Go Back Research Article May, 2016

Creating systems change to support goals for HIV continuum of care: The role of community coalitions to reduce structural barriers for adolescents and young adults

Author James Dennis Fortenberry Author Cherrie B. Boyer Author Bendu Cooper-Walker Author Jessica Roy

Abstract

Routine HIV screening, linkage, and retention in health care are nodes of the HIV continuum of care and goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. However, up to 80% of youth are unaware of their HIV status, 29% are linked to and less than 50% are engaged in HIV health care, and fewer maintain viral suppression. To fill these gaps and to address the national call to establish a seamless system for quality HIV health care, the authors describe the processes by which the SMILE Program, with ATN-affiliated Connect-to-Protect® (C2P) community coalitions, addressed structural barriers that prevented HIV testing, linkage, and engagement in HIV health care among youth.

Keywords

hiv testing linkage adolescents/young adults community coalitions hiv continuum of care structural barriers hiv screening linkage to care retention in care national hiv/aids strategy hiv health care viral suppression smile program connect-to-protect (c2p) youth hiv awareness hiv testing access seamless health system quality hiv care public health strategy health disparities hiv prevention engagement in care healthcare accessibility youth-focused interventions hiv care gaps systems change structural interventions
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Volume 15
Issue 2
Pages 158–179
DOI 10.1080/15381501.2015.1074977
ISSN 1538-151X
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