Addressing Dental and Psychiatric Comorbidities: Screening and Referrals of HIV/AIDS Patients

艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者在牙科和卫生保健方面没有得到充分的研究和服务

Persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are understudied and underserved with respect to both dental and mental health services, compared to the general population. Psychiatric and dental comorbidities in PLWHA result in diagnostic complexities, treatment gaps, increased health care costs and poorer outcomes. Early diagnosis and treatment access are imperative. There are no US studies of co-occurring oral diseases and mental illnesses in PLWHA. Assessment of treatment needs, self-management, and case management can inform improved referral and treatment outcomes. Studies have identified barriers to dental care in PLWHA, including ability to pay, dental anxiety, transportation, etc. Patients, HIV program directors, case managers and administrators are key stakeholders in understanding PLWHA use of dental and mental health services. Their referral success has not been assessed through traditional HIV surveillance. Factors for successful referral of PLWHA to mental health and dental services are understudied. Examining linkage factors as perceived by PLWHA, program directors and other staff, including the role of motivational Self-Determination Theory-based (SDT) mechanisms is needed. The proposed study will examine factors related to referrals of PLWHA to dental and mental health services and to describe the prevalence of comorbidities in 105 PLWHA, their self- management, and their perception of case management. All patients (with or without co-morbidities) will be assessed. The primary study outcome is keeping dental and/or mental health referral appointments. AIM 1: To examine referral linkage factors (social, biological, or behavioral) in those screened for 1) oral diseases only, 2) mental illness only, 3) both oral diseases and mental illness, or 4) neither (comparison group). Other assessments include 8 key informant interviews (KIIs), 2 focus groups (FGs) with 8-12 participants each and validated surveys. AIM 2: 2a) To describe the prevalence of comorbidities in a sample of PLWHA, the use of self-management strategies and their referral need based on screening and clinical data (periodontal inflammation via salivary biomarker IL-6 at baseline); 2b) To assess feasibility and obtain pilot data to inform a future motivation-based intervention targeting oral and mental health behavior in PLWHA. AIM 3: To examine health status at six months via patient screenings, clinical examination with salivary biomarkers, and a survey. Hypothesis: PLWHA screening positive for dental/mental comorbidities will keep fewer referral appointments than those not screening positive. This could be associated with SDT motivational indices for referral and to linkage factors. This innovative mixed-methods study will inform a needed evidence-base for patients, dental and mental health professionals and other stakeholders, as well as future studies (e.g., a randomized clinical trial) and potential interventions such as Motivational Interviewing strategies to maximize successful referrals.