Reporting HIV Infections

REPORTED?

Although a diagnosis of AIDS has been reportable to the New Mexico

Department of Health, Office of Epidemiology (OE) since 1981,

HIV infection first became reportable as of January 15, 1998.

With improved treatments, many people with HIV were not progressing

to AIDS and were not being counted. By recording HIV infections,

we have a better count of people affected. This information can

be used to focus prevention programs and to justify and allocate

funds for appropriate HIV services.

HIV CASES?

Any medical provider, laboratory, or organization that offers

HIV testing by name or provides care to HIV-positive patients

must report positive cases to the OE in Albuquerque. A positive

case means a confirmed HIV antibody test, and/or any test or condition

indicative of HIV infection (including a viral load test showing

AN HIV CASE? WHAT ABOUT DUPLICATE REPORTS?

Case report forms, including pediatric forms for newborns and

children under age 13, are available from the OE. You may mail

completed forms to the OE, or report by calling Joanne Keefe at

(505) 841-5894. Those outside of Albuquerque can call the OE’s

REPORTABLE?

Yes, all AIDS diagnoses are still reportable. The OE will still

collect and present data on AIDS in order to maintain consistency

in its data and continue looking at trends in the state. Keeping

AIDS data will allow the OE to monitor access to HIV care and

the full spectrum of HIV disease. Providers should continually

update the OE on the status of patients, including AIDS defining

conditions, deaths, and moves out of state.

BE ANONYMOUS HIV TESTING?

Yes. Anonymous testing is important for prevention efforts and

will not make it more difficult to track the HIV epidemic. Anonymous

testing will continue to be available at Public Health counseling

and testing sites. This should encourage more people to learn

their HIV status, and if infected, to seek early treatment. Call

your local public health office or the New Mexico AIDS Hotline

at 800-545-2437 to locate an anonymous test site.

SECURE?

All state HIV surveillance programs are required to meet security

standards set by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Only three

staff members in the Office of Epidemiology have access to the

HIV/AIDS database. All employees sign a confidentiality statement

USED?

Data on HIV infections are now included in the OE’s monthly, biannual,

and annual reports of New Mexico HIV/AIDS statistics. You can

receive these by mail or read them on the web at: https://www.aidsinfonet.org/epi/epihome.html

The information is used to monitor the epidemic, to plan and design

HIV services and prevention programs, and to allocate resources.

The OE also provides custom data analysis for specific regions

or populations, trainings on the data, and graphic presentation

materials.

CONCERNS?

Many people with HIV are unaware of the national system of disease

reporting. Some think that “being reported” is new,

and only occurs with HIV disease. It is important to discuss the

confidentiality of health data and the importance of tracking

epidemics in order to prevent new cases and provide services for

those affected. Accurate information is needed to justify the

IDENTIFIERS?

The CDC evaluated unique identifier (UI)-based surveillance systems

that did not include patient names. The study revealed several

problems with UI systems, including incomplete reporting, reports

with missing information, difficulty in conducting follow-up on

specific cases, and the absence of behavioral risk data. Medical

providers find UI systems difficult to use, and it is more difficult

to follow patients and assure that they get appropriate care.

Because many people have to code and decode data, UI systems can