Medical Outcomes Knowledge Item 54: Results from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Innovative Models of Care

Knowledge Item: CA-Medical Outcomes-54
Viral Load Outcomes by Project

Viral load outcomes are shown for each project. Most projects had very good outcomes. Note that viral load outcome using four different, but related, criteria.

The following table shows the definition of the four methods of measuring success. Success is defined as meeting Condition A or Condition B. In most of the analyses conducted here Method II is considered the preferred method. This is true when both PCR and bDNA methods of assaying viral loads are combined in a single analysis. When only PCR assays are used, Method I or Method III may be used. The thresholds of 2.71 logs and 3.01 logs correspond to approximately 500 and 1000 viral copies respectively; the value of 1000 is somewhat higher than is sometimes used but is necessary because of the sensitivity of the reporting at one site. When this site is eliminated from the analyses [primarily because it used bDNA as its assay method rather than the more typically used PCR test], an undetectable limit of 500 copies may be used. Again, note that these undetectable levels are somewhat higher than the levels of 400 [and sometimes 50] used in 2000, in part because some of these tests were earlier and in part because of the sensitivity of recording the raw viral load counts.

Method	Qualifying Condition for Success A: Change in Viral Load from Baseline to the Lowest Value Recorded is At Least	OR: Qualifying Condition for Success B: Lowest Value Recorded is Below the Threshold of
I	.30 logs	2.71 logs
II [least stringent definition]	.30 logs	3.01 logs
III [most stringent definition]	.50 logs	2.71 logs
IV	.50 logs	3.01 logs

Dependent Variable	Viral Load Outcome
Potential Splitter (Predictor)	Site Code

Note that the dependent variable in each of the next four diagrams differs according to the level of change and undetectable level constituting a Viral Load outcome.

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More Information: CHAID and CHAID Diagram

Knowledge Item Citation: Huba, G. J., Melchior, L. A., Panter, A. T., and the HRSA/HAB SPNS Cooperative Agreement Steering Committee (1998-2001). Knowledge Item: CA-Medical Outcomes-54 from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Cooperative Agreements on Innovative Models of Care, The Measurement Group Knowledge Base on HIV/AIDS Care, Online at www.TheMeasurementGroup.com.

Last Updated: March 25, 2005; data through June 15, 1999; analyses conducted November 2000.

Knowledge Base Citation: The Knowledge Base and this Knowledge Item were designed and authored by G. J. Huba, Ph.D.; in collaboration with Lisa A. Melchior, Ph.D.; A. T. Panter, Ph.D.; and the staff of The Measurement Group. Cite this work as "Huba, G. J., Melchior, L. A., and Panter, A. T. (1998 - 2001). The Measurement Group Knowledge Base on HIV/AIDS Care. On the World Wide Web: http://www.TheMeasurementGroup.com."

Questions or Comments: Contact The Measurement Group.

Use of Knowledge Base Information: Acceptable Uses and Limitations.

Collaborators from Participating Projects: Cooperative Agreement Steering Committee 1999.

Participating Projects: This Knowledge Base is based on the service delivery experiences of 27 Cooperative Agreement Projects on Innovative Models of HIV/AIDS Care. These projects and the Evaluation and Dissemination Center which produced this Knowledge Base were funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) as Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) between 1994 and 1999. Click the Model Programs button above for descriptions of the projects that contributed to this specific Knowledge Item, a list of key staff, and project grant numbers.

Why This Evaluation was Conducted: Editorial.

More Information: Design of this Knowledge Base.

Recommended Citation Format for Web Materials: American Psychological Association Publication Manual Section, Revised 2001.

Work on the Knowledge Base and the cross-cutting evaluation was supported in part by Grant Number 5 U90 HA 00030-05 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau's (HAB) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS). The contents of this Knowledge Base are solely the responsibility of The Measurement Group and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA or HRSA/HAB's Special Projects of National Significance nor may they represent the positions of the individual grantees whose projects are included in the cross-cutting evaluation.