The heightened vulnerability of adolescents to poor HIV care outcomes underscores the need for interventions that create and promote HIV self-management behavioral skills. Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) experience a complex array of physical, emotional, and social challenges that constrain their self-care, but the majority of existing psychosocial programs focus primarily on medication adherence. Understanding adolescents’ self-care needs, challenges, and preferences is necessary for developing effective culturally relevant interventions. The involvement of caregivers and stakeholders is also critical to realizing positive self-care outcomes. This article presents the findings from focus group discussions with ALHIV, caregivers, and healthcare providers on self-care. The data were collected as part of formative research in the development of a self-management intervention for Ugandan ALHIV. Participants’ discussions on self-care strategies and intervention approaches provide valuable insights to guide the development of interventions to promote positive HIV care outcomes among Ugandan ALHIV.
Introduction: Prior work found <4% of key populations living with HIV (KPLWH) in Tijuana, Mexico, were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The goal of this pilot study was to examine community stakeholders’ perceived need and acceptability of a peer-navigator program to improve ART coverage. Methods: We held a community forum and measured perspectives of key stakeholders in local organizations that serve KPLWH using online surveys, and in-depth interviews (with select key informants). Results: Univariate descriptive statistics and emergent thematic analysis illustrated that there was general consensus that the program could improve ART coverage for KPLWH by helping to overcome geographic, transportation, and sociostructural barriers to HIV care. Police harassment, mobility, and non-HIV comorbidities were identified as challenges the program would need to navigate. Conclusions: Community stakeholders expressed perceived need and acceptability of a program to improve HIV care outcomes among KPLWH in Tijuana. The program should address the challenges identified by community stakeholders.
HIV care outcomes must be improved to reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and health disparities. HIV infection-related care outcome measures were examined for U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born black persons aged ≥13 years by using National HIV Surveillance System data from 40 U.S. areas. These measures include late-stage HIV diagnosis, timing of linkage to medical care after HIV diagnosis, retention in care, and viral suppression. Ninety-five percent of non-U.S.-born blacks had been born in Africa or the Caribbean. Compared with U.S.-born blacks, higher percentages of non-U.S.-born blacks with HIV infection diagnosed during 2016 received a late-stage diagnoses (28.3% versus 19.1%) and were linked to care in ≤1 month after HIV infection diagnosis (76.8% versus 71.3%). Among persons with HIV diagnosed in 2014 and who were alive at year-end 2015, a higher percentage of non-U.S.-born blacks were retained in care (67.8% versus 61.1%) and achieved viral suppression (68.7% versus 57.8%). Care outcomes varied between African- and Caribbean-born blacks. Non-U.S.-born blacks achieved higher care outcomes than U.S.-born blacks, despite delayed entry to care. Possible explanations include a late-stage presentation that requires immediate linkage and optimal treatment and care provided through government-funded programs.
An Exploratory Study of Resilience, HIV-Related Stigma, and HIV Care Outcomes Among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Living with HIV in Louisiana
