Continuity of HIV-related medical care, New York City, 2005-2009: Do patients who initiate care stay in care?

摘要

In this era of effective antiretroviral therapy, early diagnosis of HIV and timely linkage to and retention in care are vital to survival and quality of life. Federal guidelines recommend regular monitoring of HIV-related laboratory parameters and initiation of antiretroviral treatment at specified thresholds. We used routinely reported laboratory data to measure intervals between visits by New York City residents newly diagnosed with HIV July 1 to September 30, 2005, and initiating care within 3 months of diagnosis. We measured regular care (>/=1 visit every 6 months) and retention in care (last visit