AIDS patient care and STDs
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AIDS Patient Care STDS · Apr 2005
Comparative StudyRecognition of undiagnosed HIV infection: an evaluation of missed opportunities in a predominantly urban minority population.
The goals of this study were to quantify delays in diagnosing HIV infection in patients presenting for medical care prior to the identification of their HIV infection, and to determine characteristics of visits preceding the identification of HIV infection. This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive newly diagnosed HIV infected patients in a large urban setting. Patients were predominantly minorities and identified from all inpatient and outpatient HIV tests performed between December 29, 1998 and December 27, 1999. ⋯ Documentation in the medical record of specific risk factors and clinical characteristics suggestive of HIV infection was poor. This study documented missed opportunities and delays in diagnosis of patients with unrecognized HIV infection. Clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for HIV infection in all patients.