American journal of preventive medicine
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Antibiotics and opioids are targeted by public health and stewardship communities for reductions in prescribing across the country. This study evaluates trends and factors associated with outpatient prescribing by dental and medical providers in a large integrated health system. ⋯ Although antibiotic and opioid prescribing has decreased, there are still important target areas for improvement. Interventions need to be tailored to community characteristics such as rurality and provider type.
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Hepatitis B vaccination is routinely recommended for adults with diabetes mellitus aged <60 years and for those aged ≥60 years at the discretion of their healthcare provider. The purpose of this study is to assess hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults with and without diabetes mellitus. ⋯ Self-reported hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults with diabetes mellitus remains suboptimal. Healthcare providers should assess patients' diabetes status, recommend and offer needed vaccinations to patients, or refer them to alternate sites for vaccination.
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Understanding the role of sociologic, structural, and biomedical factors that influence the length of time from HIV infection to diagnosis and reducing the time from infection to diagnosis are critical for achieving the goals of the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. In a retrospective analysis, the length of time from HIV infection to diagnosis and its association with individual- and facility-level attributes are determined. ⋯ Providing access to expanded testing, including rapid testing in nonclinical settings, is likely to result in a decrease in the length of time a person is unaware of their HIV infection and thus reduce onward transmission of HIV infection.
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Diagnoses of HIV among people who inject drugs have increased in the U. S. during 2014-2018 for the first time in 2 decades, and multiple HIV outbreaks have been detected among people who inject drugs since 2015. These epidemiologic trends pose a significant concern for achieving goals of the federal initiative for Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U. ⋯ Their effectiveness is further maximized when they provide services without restrictions and include proven and innovative strategies to expand access to harm-reduction and clinical services (e.g., peer outreach, telehealth). Increasing geographic and service coverage of syringe services programs requires strong and sustainable policy, funding, and community support and will need to address new challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Syringe services programs have a key role in all 4 Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative strategies-Prevent, Diagnose, Treat, and Respond-and thus are instrumental to its success in preventing disease and saving lives.
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Ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. holds rapid antiretroviral therapy as a key strategy to improve the health of those with HIV and to decrease transmission. In 2015, Getting to Zero San Francisco, a multisector consortium, expanded rapid antiretroviral therapy citywide. ⋯ During a citywide initiative to optimize antiretroviral therapy initiation, time from HIV diagnosis to care, antiretroviral therapy, and virologic suppression decreased across all affected groups to varying degrees. The Rapid ART Program Initiative for HIV Diagnoses Committee continues to address challenges to retention and expand implementation.