CCTG 593: Testing and Linkage to Care

• Proportion of subjects linked to Care or PrEP [ Time Frame: Up to 60 days for positives and up to 90 days for negatives from date of HIV screening test ]
  The primary outcome will measure the proportion of subjects linked a) to HIV care within 60 days of testing HIV-positive or b) to PrEP within 90 days of testing HIV-negative
  
  

• Acceptance of the linkage program [ Time Frame: 60 days from date of HIV screening test ]
  Secondary outcomes will measure the acceptance of the linkage program, which is defined as those individuals who, after testing either positive or HIV antibody negative, will agree to be contacted by the ALERT specialist.
  
  

Design: CCTG 593 is a project to evaluate the uptake and effectiveness of an ALERT specialist serving to

1. link newly diagnosed, HIV infected persons from HIV testing sites to HIV specialist providers, and
2. link confirmed HIV antibody negative persons with continued high risk behaviors to PrEP centers

Duration: Each subject who agrees to linkage will receive ALERT follow-up until successful linkage or 60 days following enrollment for linkage to care or 90 days following enrollment for linkage to PrEP, whichever comes first. The duration of the 593 project will be for 3.5 years or until all subjects have been enrolled and successfully linked, or 60 days pass for linkage to care or 90 days for linkage to PrEP.

Sample Size: Up to 600 subjects will be tested and offered linkage across all CCTG sites: LA County-USC Medical Center, Harbor-UCLA/City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, UCSD/San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.

Study Population: Eligible subjects will include any persons 18 years of age or older who have been tested for HIV at one of the CCTG testing sites (LA County + USC, Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, and San Diego Health and Human Services Agency).