Public health reports
-
Public health reports · Jan 2016
Scaling Up HIV Testing in an Academic Emergency Department: An Integrated Testing Model with Rapid Fourth-Generation and Point-of-Care Testing.
We evaluated two approaches for implementing routine HIV screening in an inner-city, academic emergency department (ED). These approaches differed by staffing model and type of HIV testing technology used. The programmatic outcomes assessed included the total number of tests performed, proportion of newly identified HIV-positive patients, and proportion of newly diagnosed individuals who were linked to care. ⋯ Integrating HIV screening into the standard triage workflow resulted in a higher proportion of ED patients being tested for HIV as compared with the supplementary staff-only HIV testing model. New rapid fourth-generation testing technology allowed the identification of acute HIV infection and same-visit confirmation of a positive diagnosis.
-
Public health reports · Nov 2015
Screening for Homelessness in the Veterans Health Administration: Monitoring Housing Stability through Repeat Screening.
This study examined veterans' responses to the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) universal screen for homelessness and risk of homelessness during the first 12 months of implementation. ⋯ To address homelessness among veterans, efforts should include increased and targeted engagement of veterans experiencing persistent housing instability.
-
Public health reports · Jul 2015
CDC's Early Response to a Novel Viral Disease, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), September 2012-May 2014.
The first ever case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was reported in September 2012. This report describes the approaches taken by CDC, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, to respond to this novel virus, and outlines the agency responses prior to the first case appearing in the United States in May 2014. ⋯ CDC's response to MERS-CoV required a large effort, deploying at least 353 staff members who worked in the areas of surveillance, laboratory capacity, infection control guidance, and travelers' health. This response built on CDC's experience with previous outbreaks of other pathogens and provided useful lessons for future emerging threats.