COVID-19 Youth

Partner Violence, And COVID-19 On HIV Care Engagement Among Young Black Sexual Minority Men With HIV In The US South

Investigators: (PI) Susan Kegeles (UCSF) (PI) Erik Storholm (Cal State Univ San Diego); (co-I) Daniel Siconolfi (Rand Corporation); (co-I) Chadwick Campbell (Cal State Univ San Diego); (co-I) Wilson Vincent (Temple University) (co-I) Lance Pollack (UCSF)

Among sexual minority men, young Black sexual minority men are the most disproportionately impacted by new HIV infections. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most understudied factors that may exacerbate these disparities. Both IPV and substance use leading to IPV may help explain poorer Continued Care (CC)  engagement among YBSMM+ and are likely to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is having devastating health and economic impacts. 

This study uses structural equation modeling to explore the associations between substance use and IPV and their impact on HIV care engagement, viral suppression, condomless anal sex, and to determine if distinct forms of resilience (global resiliency, coping skills, and social support) buffer associations between these relationships among YBSMM+ in the U.S. South. This study will shed new light on the associations between substance use, IPV, and CC outcomes and risk and subsequently aid in developing a resiliency and advocacy-based intervention that potentially reduces the impact of substance use and IPV on CC engagement and retention among YBSMM+.
 

Young Adult Perspectives on Sex, Dating, and PrEP Use During the Pandemic and Improving the Future of PrEP Care

Investigators: Christina E. Camp, Carrie T. Chan, Parya Saberi

Few studies have researched young adults’ experiences taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) after the start of California’s COVID-19 shelter-in-place (SIP) orders. This study examined the experiences of young adults with sex, dating, and PrEP use during SIP and their perceptions on how to improve PrEP care in this age group. PrEP users ages 18–29 living in California between April 2020 and June 2021 completed a quantitative survey (N = 37) and one-on-one qualitative interviews (N = 18). Over half of the survey participants reported trouble accessing PrEP care during SIP, citing difficulty obtaining medication refills, clinic appointments, and access to completing lab work. In qualitative interviews, participants expressed their preferences for more accessible PrEP service delivery across the PrEP care continuum. Despite pandemic SIP orders and trouble accessing PrEP services, young adults continued to engage in sexual behaviors.

To read the complete peer-reviewed article click on the link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-022-03970-5

DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002900