The influence of race and comorbidity on the timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy among older persons living with HIV/AIDS

W.E. Abara, L. Smith, S. Zhang, A.J. Fairchild, H.J. Heiman and G. Rust

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 11, e135-e141

Abstract: Objectives. We examined whether the timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) differed by race and comorbidity among older (≥ 50 years) people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Methods. We conducted frequency and descriptive statistics analysis to characterize our sample, which we drew from 2005-2007 Medicaid claims data from 14 states. We employed univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses to evaluate the relationship between race, comorbidity, and timely ART initiation (≤ 90 days post-HIV/AIDS diagnosis). Results. Approximately half of the participants did not commence ART promptly. After we adjusted for covariates, we found that older PLWHA who reported a comorbidity were 40% (95% confidence interval = 0.26, 0.61) as likely to commence ART promptly. We found no racial differences in the timely initiation of ART among older PLWHA. Conclusions. Comorbidities affect timely ART initiation in older PLWHA. Older PLWHA may benefit from integrating and coordinating HIV care with care for other comorbidities and the development of ART treatment guidelines specific to older PLWHA. Consistent Medicaid coverage helps ensure consistent access to HIV treatment and care and may eliminate racial disparities in timely ART initiation among older PLWHA. © 2014, American Public Health Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords: anti human immunodeficiency virus agent, African American; ancestry group; Caucasian; comorbidity; epidemiology; female; HIV Infections; human; Kaplan Meier method; male; middle aged; proportional hazards model; statistics and numerical data; time; United States, African Americans; Anti-HIV Agents; Comorbidity; Continental Population Groups; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Aged; Proportional Hazards Models; Time Factors; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302227_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302227

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