IMPORTANCEAchieving linkage to care and viral suppression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients improves their well-being and prevents new infections. Current gaps in the HIV care continuum substantially limit such benefits.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives on linkage to care and viral suppression in HIV-positive patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA large community-based clinical trial that randomized 37 HIV test and 39 HIV care sites in the Bronx, New York, and Washington, DC, to financial incentives or standard of care.INTERVENTIONS Participants at financial incentive test sites who had positive test results for HIV received coupons redeemable for $125 cash-equivalent gift cards upon linkage to care. HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at financial incentive care sites received $70 gift cards quarterly, if virally suppressed.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Linkage to care: proportion of HIV-positive persons at the test site who linked to care within 3 months, as indicated by CD4 + and/or viral load test results done at a care site. Viral suppression: proportion of established patients at HIV care sites with suppressed viral load (<400 copies/mL), assessed at each calendar quarter. Outcomes assessed through laboratory test results reported to the National HIV Surveillance System.RESULTS A total of 1061 coupons were dispensed for linkage to care at 18 financial incentive test sites and 39 359 gift cards were dispensed to 9641 HIV-positive patients eligible for gift cards at 17 financial incentive care sites. Financial incentives did not increase linkage to care (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.73-1.67; P = .65). However, financial incentives significantly increased viral suppression. The overall proportion of patients with viral suppression was 3.8% higher (95% CI, 0.7%-6.8%; P = .01) at financial incentive sites compared with standard of care sites. Among patients not previously consistently virally suppressed, the proportion virally suppressed was 4.9% higher (95% CI, 1.4%-8.5%; P = .007) at financial incentive sites. In addition, continuity in care was 8.7% higher (95% CI, 4.2%-13.2%; P < .001) at financial incentive sites. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Financial incentives, as used in this study (HPTN 065), significantly increased viral suppression and regular clinic attendance among HIV-positive patients in care. No effect was noted on linkage to care. Financial incentives offer promise for improving adherence to treatment and viral suppression among HIV-positive patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01152918

The high incidence of HIV infection places St Petersburg among the worst IDU-concentrated epidemics in Europe. Interventions targeting psychostimulant and heroin users and their accompanying behaviors such as frequent injections and increased sexual activity are needed immediately.

Introduction Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antiretroviral pre‐exposure prophylaxis (Pr EP ) in preventing HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men ( MSM ). However, limited research has examined initiation and adherence to Pr EP among Black MSM ( BMSM ) in the United States ( US ) who are disproportionately represented among newly HIV infected and late to care individuals. This research reports on the HIV Prevention Trials Network 073 ( HPTN 073) study aimed to examine Pr EP initiation, utilization and adherence among Black MSM utilizing the theoretically principled, culturally informed and client‐centered care coordination (C4) model. Methods The HPTN 073 study enrolled and followed 226 HIV ‐uninfected Black MSM in three US cities (Los Angeles, CA ; Washington DC ; and Chapel Hill, NC ) from February 2013 through September 2015. Study participants were offered once daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir ( FTC / TDF ) Pr EP combined with C4 and followed up for 52 weeks. Participants received HIV testing, risk reduction education and clinical monitoring. Results Of the 226 men enrolled, 178 participants initiated Pr EP (79%), and of these 64% demonstrated Pr EP utilization at week 26 (mid‐point of the study) based on pharmacokinetic testing. Condomless anal sex with an HIV ‐infected or unknown status casual male partner was statistically significantly associated with a greater likelihood of Pr EP initiation (adjusted odds ratio ( OR ) 4.4, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) 1.7, 11.7). Greater age (≥25 vs. <25, OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.37 –6.37), perception of having enough money ( OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7 to 7.7) and knowledge of male partner taking Pr EP before sex ( OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.79) were statistically significantly associated with increased likelihood of Pr EP adherence at week 26. Annualized HIV incidence was 2.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 7.9) among those who init...

BackgroundCross-sectional assessment of HIV incidence relies on laboratory methods to discriminate between recent and non-recent HIV infection. Because HIV diversifies over time in infected individuals, HIV diversity may serve as a biomarker for assessing HIV incidence. We used a high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay to compare HIV diversity in adults with different stages of HIV infection. This assay provides a single numeric HRM score that reflects the level of genetic diversity of HIV in a sample from an infected individual.MethodsHIV diversity was measured in 203 adults: 20 with acute HIV infection (RNA positive, antibody negative), 116 with recent HIV infection (tested a median of 189 days after a previous negative HIV test, range 14–540 days), and 67 with non-recent HIV infection (HIV infected >2 years). HRM scores were generated for two regions in gag, one region in pol, and three regions in env.ResultsMedian HRM scores were higher in non-recent infection than in recent infection for all six regions tested. In multivariate models, higher HRM scores in three of the six regions were independently associated with non-recent HIV infection.ConclusionsThe HRM diversity assay provides a simple, scalable method for measuring HIV diversity. HRM scores, which reflect the genetic diversity in a viral population, may be useful biomarkers for evaluation of HIV incidence, particularly if multiple regions of the HIV genome are examined.