30 research outputs found
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Hiv Seroprevalence Among Long-stay Patients in a State Psychiatric Hospital
We found a seroprevalence of HIV infection of 4% among 199 long-stay psychiatric patients in a state hospital in New York City
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HIV seroprevalence among homeless patients admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit
OBJECTIVE:
This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of HIV-1 antibodies among hospitalized homeless mentally ill patients.
METHOD:
From December 1989 through May 1991 the authors collected discard blood samples from patients consecutively admitted to a psychiatric unit designated for the care of severely mentally ill persons removed from the streets of New York City. The blood samples were tested for HIV-1 antibodies, and the results were analyzed for associations with age, gender, ethnicity, male homosexual activity, and use of injected drugs.
RESULTS:
The HIV seroprevalence was 6.4% (13 of 203 samples). Patients between ages 18 and 39 accounted for 51.2% of the admissions and 84.6% of the 13 positive results, a seroprevalence of 10.6% for this subsample. Patients under age 40 were more than six times as likely to test positive for HIV antibodies as those 40 or over. Ethnicity did not predict seropositivity. Women were as likely as men to be infected. Although clinicians had noted high-risk behavior on the charts for only three (23.1%) of the 13 positive cases, a recorded history of use of injected drugs was associated with a 6.5-fold greater risk of HIV seropositivity.
CONCLUSIONS:
One in every 16 patients admitted to the special unit was HIV positive. Age under 40 and use of injected drugs were strongly associated with seropositivity. Because information on high-risk behavior was infrequent, the reasons for younger patients' greater risk are unclear. The homeless mentally ill require outreach efforts to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV
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HIV Seroprevalence Among Patients Admitted to Two Psychiatric Hospitals
OBJECTIVE: The authors determined the seroprevalence of HIV-1 among patients admitted to two psychiatric hospitals in New York City. METHOD: Patients consecutively admitted to an acute psychiatric unit in Manhattan and a large state hospital in Queens were anonymously tested for HIV-1 antibodies from December 1989 through July 1990. Test results were linked to age, gender, ethnicity, and two risk behaviors: male homosexual activity and injection drug use. RESULTS: Blood was obtained from 83.0% of the eligible patients. The prevalence of HIV was 5.5% (25 of 451). Black patients accounted for 38.0% of the patients tested and 76.0% of positive results (N = 19), a rate of 11.1% for this group. The rate of seropositivity was comparable in women and men. Clinicians had charted risk behavior for nine (36.0%) of the 25 HIV-positive patients. Infection control records suggested that clinicians were aware of seven (28.0%) of the positive cases. CONCLUSIONS: One in every 18 patients admitted to two public psychiatric hospitals in New York City was HIV positive. Clinical staff largely failed to identify HIV-positive patients. Ethnicity and a history of homosexual activity among men or use of injected drugs were strongly associated with seropositivity. This pattern of infection may be linked to needle sharing and/or sexual activity with partners who have shared needles. Future research should clarify how psychiatric illness affects risk-taking behavior, focus on improving detection by clinicians, and identify effective prevention strategies in this population