Table 4 Components of LINC baseline assessment

Demographics [31]

Participant demographics and socio-economic status

HIV Testing and HCV Diagnosis [32]

Dates and locations of HIV/HCV testing and HIV/HCV treatment

Health Care Utilization

How often participants see a physician and if they receive treatment for HIV and addiction

Access to Care Scale [33, 34]

Participant perceptions of access to medical care

Barriers to Medical Care [35]

Reasons why participants may not have received medical care in the past month

Health Literacy [36]

Participant understanding of medical information and forms

HIV Symptom Index [37]

A 20-item HIV symptom index of patient-reported symptoms

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Assesses if participants have ever been treated for sexually transmitted diseases

HIV Sex Risk Behaviors [38]

Questions about vaginal, oral, and/or anal sexual practices with any sexual partners and use of substances before or during sex

Sexual Partners^a

Questions about number and gender of recent sexual partners

HIV Disclosure^a [39, 40]

Discussion of HIV status with others, including sexual partners

HIV Stigma^a [41]

Experiences and feelings participants may have because of HIV

Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D)^a [42, 43]

A measure of depressive symptomatology

State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)– Short Form^a [44, 45]

A measure of current feelings of anxiety

Partner Violence and Sexual Assault^a

Experiences of having been hurt physically or sexually

The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence [46, 47]

A measure of nicotine dependence

Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) [48]

Identifies persons with hazardous alcohol use

Texas Christian University (TCU): Drug Screen [49, 50]

Assesses drug use in the past year

Drug Use [51, 52]

Assesses frequency and type of drugs used and drug risk behaviors

Overdose and Suicide [53]

Questions regarding overdose and suicide attempts

Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) [54]

Assesses access to food in the past 4 weeks

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale [55]

Assesses participant impulsivity

Social Support Scale [56]

Measures access to companionship, assistance, or other types of support

Involvement with Police [57]

Assesses experiences with police officers

RAND36 Health Survey [58]

General assessment of overall health