1187 Evaluation of community pharmacy outreach events to screen for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

D. Truman; M. Witry; R. Nichols; S. Veach

doi:10.1016/j.japh.2025.102663

Objectives The objectives of this project are to: 1) assess perceived risk and knowledge of HIV for community event attendees, 2) assess perception of point of care testing for HIV in a community pharmacy, and 3) evaluate marketing effectiveness of community outreach events on HIV testing in community pharmacy. The rationale for the project is to use the accessibility of community pharmacists to expand community-based HIV testing. HIV is a disease transmitted through certain body fluids of people who are infected and although there is no cure, medications and early detection can help reduce the viral load, delay progression, and limit the spread. Even with the advancement of medications to help prevent HIV transmission, it continues to be a public health challenge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone between the ages of 13-64 years be tested for HIV at least once. Those who are at higher risk may benefit from testing more frequently. In 2018, the state pharmacy association partnered with the State Department of Health and Human Services to initiate HIV testing in high-risk counties and community pharmacies were one of the eligible providers. Methods The study pharmacy will attend community health events in 2024 and at those events pharmacists will provide education on HIV and on the testing service. This study uses a cross-sectional survey distributed to attendees of the community health events. The survey will be administered through Qualtrics. Participants will access the survey by scanning a QR code using their smartphones. The survey will include 17 questions and will collect demographics, perceived risk, HIV knowledge and awareness, and perception on point-of-care testing at community pharmacies. There will be five questions about perception of HIV testing in a community pharmacy and two questions assessing self-perceived risk of contracting HIV which were adapted from previous studies. Any question a participant does not feel comfortable responding to can be left unanswered. Survey responses will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and open-ended responses will be coded using a basic qualitative approach that aggregates like comments together for quantification. The number of people who stop by the table will be counted and the number of surveys completed to determine the percentage reached. Those who follow up and schedule an appointment for HIV testing at the study pharmacy will be asked via the paper consent form how they heard of the service to help determine if the community outreach events are an effective marketing strategy. Results Research in progress. To date the pharmacists have attended two community health events and have reached approximately 150 individuals with 52 survey responses. Conclusions/Implications The results of this study will be significant to public health because integration of HIV point-of-care screenings in the community setting may increase access to care and improve health outcomes. Assessing perceived risk, knowledge, and perception of testing at a community pharmacy will allow pharmacists to determine knowledge gaps and feasibility of community outreach to improve HIV testing awareness and education.

1187 Evaluation of community pharmacy outreach events to screen for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

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