The initiative comes in response to a recent report that showed Austin has the city’s second-highest number of new HIV diagnoses
Loretto Hospital is offering free Rapid HIV testing every Thursday throughout December.
The testing is open to all Austin residents, as well as to those in the surrounding West Side neighborhoods. Uninsured and underinsured residents are also welcome, and no appointments are necessary.
Tests will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in outpatient services on the sixth floor of the hospital.
This initiative comes in response to a concerning report from the Chicago Department of Public Health released last October that showed Austin had the second-highest number of new HIV infection diagnoses of all Chicago neighborhoods in 2020.
While the total number of Chicagoans diagnosed with HIV or AIDS was the lowest in four decades, the report showed that non-Hispanic Black people represented a disproportionate 50% of all new cases.
Carlos Zambrano, vice president of physician recruitment and retention and clinical research, said that the reason for these high numbers is lack of education on the topic, lack of access to healthcare and stigma around HIV.
“These viruses affect all people with all kinds of ways of live and, and it doesn’t discriminate at all it’s just like any other sexual transmitted deceases,” Zambrano said. “The stigma is a barrier that is preventing the patient population to come and get diagnosed and get treated.”
During each Rapid HIV test appointment, the provider will also send the sample for a confirmatory test. The rapid test will have results within 20 minutes and confirmation results can take up to a week.
If the individual tests positive, Loretto Hospital officials said they will educate them about it, give information about available treatments and help apply for programs that provide free medication.
CDPH’s report also highlighted a disparity in the viral suppression rate among Austin residents diagnosed with HIV, which was 54% as opposed to 60% citywide.
Viral suppression is crucial for individuals living with HIV, as it allows them to live a high-quality life with a reduced risk of passing HIV to others.
Zambrano said that HIV treatment in Austin needs to have a multidisciplinary approach because many members of the community struggle with behavioral health issues and substance abuse at the same time.
“It’s not only writing a prescription, that is the easy thing, but making sure the patient has a social network, support and housing,” Zambrano said. “If the patient doesn’t have a stable housing, some of these medications may need to be refrigerant and or be taken with food.”
Loretto Hospital aims to become a leader for HIV treatment for the community and is applying for grants to widen their HIV prevention mission.