A Nurse Care Management Program for HIV Prevention Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
From Contagionlive…
HIV prevalence is as high as 12% in young people experiencing homelessness. This population is also 6 to 12 times more likely to become infected with HIV than housed youth. Obstacles to HIV prevention and care among youth experiencing homelessness are compounded by substance use, housing instability, and mental illness. These obstacles present a need to develop targeted interventions for this population.
Few HIV prevention programs prioritize the prevention needs of youth experiencing homelessness, but an oral abstract session at the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Conference (ANAC 2019) discussed the development of a protocol for nurse care management for HIV prevention called NCM4HIV.
NCM4HIV integrates a theoretical framework, methodology for behavioral change, and practical strategies designed to engage youth experiencing homelessness, with an outcome evaluation plan. The program builds on past nurse care management using the Comprehensive Health Seeking and Coping Framework. NCM4HIV also incorporates the psychological modality known as motivational interviewing. Results of behavioral interventions will then be accounted for through behavioral feedback technology, allowing case management specialists to further tailor the intervention through goal setting and patient response.