Update on HIV testing in pediatric ER in a large urban hospital

5^th International Conference on HIV/AIDS, STDs and STIs

November 13-14, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Elizabeth Secord

Wayne State University, USA

Keynote: J AIDS Clin Res

Abstract :

Last year we reported the start of an HIV testing program in a children�s ER. This project was started because of an observation that at least 2 cases of adolescent HIV had been missed over the past several years, both teens presenting with AIDS after being seen in medical venues multiple times without being offered testing. We also presented data previously to show that more than half of our clients in the teen and young adult HIV clinic had no STI history prior to being diagnosed with HIV. Most young women are diagnosed during pregnancy. Data collected over several months indicated that only a fraction of teens were being offered HIV testing and even those with other STIs were not offered HIV testing consistently. Over the past year and a half we have made some progress. We now have on site rapid testing for 8-12 hours weekly, have presented rationale for testing to all providers and have done multiple in-service educational sessions with staff to assist in normalizing testing. We have increased testing from an average of 10/month to an average of 50/month. We are still far from goal, but are now increasing our testing efforts to 2-3 days a week on- site rapid testing 24-36 hours weekly and are continuing our educational programing.

Biography :

Elizabeth Secord is the Medical Director for the horizons project which provides HIV prevention and treatment for adolescents and young adults in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. She is a Professor of Pediatrics at Wayne State University and Division Chief for Allergy and Immunology.