Dried blood spot testing for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C among houseless folks living in camps and shelters
State and local health department staff: Oregon HIV/STI/TB medical director and local health department staff, including DIS and community testing coordinators
Provide accessible HIV, syphilis, and HCV screening and follow-up in the context of an increase in these infections among intersecting populations: houseless folks, people who use injection drugs, people who use meth by any method.
Please provide specific outcomes if possible, such as # or people served, # or % of reaching XYZ outcome, etc.
67 tests performed: 23/67 (34%) HCV Ab reactive, 4/67 (6%) treponemal test reactive, 1/67 (1.5%) HIV Ag/Ab reactive (due to COVID, testing ran from 1/2019 through 2/2019 and then resumed again 1/2020).
We have found DBS to be an easy, accessible, and acceptable collection method for testing in outreach settings and particularly among folks who inject drugs.