Prevalence of anal cytology screening among persons with HIV and lack of access to high-resolution anoscopy at HIV care facilities

Abstract

Abstract Background People with HIV at highest risk of anal cancer include gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and transgender women aged 35 years or older as well as other people with HIV aged 45 years or older. Identifying and treating precancerous lesions can reduce anal cancer incidence in these groups. We assessed the prevalence of anal cytology and access to high-resolution anoscopy among people with HIV overall and in those individuals at highest risk. Methods Data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Medical Monitoring Project, a population-based survey of people with HIV aged 18 years and older, and a supplemental Medical Monitoring Project facility survey. We report weighted percentages of people with HIV receiving anal cytology during the past 12 months, access to high-resolution anoscopy, and characteristics of HIV care facilities by availability of high-resolution anoscopy. Results Overall, 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.4% to 6.1%) of people with HIV had undergone anal cytology in the prior 12 months. Only 7.7% (95% CI = 5.1% to 10.6%) of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as transgender women 35 years of age or older and 1.9% (95% CI = 0.9% to 2.9%) of all other people with HIV aged 45 years and older had anal cytology. Prevalence was statistically significantly low among people with HIV with the following characteristics: non-Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, high school education or less, heterosexual orientation, and living in southern Medical Monitoring Project states. Among people with HIV, 32.8% (95% CI = 28.0% to 37.7%) had no access to high-resolution anoscopy on-site or through referral at their care facility; 22.2% (95% CI = 19.5% to 24.9%) had on-site access; 45.0% (95% CI = 41.5% to 48.5%) had high-resolution anoscopy available through referral. Most facilities that received Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding, cared for more than 1000 people with HIV, or provided on-site colposcopy also provided high-resolution anoscopy on-site or through referral. Conclusions Rates of anal cytology and access to high-resolution anoscopy were low among people with HIV, including those individuals at highest risk of anal cancer. Our data may inform large-scale implementation of anal cancer prevention efforts.