Biomedical subjects
Ronald O Valdiserri
Publications and source records attributed to Ronald O Valdiserri.
HIV prevention in the United States: increasing emphasis on working with those living with HIV.
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International scale-up for antiretroviral treatment: where does prevention fit?
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Sex workers in Vietnam: how many, how risky?
Because of concerns for HIV risks and need to plan effective programs, we assessed the number and risks of sex workers in Nha Trang City, Vietnam. Sex workers were contacted in streets, beaches, bars, and restaurants, and a capture-recapture method was used to estimate their number. An estimated 444 women worked on the streets and beach ("direct" sex workers) and 486 worked in bars and restaurants or other facilities ("indirect" sex workers). Direct and indirect sex workers engaged in sex work primarily to support their families. Direct sex workers were older and were more at risk for HIV risk than were indirect sex workers. Direct sex workers had more clients, were less likely to report always using condoms (67% vs. 81%), more likely to report a prior sexually transmitted infection (19% vs. 16%), and more likely to have clients who inject drugs (16% vs. 13%). This assessment has implications for planning programs to reduce sex work and its risks in Vietnam and potentially other countries.
Mapping the roots of HIV/AIDS complacency: implications for program and policy development.
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Peer education for HIV prevention in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: a national assessment.
In 2000, the government of Vietnam conducted the first assessment of its national peer education program for HIV prevention. Twenty (32%) of Vietnam's 61 provinces and urban areas had functioning peer education programs, and program coordinators of all 20 were interviewed regarding their programs. In addition, on-site reviews were done for 10 of the 20 programs, including interviews of peer educators and high-risk persons in each program. The assessment found that a total of 500 peer educators were functioning either independently or as part of one of 79 teams. In the 20 provinces, the peer educators made an estimated 7,000 total contacts per month with high risk persons, but many persons were likely contacted repeatedly. Despite this, coverage was limited: some provinces with high numbers of persons reported with HIV/AIDS had few peer educators. Although most provinces targeted IDU and many targeted CSW, few provinces targeted sex partners of IDU or CSW. The definition of peer education and composition of teams varied substantially by province; only one province included persons living with HIV/AIDS as peer educators. The services provided by peer educators were primarily distributional: delivering information either through word of mouth, pamphlets, or brochures, providing condoms, and sometimes providing clean syringes and needles. Skills building or goal setting interventions aimed at HIV risk reduction were rarely provided. Most provinces had concerns about ongoing funding and sustainability of the programs. Based on the assessment, specific recommendations were provided for strengthening and expanding Vietnam's peer education programs.
Accomplishments in HIV prevention science: implications for stemming the epidemic.
The past two decades have witnessed substantial advances in the science of preventing HIV infection. Although important issues remain and there is a need for continuing research, arguably the biggest challenge in preventing HIV transmission is the full implementation of existing preventive interventions worldwide.
CDC deputy chief says trend 'very worrisome'. U.S. far from goal to cut new infections by half.
Ronald O. Valdiserri, MD, MPH, deputy director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention for the CDC in Atlanta, talks about challenges brought about by good news--that people with HIV are living longer--and bad news--his concern that not enough progress is being made in combating the infection. He also addresses the use of abstinence-only prevention programs.
HIV/AIDS stigma: an impediment to public health.
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Immigrant health: legal tools/legal barriers.
The United States is a country of immigrants, our government having been formed by recent arrivals. This trend has continued throughout our history; according to the Center for Immigration Studies, more than 26 million immigrants have settled in the United States since 1970, and approximately one million new immigrants come to the United States each year. The immigrant population faces highly diverse health issues that states, cities, and counties must address, many of which pose significant legal and policy issues. Social, cultural, and linguistic factors complicate those challenges, as does the overlay of federal immigration and health policy. Two federal laws, the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 and Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, have affected immigrants in two very different ways. The former made it difficult for immigrants to qualify for publicly funded benefits. In contrast, Title VI made it easier for immigrants to obtain benefits by requiring federally funded service providers to offer translating services to persons with limited English language skills. Tuberculosis treatment is perhaps the most pressing health need among recent arrivals to the United States. Methods to slow down and hopefully eliminate this disease are underway, but a more comprehensive approach to not only tuberculosis but to immigrant health in general is needed. Indeed, it will benefit those directly affected by tuberculosis and will have serious implications for the entire population for generations to come.
Combating syphilis and HIV among users of internet chatrooms.
The recent resurgence of syphilis among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and concerns about a potential increase in HIV incidence have sparked public health authorities to search for new approaches to address this converging problem. Epidemiologic investigations suggest that the Internet plays an important role in facilitating syphilis outbreaks. The experience of this pilot will help the public health community learn more about how to reach targeted online audiences, and will contribute toward understanding the role of the Internet in risk reduction strategies aimed at persons who use the Internet to meet sex partners.
Aligning budget with U.S. National HIV prevention priorities.
Reducing new HIV infections in the United States requires allocating public resources to interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing the number of new infections. We report on the organizational experience of a federal agency's efforts to align its HIV prevention resources to reflect the specific priorities of a five-year strategic plan that has as its goal a fifty percent reduction in the number of annual HIV infections nationwide. Structural and other impediments encountered during the alignment process, and the steps taken to minimize their impact are described, adding to the empirical data base of strategic planning experiences in the public sector.
A future free of HIV: what will it take?
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The continued spread of HIV in the United States: prevention failure or systems defect?
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The role of community advisory committees in clinical trials of anti-HIV agents.
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