Avoiding missed opportunities to screen for HIV. Issue 5 (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Byrne, Patrick; Orser, Lauren
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Volume 32:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 408
• Page End: 414
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: AIDS -- diagnosis -- HIV -- testing; Nurse practitioners -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; 610.730692
• DOI: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000274
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2327-6886

Abstract

ABSTRACT: HIV transmission is ongoing, primarily among men who have sex with men, injection drug users, and persons from HIV endemic regions. One prevention strategy has been prompt HIV diagnosis. Undermining these efforts is that some persons are diagnosed with HIV late in their infection because practitioners missed the diagnosis. In this article, the authors review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of HIV/AIDS, and provide a recommended clinical approach: (1) continue to screen persons who belong to the groups that are at-risk for HIV, and (2) appropriately rule out HIV infection in persons who present with HIV and AIDS-like symptoms.