How are HIV services in the UK and Ireland managing care home residents living with HIV?

PURPOSE: The average age of people living with HIV in Europe is rising and with it the likelihood of entering long-term care. Little is known about the characteristics of people living with HIV in care homes and how their HIV care is delivered.

METHODS

We conducted a multi-site, cross-sectional descriptive evaluation of care home residents receiving HIV care at seven centres in the UK and Ireland. Data included demographics, HIV history, comorbidities, medication use and HIV service contacts over the preceding 12 months.

RESULTS

The sample included 62 residents with a median age of 61 years (33-92); 81% were male, 56% heterosexual and 60% born in the UK or Ireland. Most (92%) were virally suppressed, having lived with HIV for a median of 21 years and in care homes for 3 years. Multimorbidity, frailty and polypharmacy were common. Care home residents represented 0.2% of total service users across all sites. Over 12 months, participants had a median of four HIV service contacts with two HIV viral load tests. Models of care varied substantially between centres, highlighting inconsistent approaches to supporting this population.

CONCLUSION

This service evaluation describes a small, heterogeneous cohort of people living with HIV in long-term care across the UK and Ireland. Participants commonly had complex health needs, and HIV services used varied approaches to deliver care. These descriptive findings provide a foundation for larger studies to examine care models and outcomes for this group to inform future guidance.