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01-12-2009 | Original Paper

Identifying People with Acute HIV Infection: Demographic Features, Risk Factors, and Use of Health Care among Individuals with AHI in North Carolina

Authors: Lisa B. Hightow-Weidman, Carol E. Golin, Kelly Green, Eva N. P. Shaw, Pia D. M. MacDonald, Peter A. Leone

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 6/2009

Abstract

Identifying and counseling individuals with Acute HIV Infection (AHI) offers a critical opportunity to avert preventable HIV transmission, however, opportunities to recognize these individuals may be missed. We surveyed 32 adults diagnosed with AHI during voluntary HIV testing from 1/1/03 to 2/28/05 in publicly funded testing sites in NC to describe their clinical, social, and behavioral characteristics. Eighty-one percent of participants were men; 59% were African American. Seventy-five percent experienced symptoms consistent with acute retroviral syndrome; although 83% sought medical care for these symptoms, only 15% were appropriately diagnosed at that initial medical visit, suggesting opportunities to diagnose these individuals earlier were missed. Eighty-five percent of the men engaged in sex with men. More than 50% of the participants thought they were infected with HIV by a steady partner. This study yields important information to assist in identifying populations at risk for or infected with AHI and designing both primary and secondary prevention interventions.

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Title: Identifying People with Acute HIV Infection: Demographic Features, Risk Factors, and Use of Health Care among Individuals with AHI in North Carolina
Authors: Lisa B. Hightow-Weidman
Carol E. Golin
Kelly Green
Eva N. P. Shaw
Pia D. M. MacDonald
Peter A. Leone
Publication date: 01-12-2009
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: AIDS and Behavior / Issue 6/2009
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9519-5

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Identifying People with Acute HIV Infection: Demographic Features, Risk Factors, and Use of Health Care among Individuals with AHI in North Carolina

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