Travel Time to Clinic but not Neighborhood Crime Rate is Associated with Retention in Care Among HIV-Positive Patients

Using geospatial analysis, we examined the relationship of distance between a patient’s residence and clinic, travel time to clinic, and neighborhood violent crime rates with retention in care or viral suppression among people living with HIV (PLWH). For HIV-positive patients at a large urban clinic, we measured distance and travel time between home and clinic and violent crime rate within a two block radius of the travel route. Kruskal–Wallis rank sum was used to compare outcomes between groups. Over the observation period, 2008–2016, 219/602 (36%) patients were retained in care. Median distance from clinic was 3.6 (IQR 2.1–5.6) miles versus 3.9 (IQR 2.7–6.1) miles among those retained versus not retained in care, p = 0.06. Median travel time by car was 15.9 (IQR 9.6–22.9) versus 17.1 (IQR 12.0–24.6) minutes for those retained versus not retained, p = 0.04. Violent crime rate along travel route was not associated with retention. There was no significant association between travel time or distance and viral suppression.