AHRQ Study Presents First Evidence of Downward Trend in HIV Hospital Admissions After 2010

Hospital admissions to treat HIV fell by one-third between 2000 and 2013, even though the number of people living with HIV increased by more than 50 percent during that time, according to a new AHRQ study. The analysis is the first to show that a downward trend in the number of hospital admissions per person living with HIV continued after 2010. Based on HIV patient data in five states – California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina – the study found that people with HIV were 64 percent less likely to be hospitalized in 2013 than they were in 2000. The study attributed the reduction to highly active antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV that was introduced between 1995 and 2000 as well as clinicians’ enhanced ability to treat HIV. Access the abstract of the study, “Hospital Use by Persons With HIV in the 21st Century: a 5-State Study,” which was published in Medical Care.

2016 Jun;54(6):639-44. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000526.

Hospital Use by Persons With HIV in the 21st Century: A 5-State Study.

Hellinger FJ1.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study is to determine whether reductions in hospital utilization observed immediately after the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (between 1995 and 2000) have persisted into the 21st century.

DATA SOURCES:

Data on all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related hospital admissions in 5 states (California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina) in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 were obtained from the State Inpatient Database, which is administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In addition, data on the number of persons living with HIV were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the California Department of Public Health.

STUDY DESIGN:

This study compares the average number of hospitalizations per person living with HIV in each of the 5 states as well as the average cost for hospital care per person with HIV in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013.

RESULTS:

The total number of hospitalizations by persons with HIV in the 5 study states fell by one third between 2000 and 2013 even though the number of persons living with HIV increased by >50%.

CONCLUSIONS:

Persons with HIV disease were 64% less likely to be hospitalized in 2013 than they were in 2000. In addition, the probability of a person with HIV being hospitalized fell 44% between 2000 and 2010 and 29% between 2010 and 2013.