- Glossary List
Term
Definition
The AIDS Action Council provides media and policy focus to
federal AIDS legislative and policy issues.
Annual Administrative Report. The AAR is required of all
CARE Act Title I grantees, and provides information on
agencies funded by CARE Act Title I.
Automated Case Management System (IMACS). ACMS is a
corporation that developed IMACS.
AIDS Contractor Reporting System. ACRS is used by some
providers of outpatient medical care in Los Angeles County
to report the number of clients and services provided.
AIDS Clinical Trial Group. A national group that advises
the National Institutes of Health on clinical trials
related to HIV/AIDS treatments.
Americans with Disabilities Act. Federal legislation
designed to protect and ensure the rights of the disabled.
The ADA protects people with HIV and AIDS.
AIDS Drug Assistance Program. ADAP is supported by Title II
of the CARE Act. In California, ADAP is funded by the Title
II ADAP set-aside, state general funds, Title II general
funds and a mandatory manufacturer’s rebate.
Adult Day Health Care. A licensed category of care
administered by the State of California.
AIDS Education Training Centers. The AETC are supported by
Part F of the CARE Act and are responsible for providing
AIDS education to health care professionals.
Aids to Families with Dependent Children.
Associate Governmental Program Analyst
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Associate Health Program Advisor
American Indian Alaskan Native
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Originally called GRID
(gay related immune deficiency), the term “AIDS” was
proposed by Bruce Voeller and adopted in July 1982.
Assembly Joint Resolution
AIDS Medi-Cal Waiver Program. Administered by the State of
California, AMCWP supports in-home health and attendant
care.
Testing a person for HIV without the person having to give
personal identifying information; all specimens are marked
with a code number and cannot be linked to the person.
Positive anonympus HIV tests are not reportable.
Protein molecule produced by white blood cells to bind up
and disable infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria.
Substance - such as a virus or bacterium - that provokes an
immune response when introduced into the body
Any drug, agent or therapy used against HIV or other
retroviruses.
An antiretroviral drug is any compound that stops or
suppresses the reproduction or activity of HIV (or another
retrovirus) in a patient’s bloodstream.
American Public Health Association
Asian and Pacific Islanders. A category to describe the
racial/ethnic characteristics of individuals.
AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Related Condition (Complex). Formerly used to denote a
medium acuity of HIV disease.
Adult Residential Facility. A licensed category of care
administered by the State of California. The Office of AIDS
Programs and Policy (OAPP) maintains 2 ARF contracts.
Acute Retroviral Syndrome
AIDS Service Center
AIDS Service Organization
Association of State and Territorial Health Officers
Alternative Test Site, Anonymous Test Site. Anonymous
testing for HIV is provided at ATS.
The committee of either the House of Representatives or
U.S. Senate responsible for drafting legislation. The
authorizing committees for health related matters are
usually the Commerce Committee in the House of
Representatives and the Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee of the U.S. Senate.
Azidothymidine (Zidovudine). The first medication approved
for anti-retroviral therapy.
Budget Change Proposal. Following submission of the annual
State of California budget, BCP are proposed by members of
the legislature and, less often, of the Administration.
Behavioral Health Services
Behavioral Risk Group(s) is an organizing principle for
planning care and prevention services. The individuals to
be targeted for services are organized by behavior they
have in common.
Budget Year. The number of months associated with a budget
period. Budget years are not always twelve months long, do
not always begin in January and frequently vary among
funding sources.
Cities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Coalition.
Established in 1991, CAEAR advocates for the legislative,
administrative, budgetary, appropriations and public policy
interests of Title I and III consumers, grantees, planning
councils and community-based providers.
Fungus that usually infects the mucous membranes, commonly
occurring in the mouth (thrush) or in the vagina (yeast
membrane). These infections usually result in painful or
burning red lesions with or without white spots.
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. A university-based
research program located in San Francisco.
Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE)
Act of 1990, amended and reauthorized in 1995 and again in
2000.
Health Insurance Premium Payment.
Funded by Title II of the CARE Act and administered by
the OA. CARE/HIPP will pay the insurance premium costs for
eligible clients with HIV/AIDS. CARE/HIPP cannot be used to
purchase a new insurance policy.
Community Assessment Service Centers.
Caring for Babies with AIDS
Congressional Black Caucus
Community Based Organization. Usually a non-profit
organization.
California Conference of Local AIDS Driectors.
California Conference of Local Health Officers
Crack Cocaine Users
One of two protein structures on the surface of a human
cell that allows HIV to attach, enter, and thus infect a
cell.
The most commonly used surrogate marker for assessing the
state of the immune system. As CD4 cell count declines, the
risk of developing opportunistic infections increases. The
normal range of CD4 cell counts is 500 to 1500 per cubic
millimeter of blood. CD4 counts should be rechecked at
least every six to 12 months if CD4 counts are greater than
500/mm3. If the count is lower, testing every three months
is usual.
Community Development Block Grant. A federal program
designed to support housing and related services.
Typically, the CDBG program is coordinated with local HOPWA
programs.
The Atlanta, Georgia based Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention is a federal agency within the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
It administers HIV/AIDS prevention programs including the
HIV Prevention Community Planning process, among other
programs.
It also monitors and reports infectious diseases,
administers AIDS surveillance grants and publishes
epidemiological reports such as the HIV/AIDS Surveillance
Report.
California Department of Education
Code of Federal Regulation
California HIV Advocacy Coalition. An umbrella advocacy
organization for AIDS service organizations, government
agencies and individuals with AIDS.
County Health Executive Association of California
Commission on Hiv Health Services
Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment
Services
California HIV Planning Group
Formed by the California Office of AIDS (OA) by merging the
CCWG and the CPWG (Comprehensive Care Working Group and
Community Prevention Working Group) at the end of 1999, the
CHPG advises the OA on a wide variety of planning and
policy issues.
Case Management Program. A designation used by the State of
California for funded programs.
Close of Business
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985.
Among other policies, COBRA governs the continuation of
insurance following termination of employment.
The process of determining the organization and delivery of
HIV services; strategy used by a planning body to improve
decision making about services and maintain a continuum of
care for PLWH
A conference committee is typically created when
legislation passed by one House of Congress is
significantly different from the legislation passed by
other House. In the reauthorization of the CARE Act in
2000, the version of the CARE Act passed by the House of
Representatives was significantly different from the
version passed by the Senate. Although these differences
would have in most circumstances caused a conference
committee to be created, differences were resolved without
a conference committee.
Testing a person for HIV where his or her name is known or
given; specimens are marked with a code number, but can be
linked to a name. Positive confidential HIV tests are
reportable.
A regional or statewide planning entity established by many
State grantees under Title II of the CARE Act to plan and
sometimes administer Title II services; an association of
health care and support service providers that develops and
delivers services for PLWH under Title II of the CARE Act
A regional or statewide planning entity established by many
state grantees under Title II of the CARE Act to plan and
sometimes administer Title II services; an association of
health care and support service providers that develops and
delivers services for PLWH under Title II of the CARE Act
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
California Prevention Working Group. A CPG created by the
State of California. The CPWG merged into the CHPG in 2000.
Continuous Quality Improvement
Community Risk Assessment Survey
Community Resource Center (for referrals)
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Center for Sunstance Abuse Treatment
Commericial Sex Worker
Counseling, Testing, Referral and Partner Notification
Confidential Testing Site
The cumulative number of persons reported with AIDS during
a specified period divided by the total population at the
midpoint of that same period.
Example: Cumulative number of AIDS cases reported in 1999- 2001 ÷ 2000 LA county population (x 100,000).
Department of Children and Family Services
Date, Design and Development
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Health Services
Department of Health Services/Office of AIDS
Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
A molecule that is the basis of heredity.
Department of Corrections
Department of Education.
Department of Public Health
Department of Public Social Services
Reduction in a pathogen’s sensitivity to the effects of a
particular drug or an increase in the ability of the
pathogen to resist the action of a drug. Resistance is
thought to result mainly from genetic mutation.
In HIV, mutations can change the structure of viral enzymes
and proteins so that an antiretroviral agent can no longer
interact with the protein to block viral replication.
Division of Service Systems
The entity within HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau responsible for
administering Title I and Title II of the CARE Act,
including AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
Drug Treatment Center
Enzyme Immunoassay
Early Intervention Program
Early Intervention Services.
Applied in the outpatient setting. Assures of a continuum of care, which includes (1) identifying persons at risk for HIV infection and offering to them counseling and testing services, and (2) providing lifelong comprehensive primary care for those living with HIV/AIDS.
(Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay): The most common test
used to detect the presence of HIV antibodies in the blood,
which are indicative of ongoing HIV infection. A positive
ELISA test result must be confirmed by another test called
a Western Blot.
Eligible Metropolitan Area.
The geographic area eligible to receive Title 1 CARE Act
funds. The Census Bureau defines the boundaries of the
metropolitan area while AIDS cases reported to the CDC
determines eligibility. Some EMAs include just one city
and others are composed of several cities and/or counties;
some EMAs extend over more than one state.
Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area
Epidemiology
Contact with a factor that is suspeted to influence the
risk of a person developing a particular disease
Fiscal Intermediary
Female injection drug user
Filibuster is a little used Senate device to slow down and
(or) defeat a piece of legislation. Here, a Senator begins
speaking on the Senate floor and never relinquishes his
time to any other Senator or business. The Senator must
remain in the Senate speakers’ well and must continue to
speak throughout the process. This device is avoided where
a bill or legislation already enjoys the support of a
minimum 61 Senators.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Fiscal Year. See also Budget Year
General Accounting Office
A unit of heredity or a region of DNA or RNA that controls
a discrete hereditary characteristic.
The universal language in which genetic instructions are
written in all living things.
The totality of genetic information belonging to an
organism, the complete set of genes.
The human genome is composed of three billion bases of DNA,
while the HIV genome is approximately 10,000 bases of RNA.
The genetic constitution (gene type) of an organism, as
contrasted with the physical manifestation (phenotype) that
the genes produce.
The action to determine the genetic constitution of an
individual by sequencing the genetic code. In HIV, a
genotyping assay is performed in order to establish what
the sequence is and what mutations are present, which may
be associated with the drug resistance.
Genetically Handicapped Person Program
Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness
Group Level Interventions
The recipient of state or federal funds responsible for
administering the funds.
HIV/AIDS Bureau. The entity within HRSA responsible for
administering the CARE Act.
(Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy): Aggressive anti-HIV
treatment usually including a combination of protease and
reverse transcriptase inhibitors whose purpose is to reduce
viral load to undetectable levels.
Home and Community Based Care. A model of case management
services funded by the State of California. See also CMP.
Health Education Risk Reduction
Health Care Financing Administration.
Health Insurance Continuum of Coverage Program
Health Insurance Continuation Program
Health Insurance Payment Premium
HIV Information Resources System
HIV/AIDS Interface Technology System
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV Early Intervention Services/Primary Care): Applied in
the outpatient setting. Assures a continuum of care which
includes (1) identifying persons at risk for HIV infection
and offering to them counseling and testing services, and
(2)providing lifelong comprehensive primary care for those
living with HIV/AIDS
The Health Resources and Services Administration is the
agency of the Department of Health and Human Services that
administers all components of the Ryan White CARE Act.
Health Maintenance Organization
Holds are generally a prerogative of all Senators. Once a
secret action and noted Senate tradition, it is now
sometimes publicized. However, the Majority Leader may not
honor it in all instances. A Senator deciding to prevent a
piece of legislation from being considered can place a hold
on it and theoretically prevent any legislation or vote on
it until the hold is lifted. Such a hold can sometimes be
indefinite where it is coordinated such that when one
Senator’s hold is removed, another Senator can attach a new
one in its place.
Homeless Outreach Program. Los Angeles County CBO.
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS. A federal
program designed to support housing and related services
for people with HIV and their families. The City of Los
Angeles is the grantee for HOPWA funds to be used in the
County of Los Angeles.
Health Promotion Institute. Los Angeles County CBO
Human Papilloma Virus
The Health Resources and Services Administration is the
agency of the Department of Health and Human Services that
administers all components of the Ryan White CARE Act.
HIV Transmission Prevention Project
Intermediate Care Facility
Injection Drug User
Intergovernmental Agreement
In-Home Medical Care
In-Home Support Service
Individual Level Interventions
The number of new cases of a disease that occur during a
specified time period.
The number of new cases of a disease per population per
specified time period often expressed per 100,000
population.
Invitation to Participate
Intravenous
Intravenous Drug User
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care
Organizations
Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Behaviors — used in
outcome measurement of HIV programs
Scale that measures physical function (activities of daily
living).
The Karnofsky scale is often used to assess eligibility for
in-home or other supportive services.
King Drew Medical Center (formerly Martin Luther King,
Jr./Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Medical Center).
Kaposi's Sarcoma, a form of cancer associated with HIV
disease.
Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CBO)
Los Angeles Family AIDS Network. LAFAN is a CARE Act Title
IV grantee.
Legislative Analyst's Office. The LAO provides objective
analysis of legislation and policy options for the State of
California.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The agency within a Title II consortium responsible for
contract administration; also called a fiscal agent.
Republican House Congressional leaders, who control House
schedules, sometime chair the various committees and manage
its overall legislative process. Dennis Hastert (R-
Illinois) is the current House Speaker while Minority
Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Missouri) is his Democratic
counterpart.
Republican Senate Congressional leaders, who control Senate
schedules, sometime chair the various committees and manage
its overall legislative process. Majority Leader is
currently Trent Lott (R-Mississippi). The Democratic
Senate Minority Leader is Thomas Daschle (D-South Dakota).
Local Health Jurisdiction
Local Implementation Group. See CPG
Letter of Intent
Licensed Vocational Nurse
Minority AIDS Initiative. The Congressional Black Caucus
(CBC) took leadership in 1998 to create the CBC
Initiative, now known as the Minority AIDS Initiative, a
source of funding for HIV/AIDS care and prevention services
to communities of color.
Requirement of the CARE Act Title I and II to maintain
expenditures for HIV-related services and activities at a
level equal to that of the preceding year.
Medi-Cal Waiver Program. A Medi-Cal waiver is an agreement
to allow federal Medicare funds to be used to support
services not always supported by Medicare. Applicants are
generally required to demonstrate cost neutrality or cost
effectiveness to secure a waiver.
Marriage and Family Therapist (formerly MFCC), a
certification given by the State of California.
Master Grant Award. A mechanism used by the State of
California to allocate funds to local health jurisdictions.
Medically Indigent Care Reporting System
Multicultural Liaison Board. Convened and supported by the
State of California Office of AIDS, the MLB reviews
materials for cultural appropriateness and likely
effectiveness and advises the OA.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. A publication of
the CDC. The first cases of what we now know as AIDS were
reported in the MMWR on June 5, 1981.
Memorandum of Agreement
See Maintenance of Effort
Memorandum of Understanding
Men who have Sex with Men. MSM defines individual by
behavior, and is inclusive of gay and bisexual men, as well
as those men who have sex with other men but do not
identify themselves as gay or bisexual.
Men Who Have Sex With Men and Women. See also MSM.
Mobile Testing Unit
A process by which a gene undergoes a structural change.
For example, a genetically different form of HIV may have
different growth properties, or be less susceptible to a
drug.
The National Association of People with AIDS. It represents
the health public policy, HIV-treatment and prevention
issues of people living with HIV disease.
The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS
Directors represents the state AIDS Directors on
legislative, administrative, policy, budget, and
appropriation issues.
A systematic process to determine the service needs of a
defined population; a definition of the extent of need,
available services, and service gaps by population and
geographic area.
Needle Exchange Program
Non-Governmental Organization
National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease
National Institutes on Drug Abuse
(The National Institutes of Health). The 23 individual
institutes that collectively provide the largest source of
federally biomedical and behavioral research. Includes,
among others, the Office of AIDS Research, the National
Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute of Allergic
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute for Mental
Health (NIMH).
National Institute of Justice
National Institute of Mental Health
National Library of Medicine
The National Minority AIDS Council provides technical
assistance to community-based minority providers, public
policy support and sponsors the annual US conference on
AIDS.
National Native American AIDS Prevention Center
(National Organizations Responding to AIDS). About 150
organizations- AIDS specific and non-AIDS specific-who
advocate at the national level on AIDS policy and
appropriations.
Nurse Practitioner
Office of AIDS. The entity within the California
Department of Health Services responsible for planning and
administration for AIDS services within the state.
Office of AIDS Programs and Policy.
The entity within the Los Angeles County Department of
Public Health responsible for planning and administration
for AIDS services within Los Angeles County. OAPP is the
grantee for CARE Title I and CDC funding in Los Angeles
County.
Outpatient AIDS Services Integrated System (AIDS Clinic at
King Drew Medical Center).
Office of Legislative Liaison
(Office of Management and Budget). Office within the
Federal executive branch, which prepares the President’s
annual budget, develops the Federal government’s fiscal
program, oversees administration of the budget, and reviews
government regulation.
The Office of Minority is a component of the Office of the
Secretary (OS) within the Department of Health and Human
Services. It attempts to provide support to and focus on
the many health issues that disproportionately impact
communities of color.
Office of National AIDS Policy. Agency created (within the
White House), to provide high-level focus on the
HIV/AIDS epidemic.
An infection or cancer that occurs especially or
exclusively in persons with weak immune systems due to
AIDS, cancer or immunosuppresive drugs such as
corticosteroids or chemotherapy. Also more loosely termed
Opportunistic Infection (OI)
Preidential Advisory Commission on HIV/AIDS
Pharmacy Benefits Manager. Usually a for-profit
corporation that ensures access to prescription medicines.
The PBM for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program is PMDC.
Prevention Case Management
Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia
Partner Counseling and Referral Service
Prevention Evaluation Monitoring System
Post Exposure Prophylaxis
A test that measures some aspect of an organism’s
functions, for example, the amount of a certain drug needed
to inhibit the growth of HIV in a test-tube culture.
Prevention for HIV Infected Persons Project
A body appointed or established in an EMA which plans the
delivery of HIV care services in the EMA and establishes
priorities for the use of Title I CARE Act funds.
Person(s) Living with AIDS.
Persons(s) Living with HIV
Professional Management Development Corporation. A
corporation contracted to manage the California AIDS Drug
Assistance Program (ADAP).
Plan of Corrective Action
People of Positive AIDS. POPA is a coalition of members of
the California HIV Planning Group.
Prevention Planning Committee
Public Private Partnership. A PPP is a contractual between
the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and
non-profit health care providers to support health care to
indigent clients.
The total number of persons with a specific disease or
condition at a given time.
The proportion of a population living at a given time with
a condition or disease (compared to the incidence rate,
which refers to new cases).
The process used by a planning council or consortium to
establish numerical priorities among service categories, to
ensure consistency with locally identified needs, and to
address how best to meet each priority
Treatment to prevent the onset of a particular disease
(primary prophylaxis) or recurrence of symptoms in an
existing infection that has been brought under control
(secondary prophylaxis or maintenance therapy).
An enzyme that triggers the breakdown of proteins. HIV’s
protease enzyme breaks apart long strands of viral protein
into the separate proteins constituting the viral core and
the enzymes it contains. HIV protease acts as new virus
particles are budding off a cell membrane.
A drug that binds to HIV protease and blocks it from
working, thus preventing the production of new functional
viral particles.
Private Voluntary Organization
Person With AIDS
Persons with HIV
Prevention with Positives
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Improvement
Residential AIDS Center
Residential AIDS Shelter
Residential Care Facility for Chronically Ill. The Office
of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP) maintains 7 RCFCI
contracts.
RDL Enterprises. A corporation contracted for meeting and
logistical planning for the California Office of AIDS.
A type of virus that, when not infecting a cell, stores its
genetic information on a single-stranded RNA molecule
instead of the more usual double-stranded DNA. HIV is an
example of a retrovirus. After a retrovirus penetrates a
cell, it constructs a DNA version of its genes using a
special enzyme, reverse transcriptease. This DNA then
becomes part of the cell’s genetic material.
A uniquely viral enzyme that constructs DNA from an RNA
template, which is an essential step in the life cycle of a
retrovirus such as HIV. The RNA-based genes of HIV and
other retroviruses must be converted to DNA if they are to
integrate into the cellular genome.
Request for Application
(Request for Proposals): An open and competitive process
for selecting providers of service (sometimes called RFA or
Request for Application).
Ribonucleic Acid.
A family of single-stranded molecules structurally similar
to DNA.
In HIV, RNA is the molecule that carries the genetic
information in the virus. In the process of infection, the
HIV genome must be converted to DNA to successfully infect
a cell.
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor. A drug that binds to HIV
reverse transcriptase and blocks it from working, thus
preventing the production of new functional viral particles.
Ryan White CARE Act - See also CARE Act
A final therapy for people who are non-responsive to or
cannot tolerate other available treatments for a particular
condition.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration - agency within the Department of Health and
Human Services that administers state block grant funds for
substance abuse and mental health services and directs
service grants to community-based organizations serving
individuals living with HIV/AIDS and substance abuse or
mental health issues.
(Self Assessment Modules): Self-assessment tools for
planning councils and consortia.
Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need.
A written statement of need for the entire State developed
through a process designed to collaboratively identify
significant HIV issues and maximize CARE Act program
coordination.
The SCSN process is convened by the Title 11 grantee, with
equal responsibility and input by all programs;
representatives must include all CARE Act titles and Part F
managers, providers, PLWH, and public health agency(s).
State Disability Insurance
The particular order of nucleotides in DNA, RNA or of amino
acids in a protein. The sequence is a signature of
identification.
Development of detectable antibodies to HIV in the blood as
a result of infection. It normally takes several weeks to
several months for antibodies to the virus to develop after
HIV transmission. When antibodies to HIV appear in the
blood, a person will test positive in the standard ELISA
test for HIV.
The number of persons in a population who test HIV-positive
based on serology (blood serum) specimens. It is often
presented as a percent of the total specimens tested or as
a rate per 100,000 persons tested.
A report that provides information about the percent or
rate of people in specific testing groups and populations
who have tested positive for HIV.
Sexual Health Assessment
Skilled Nursing Facility. SNF is a licensure category
administered by the State of California.
Share of Cost. The payment required by individuals to
receive Medi-Cal benefits. For very low-income
individuals, the share of cost is zero.
Service Planning Area. Los Angeles County is divided into
eight SPAs of roughly equal population.
(Special Projects of National Significance) A health
services demonstration, research, and evaluation program
funded under Part F of the CARE Act.
Single Room Occupancy. Usually a kind of residence hotel,
frequently used for temporary housing for very low-income
individuals.
Staff Services Analyst
Social Security Disability Insurance
Sexually Transmitted Disease. Usually, STD refers to
chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis. Less often, STD is used
to include hepatitis B and/or HIV. Synonymous with VD, STI.
Sexually Transmitted Infection
An ongoing systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and
using data on specific health conditions and diseases
(e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
surveillance system for AIDS cases).
A report providing information on the number of reported
cases of a disease such as AIDS, nationally and for
specific sub-populations.
Temporary Aid for Needy Families. A State of California
program for low-income families. Formerly AFDC.
Treatment Authorization Request. A TAR authorizes a
treatment or therapy for Medi-Cal reimbursement.
A population to be reached through some action or
intervention; may refer to groups within specific
demographic or geographic characteristics.
Tuberculosis
Technically refers to the White House and the executive
branch of government. Also commonly used by AIDS advocates
to refer to the OMB (Office of Management and Budget), the
National Office of AIDS Policy, and (or) the Department of
Health and Human Services.
Teens Linking Care
A grouping of disease exposure and infection routes; in
relation to HIV disease, exposure groupings include
injection drug use, men who have sex with men, heterosexual
contact, perinatal transmission etc.
University-wide AIDS Research Program. This is a program
of the University of California, with research centers and
projects at multiple sites.
Utilization Review
Uniform Reporting System. A system developed by HRSA to
standardize data collected on CARE Act clients and services.
The amount of HIV RNA per unit of blood plasma. Indicates
virus concentration and reproduction rate. HIV viral load
is also used as a predictor of diseased progression. It can
be measured by PCR or bDNA tests and is expressed in number
of copies of or equivalents to the HIV RNA genome per
milliliter of plasma.
Diagnostic tools to help physicians predict HIV disease
progression and evaluate the effectiveness of antiviral
drugs used to treat patients with HIV infection.
The presence of virus in blood or blood plasma. Plasma
viremia is a quantitative measurement of HIV levels similar
to viral load but is accomplished by seeing how much of a
patient’s plasma is required to spark an HIV infection in a
laboratory cell culture.
Visiting Nurses Association. An organization (including
affiliates in many parts of California) that provides home
health and attendant care.
A test for detecting the specific antibodies to HIV in a
person’s blood. It is commonly used to verify positive
ELISA tests. A Western Blot test is more reliable than the
ELISA, but it is harder and more costly to perform. All
positive HIV antibody tests should be confirmed with a
Western Blot test.
World Health Organization, an entity within the United
Nations, headquartered in Switzerland.
Women at Sexual Risk
See AZT.