Learning from the first: a qualitative study of the psychosocial benefits and treatment burdens of long-acting cabotegravir/rilpivirine among early adopters in three U.S. clinics.

Introduction: Perspectives on long-acting injectable cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB/RPV-LA) from HIV health disparity populations are under-represented in current literature yet crucial to optimize delivery.

Methods: Between August 2022 and May 2023, we conducted in-depth interviews with people with HIV (PWH) at four HIV clinics in Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. Eligibility criteria were current CAB/RPV-LA use with receipt of ≥3 injections or CAB/RPV-LA discontinuation.

Effective Messages to Reduce Stigma among People Newly Diagnosed with HIV during Rapid ART Initiation.

HIV stigma has a negative influence on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and persistence and viral suppression. Immediate access to ART (RAPID ART) has been shown to accelerate viral suppression (VS) that is sustained up to one year after HIV diagnosis. Little is known about the role of RAPID ART in reducing individual-level stigma.

Acceptability of Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy Among People with HIV Receiving Care at Three Ryan White Funded Clinics in the United States.

Understanding the acceptability of long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI-ART) among people with HIV (PWH), especially priority populations, is essential for effective implementation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with patients in three Ryan White-funded HIV clinics in San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta. We employed maximal variation sampling across age, gender, race, ethnicity, and time living with HIV and oversampled for individuals with suboptimal clinical engagement.

Are Patients and Their Providers Talking About Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy? Penetration into Clinical Encounters at Three U.S. Care Sites.

Use of long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy depends on patient awareness, provider discussion, and patient willingness to use. We conducted a postvisit survey with patients at 3 HIV clinics in San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta in May 2021 to assess for inequities in these early implementation phases.

Exploring the Shift From HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Awareness to Uptake Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men.

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the form of a daily oral medication is highly effective at preventing HIV. In the United States, awareness about PrEP has steadily increased over time among individuals vulnerable to HIV, however awareness has not translated into widescale uptake. Estimates are that fewer than 20% of 1.

A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Immediate Antiretroviral Therapy Among Urban Persons With Newly Diagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Background: Guidelines recommend immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) at or shortly after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis, yet little is known about how people living with HIV (PLWH) experience this treatment strategy, including racial/ethnic minorities, cisgender/transgender women, and those with housing instability.

Methods: To assess the acceptability of immediate ART offer among urban PLWH, understand how this approach affects the lived experience of HIV diagnosis, and explore reasons for declining immediate ART, we conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with individuals who had been offered immediate ART after HIV diagnosis at a safety-net HIV clinic in San Francisco and a federally qualified health center in Chicago. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

A Mobile Health App (WYZ) for Engagement in Care and Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Youth and Young Adults Living With HIV: Single-Arm Pilot Intervention Study.

Background: Youth are globally recognized as being vulnerable to HIV. Younger age has been correlated with worse health outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have the potential to interact with youth where they are, using a device they already access.

Development of the Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale among Youth and Young Adults Living with HIV.

Introduction: Youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in the US have the lowest viral suppression percentage. Lack of sufficient technology access may be correlated with HIV health outcomes in this population.

Methods: We developed a Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale (MTVS; 18 items) among 18-29-year-olds.

WYZ: a pilot study protocol for designing and developing a mobile health application for engagement in HIV care and medication adherence in youth and young adults living with HIV.

Introduction: Youth and young adults bear a disproportionate share of the HIV burden and there is a critical need for interventions to curb health disparities experienced among these age groups. The purpose of our research is to build on our theory-guided model and formative research to develop a mobile health application, called WYZ, for improved engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral therapy adherence, and pilot test it among youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH). In this paper, we explain the design and development of WYZ for YLWH, describe the design of a forthcoming pilot trial for evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of WYZ and compare WYZ with other mobile health applications being developed to improve engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral medication adherence.

The collaborative care model for HIV and depression: Patient perspectives and experiences from a safety-net clinic in the United States.

Objectives: Collaborative care models may improve outcomes for both HIV and depression. The model includes routine screening and re-assessment of depressive symptoms as well as care coordination services delivered by an ancillary provider focused on mental health. We sought to explore patient experiences and attitudes about the services received through the collaborative care model, including measurement-based care using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

"Losing the Phobia:" Understanding How HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Facilitates Bridging the Serodivide Among Men Who Have Sex With Men.

The use of HIV serostatus information has played a pivotal role in partner selection norms. A phenomenon known as is the practice of selecting a partner based on a perception that they are of the HIV status in order to avoid transmission from one partner to the other. An understudied aspect of serosorting is that it has a divisive effect-one accepts or rejects a potential partner based on a singular characteristic, the partner's HIV status, and thus excludes all others.