Linkage to Care - Part I

HIV-Related Care Engagement: Linkage to Care and Care-Seeking for HIV-Infected Adolescents, Phase I

This first phase of a two-phase study involves three components:

1. Review of existing linkage-to-care protocols and sources of referrals for care;
2. Semi-structured telephone or face-to-face interviews with a minimum of two personnel per site who are associated with linkage to medical care. (Preference will be given to personnel with direct experience in linkage to care); and
3. Structured observations of referral sessions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Component 1: Documents identified by clinical site personnel as pertaining to post-test counseling, linkage to care, or standard operating procedures addressing post-test counseling and linkage to care.
• Component 2: Persons employed by one of the AMTUs or an identified linkage-to-care partner and work as clinical staff or a case-manager or is a person familiar to linkage to care; or persons involved in posttest counseling and linkage-to-care processes. Clinical staff and case managers are chosen based on direct experience in the assistance of HIV seropositive youth obtaining medical care. This definition includes, but is not limited to, physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and case managers (who may have diverse professional backgrounds).
• Component 3: All AMTU sites will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Component 1: No a priori exclusions.
• Component 2: No a priori exclusions.
• Component 3: No a priori exclusions.