PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Proportion of opioid treatment programs offering on-site testing for HIV and STIs declines

2013-12-27
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Kim Newman
Sciencenews@einstein.yu.edu
718-430-3101
The JAMA Network Journals
Proportion of opioid treatment programs offering on-site testing for HIV and STIs declines A survey of opioid treatment programs finds that the proportion offering on-site testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) declined substantially between 2000 and 2011, despite guidelines recommending routine opt-out HIV testing in all health care settings, according to a study appearing in the December 25 issue of JAMA.

"Opioid dependence is a risk factor for HIV, STIs, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Opioid treatment programs, which provide treatment to more than 300,000 opioid-dependent individuals in the United States, are well-positioned to offer testing for these infectious diseases to a high-risk population. They were among the first venues to offer HIV testing and are more likely to offer HIV, STI, and HCV testing than other drug treatment programs. Private for-profit opioid treatment programs are increasingly widespread and such programs offer on-site HIV testing less often than nonprofit and public programs. However, with the 2006 national recommendations for routine opt-out HIV testing, we hypothesized that the percentage of programs offering on-site testing for HIV, STIs, and HCV would increase," the authors write.

Marcus A. Bachhuber, M.D., and Chinazo O. Cunningham, M.D., M.S., of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, analyzed data from a survey sent to directors of drug treatment facilities and tabulated the percentage of opioid treatment programs offering on-site HIV, STI, and HCV testing from 2000 to 2011.

The number of U.S. opioid treatment programs increased from 849 in 2000 to 1,175 in 2011. The percentage of programs operating as for-profit businesses increased from 43 percent to 54 percent, nonprofits decreased from 43 percent to 36 percent, and public programs decreased from 14 percent to 10 percent. From 2000 to 2011, the absolute number of programs offering testing for HIV, STIs, and HCV increased but the percentage offering on-site testing for HIV declined by 18 percent and for STIs by 13 percent. There was no change for HCV testing. More than 75 percent of public programs offered on-site testing for each infection, with no change over time.

"Declines were most pronounced in for-profit programs, suggesting that persons enrolled in these programs may be at increased risk for delayed diagnosis and continued transmission of HIV, STIs, and HCV," the authors write.

"Opioid treatment programs are important venues for offering testing to high-risk individuals. As the number of for-profit opioid treatment programs increases, and the opioid, HIV, and HCV epidemics continue to intersect, further work is needed to understand and reverse declines in offering on-site testing."

###

(doi:10.l001/jama.2013.278456; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)

Editor's Note: This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health. The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Dr. Cunningham's husband was recently employed by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and is currently employed by Quest Diagnostics. No other disclosures were reported.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Use of antidepressant does not improve symptoms from stomach disorder

2013-12-27
Use of antidepressant does not improve symptoms from stomach disorder Among patients with idiopathic (of unknown cause) gastroparesis, use of the antidepressant nortriptyline compared with placebo for 15 weeks did not result in improvement in overall ...

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent slows rate of progression of neurodegenerative disease

2013-12-27
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent slows rate of progression of neurodegenerative disease Among patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy, a lethal, genetic neurodegenerative disease, use of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent diflunisal compared ...

Prolonged exposure therapy found beneficial in treating adolescent girls with PTSD

2013-12-27
Prolonged exposure therapy found beneficial in treating adolescent girls with PTSD (PHILADELPHIA) – Researchers at Penn Medicine report in the December 25 issue of JAMA that a modified form of prolonged exposure therapy ...

Antidepressants for bipolar disorder

2013-12-27
Antidepressants for bipolar disorder The use of antidepressants in the treatment of bipolar disorder remains controversial. Some studies and treatment guidelines suggest that antidepressant treatment for bipolar disorder may have the potential to increase the manic ...

NASA sees the last of Cyclone Bruce in Southern Indian Ocean

2013-12-27
NASA sees the last of Cyclone Bruce in Southern Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Bruce is winding down in the Southern Indian Ocean as wind shear and cooler waters affect the storm. NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Bruce on December 24 and showed that wind shear is having ...

Kinect-based virtual reality training promotes brain reorganization after stroke

2013-12-27
Kinect-based virtual reality training promotes brain reorganization after stroke The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller, and provides rehabilitation ...

Activating P300 protein contributes to repair of hippocampal neuronal DNA injuries

2013-12-27
Activating P300 protein contributes to repair of hippocampal neuronal DNA injuries Various medications have been developed to treat neurodegenerative disorders, and drugs without significant side effects are gaining widespread interest such disorders. Brain Research ...

Epigenetics enigma resolved

2013-12-27
Epigenetics enigma resolved First structure of enzyme that removes methylation Scientists have obtained the first detailed molecular structure of a member of the Tet family of enzymes. The finding is important for the field of epigenetics because Tet enzymes chemically ...

Researchers complete a milestone in defining the genetic basis of rheumatoid arthritis

2013-12-27
Researchers complete a milestone in defining the genetic basis of rheumatoid arthritis MANHASSET, NY – An international group of investigators has discovered new genes, pathways and cell types that are involved in inherited susceptibility to rheumatoid ...

International team completes systematic, genomic study of cervical cancer

2013-12-27
International team completes systematic, genomic study of cervical cancer Findings point to potential therapeutics, shed light on HPV role Researchers from the Boston area, Mexico, and Norway have completed a comprehensive genomic analysis of cervical ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

Gantangqing site in southwest China yields 300,000-year-old wooden tools

Forests can’t keep up: Adaptation will lag behind climate change

Sturgeon reintroduction initiative yields promising first-year survival rate

Study: Babies’ poor vision may help organize visual brain pathways

Research reveals Arctic region was permafrost-free when global temperatures were 4.5˚ C higher than today

Novel insights into chromophobe renal cell carcinoma biology and potential therapeutic strategies

A breakthrough in motor safety: AI-powered warning system enhances capability to uncover hidden winding faults

Research teases apart competing transcription organization models

Connect or reject: Extensive rewiring builds binocular vision in the brain

Benefits and risks: informal use of antibiotics to prevent sexually transmitted infections on the rise in key populations in the Netherlands

New molecular tool sheds light on how cancer cells repair telomeres

First large-scale stem cell bank enables worldwide studies on genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Hearing devices significantly improve social lives of those with hearing loss

CNIC scientists reveal how the cellular energy system evolved—and how this knowledge could improve the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases

AI sharpens pathologists' interpretation of tissue samples

[Press-News.org] Proportion of opioid treatment programs offering on-site testing for HIV and STIs declines