Publications by authors named "Andrea Laplante"

Objective: Delayed access to behavioral health services results in poor outcomes and higher costs. This brief report describes the elimination of a 702-person behavioral health waitlist through phase-based care (PBC), an innovative approach that aligns behavioral health resources with new patients with high-acuity need.

Methods: Two PBC clinics, one triage and another high-acuity treatment, were established.

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Background: Non-emergent clinical services were limited or suspended during the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States (U.S.).

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HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) affects more than half of persons living with HIV-1/AIDS (PLWHA). Identification of biomarkers representing the cognitive status of PLWHA is a critical step for implementation of successful cognitive, behavioral and pharmacological strategies to prevent onset and progression of HAND. However, the presence of co-morbidity factors in PLWHA, the most common being substance abuse, can prevent the identification of such biomarkers.

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HIV patients who are not retained in medical care risk viral resistance, disease progression to AIDS, and mortality. Numerous interventions have been tested to improve retention, but they are limited by their resource-intensive approaches and lack of focus on new patients, who are at highest risk for drop-out. Data show that acceptance and disclosure of HIV status might impact retention, yet these variables have not been targeted in previous interventions.

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected individuals are at increased risk for developing neurocognitive disorders and depression. These conditions collectively affect more than 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS and adversely impact adherence to HIV therapy. Thus, identification of early markers of neurocognitive impairment could lead to interventions that improve psychosocial functioning and slow or reverse disease progression through improved treatment adherence.

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