Integrated Medical Records Can Reduce Disparities between Blacks and Whites in HIV Care

August 6, 2017

Blacks and Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and less likely than whites to receive the ongoing, sustained care that is crucial to maintaining their health and viral suppression. For this new study, the researchers examined whether a laboratory health information exchange would increase rates of anti-retroviral therapy use and viral suppression for a large clinic population and if it would reduce racial/ethnic disparities in these outcomes.

The researchers examined monthly anti-retroviral therapy use and prescription fills and approximately, quarterly HIV lab results culled between December 2007 and November 2011 from electronic medical records for 1,181 people with HIV at a Southern California HIV/AIDS clinic. They examined rates of anti-retroviral therapy use and viral suppression one year before and two years after start of the laboratory health information exchange.

Use of laboratory health information exchanges in HIV care can both improve use of anti-retroviral therapy and viral suppression for all people living with HIV and reduce disparities between blacks and whites in HIV health care and outcomes.

Read more on MedicalXpress.com.