Assessing Consistency of Respondent-driven Sampling Estimators by Using Repeated Surveys among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in New Jersey.

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is widely used to sample populations with higher risk of HIV infection for whom no sampling frames exist. However, few studies have been done to assess the consistency of RDS estimators in real world settings. We conducted an assessment study on the consistency of RDS estimators using data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance - People Who Inject Drugs surveys in Newark, New Jersey from 2005 to 2018.

Assessing reliability of naïve respondent-driven sampling samples by using repeated surveys among people who inject drugs (PWID) in New Jersey.

Introduction: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is widely used to sample populations with higher risk of HIV infection for whom no sampling frames exist. However, few studies have been done to assess the reliability of RDS in real world settings.

Methods: We assessed the reliability of naïve RDS samples using five rounds of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance - People Who Inject Drugs surveys in Newark, New Jersey from 2005 to 2018.

HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM) in New Jersey, U.S., 2017.

This study assessed the HIV prevalence among MSM in the greater Newark New Jersey area including Essex, Hudson, Morris and Union Counties and examined correlates of HIV infection among those men. By analyzing National HIV Behavioral Surveillance data on MSM from four counties in New Jersey (N = 175), which were collected via a venue-based sampling method in 2017, this study shows that HIV prevalence among all races/ethnicities (12.5-31.

Exchange Sex Among Persons Who Inject Drugs in the New York Metropolitan Area: The Importance of Local Context, Gender and Sexual Identity.

Exchanging sex for money or drugs is known to increase risk for HIV among persons who inject drugs (PWID). To better understand determinants of exchange sex among PWID we examined factors associated with exchange sex in the New York metropolitan area-defined as New York City (NYC), NY; Newark, NJ; and Long Island, NY-using data from the 2012 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system cycle on injection drug use. Of the 1160 PWID in this analysis, 24% reported exchange sex, with differences in gender and sexual identity by location.

Effect of a Rapid Test Algorithm on Linkage to Medical Care and Viral Suppression Among New Jersey Residents, 2007 to 2015.

Background: Efforts to identify and link human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons to medical care are the first steps to achieving viral suppression. In the United States, the goals are to link 85% of newly diagnosed persons to medical care in 30 days or less and for 80% to become virally suppressed by 2020. Among newly diagnosed residents from 2007 to 2015, in New Jersey, we evaluated the impact of a rapid testing algorithm (RTA) on linkage to medical care and viral suppression.

Using HIV surveillance data to monitor missed opportunities for linkage and engagement in HIV medical care.

Monitoring delayed entry to HIV medical care is needed because it signifies that opportunities to prevent HIV transmission and mitigate disease progression have been missed. A central question for population-level monitoring is whether to consider a person linked to care after receipt of one CD4 or VL test. Using HIV surveillance data, we explored two definitions for estimating the number of HIV-diagnosed persons not linked to HIV medical care.

Medication-related barriers to entering HIV care.

Early entry to HIV care and receipt of antiretroviral therapy improve the health of the individual and decrease the risk of transmission in the community. To increase the limited information on prospective decisions to enter care and how these decisions relate to beliefs about HIV medications, we analyzed interview data from the Never in Care Project, a multisite project conducted in Indiana, New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington State. From March 2008 through August 2010, we completed structured interviews with 134 persons with no evidence of HIV care entry, 48 of whom also completed qualitative interviews.