80% Viral Suppression by 2020? Understanding the Concept of Engagement in HIV Care and A Call to Action for Nursing

An updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy released in July 2015 emphasized closing the gaps in the HIV care continuum and a goal of 80% viral suppression by 2020. Engagement in HIV care describes an individual's interaction with the health care system to achieve key clinical and behavioral outcomes along the HIV care continuum. The goal of this concept analysis is to explicate engagement in HIV care by defining the concept, and identifying its antecedents, consequences, and research-related gaps. Research, practice, and policy implications involve leveraging the multiple entry points in the health care system where nurses encounter persons living with HIV.