Engagement in care during active duty HIV treatment

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a serious illness that affects individuals, including military personnel, all over the world. If left unchecked, HIV has dangerous implications for a patient's immune health, eventually progressing to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The purpose of this analysis was to determine how effective the U.S. military is at reaching 90% viral suppression in its HIV-positive service members. The main goal was to determine which factors contribute to reaching viral suppression. Using Kaplan-Meier survival function estimates and Cox proportional hazards models it was determined that service members who initiated treatment under more inclusive policies were more likely to reach viral suppression. The probability of viral suppression between services (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps) was not significantly different. Identifying the factors that are important to reaching viral suppression in a closed military population may prove to be beneficial in understanding the limits of HIV transmission and its elimination through early treatment