. Medication measurement is crucial in assessing quality for chronic conditions yet agreement of alternate data sources remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES. To evaluate medication agreement between interviews, medicalrecords, and pharmacy data; to assess data source contribution to attributing medication exposure; and to describe the impact of combining data sources on models that predict medication use. RESEARCH DESIGN. Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS. Probability sample of HIV-infected participants in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study. MEASURES. Medications reported in 2267 interviews, 1936 medical records, and 457 pharmacy records were compared using crude agreement, kappa, and the proportion of average positive and negative agreement. The percent of medications reported in each source alone was used to assess their relative contribution to attributing exposure status. We performed weighted logistic regression in alternate data sources. RESULTS. Kappa varied from 0.38 for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors to 0.70 for protease inhibitors, when comparing drug classes in interview versus medical record, interview versus pharmacy data, and medical record versus pharmacy data. The percentage of medications reported in medical records was greater than that reported in interviews or pharmacy data. Pharmacy data contributed little to the attribution of medication exposure. Adding medication data to interview data did not appreciably change analytic models predicting medication use. CONCLUSIONS. For specific medications, agreement between alternative data sources is fair to substantial, but is lower for key drug classes. Relying on one data source may lead to misclassification of drug exposure status, but combining data sources does not change the results of analytic models predicting appropriate medication use.

HIV patients' experiences with inpatient and outpatient care: results of a national survey.

Abstract: CONTEXT. Little is known about HIV patients' care experiences. OBJECTIVE. To assess HIV patients' experiences with inpatient and outpatient care, and to assess the relationship and relative influence of patient characteristics and site of care on care experiences. DESIGN. Cohort study. SETTING. Patients with HIV receiving care outside of emergency rooms, prisons, or the military throughout the continental United States. One thousand seventy-four patients provided ratings of an inpatient stay and 2204 rated an outpatient visit; 818 patients provided evaluations of both inpatient and outpatient care. PATIENTS. A national probability sample of persons in care for HIV from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study. MEASUREMENTS. Outcome variables were rates of problems with, and global ratings of, inpatient and outpatient care. RESULTS. Mean problem rates were 20.9% and 8.4% (lower score means fewer problems) for inpatient and outpatient care, respectively. On 9 of 10 of the individual inpatient report items, 15% or more of respondents reported problems. Global ratings of inpatient and outpatient care were 65.3 and 75.0 (0-100 scale, higher scores indicate better ratings), respectively. In multivariable models that controlled for site effects, the only patient characteristic that was consistently associated with problem rates and global ratings of care was mental health (P <0.0001 for both inpatient and outpatient care). Models including site effects explained two to four times as much variance as models excluding site effects. CONCLUSIONS. Inpatients with HIV reported higher problem rates with inpatient than outpatient care. Better provider-patient communication during inpatient stays is needed. For both inpatient and outpatient care, quality improvement efforts may be most productively focused on providers and processes of care at sites rather than on specific patient subgroups.

Response to symptoms among a U.S. national probability sample of adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Abstract: Previous studies concerning disparities in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) services use among vulnerable groups did not control for specific clinical need for care such as symptom events. Using the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, the authors determined whether minorities, women, and the less educated (vulnerable groups) were less likely to receive care for HIV symptoms. Persons enrolled in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study were asked whether they received care for their most bothersome symptom. Surprisingly, minorities and women were no more likely to go without care than other groups. Those with Medicaid, Medicare, private health maintenance organization (HMO) insurance, or no insurance were less likely to receive care for symptoms than those with private-non-HMO insurance. Vulnerable groups were no less likely to use services for HIV-related symptoms when need for care was considered. However, disparities may exist for symptom-specific care among HIV infected persons covered by public or HMO insurance.