Background
The North Carolina Community Research Partnership developed, implemented, and tested weCare, a 12-month bilingual mHealth social media intervention designed to reduce missed HIV care ...appointments and increase viral suppression among racially/ethnically diverse gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and transgender women living with HIV by harnessing established social media platforms (i.e., Facebook, texting, and dating apps).
Methods
We randomized 198 GBMSM and transgender women (mean age = 26) living with HIV to the weCare intervention (n = 100) or usual-care (n = 98) group. Inclusion criteria included being newly diagnosed or not in care. Participants completed structured assessments at baseline and 6-month postintervention follow-up (18 months after baseline data collection). HIV care appointment and viral load data were abstracted from each participant’s electronic health record at baseline and follow-up. Follow-up retention was 85.5%.
Results
Among participants, 94% self-identified as cisgender men, 6% as transgender, 64% as African American/Black, and 13% as Latine. Participants in both groups significantly reduced missed HIV care appointments and increased viral suppression at follow-up compared with baseline. However, there were no significant differences between weCare and usual-care participants for either outcome at follow-up.
Conclusions
An intervention effect was not identified for our two primary outcomes. Several factors may have influenced the lack of significant differences between weCare and usual-care participants at follow-up, including intervention implementation (e.g., staffing changes and lack of fidelity to the intervention as originally designed by the partnership), data collection (e.g., data collection time points and retention strategies), and clinical (e.g., contamination) factors.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rates in the southeast United States are high and substance use is common among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study used baseline data from the
intervention ...study to examine factors associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana among racially and ethnically diverse young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and transgender women in the southeast who were newly diagnosed as having HIV, not linked to care, out of care, and/or not virally suppressed.
Self-reported data were collected from 196 GBMSM and transgender women living with HIV via Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview at enrollment. Measures assessed demographics; stigma; social support; basic and clinical service needs; HIV disclosure; social media use; and recent use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Logistic regression identified correlates of past 30-day substance use.
In multivariable analysis, increased age and needing basic support services were associated with past 30-day tobacco, cigarette, electronic cigarette, and/or hookah use. Increased HIV-related stigma and needing basic support services were associated with past 30-day marijuana use. Being White and needing clinical support services were associated with infrequent or no past 30-day marijuana use.
HIV-related stigma and needing basic support services were associated with substance use among GBMSM and transgender women living with HIV in the southeastern United States. Routine screening for basic needs could identify GBMSM and transgender women living with HIV at risk for substance use and offer insight into intervention leverage points.
There is limited research on how Black women’s perspectives of their relationship influence their sexual experiences (i.e., sex initiation and orgasm frequency) in early adulthood. This quantitative ...study examined the association between relationship and partner-specific factors (e.g., relationship satisfaction, love, egalitarianism, partner’s age, physical violence) with the sexual experiences of 216 Black heterosexual women (ages 19–27) from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the majority of the sample report being in long-standing, committed, loving, monogamous, and egalitarian relationships with older men. Most participants reported having an orgasm more than half the time when they have sexual intercourse (62%), and that they equally initiate sex with their partners (55%), with only 18% reporting that they initiate sex most of the time. Results indicated that relationship and partner-specific factors were significantly associated with initiating sexual intercourse and/or orgasm frequency. Egalitarianism was the only factor that was significantly associated with orgasm frequency and the three types of sex initiation. Physical violence and verbal threats were associated with equal initiation and partner initiation. There were no significant associations between any partner-specific factors and women initiating sex more often in their relationship. Implications for sex research and sexuality education are discussed.
Research demonstrates that stigma and resilience influence transgender peoples' healthcare use. Less is known about transgender Latinas in the U.S. South who face multilevel barriers to healthcare ...access. We used baseline data from the ChiCAS intervention study. Using logistic regression, we examined how stigma (perceived discrimination related to gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual behavior and perceived documentation status and internalized transphobia), and resilience (ethnic group pride and social support) are associated with two healthcare outcomes (use of routine medical care and medically supervised gender-affirming hormones). We also explored barriers to accessing both types of care. After removing 13 participants with missing data, our sample size was 131 transgender Latinas in the U.S. South. Most participants (74.8%, n = 98) received routine medical care in the past year and 57.3% (n = 75) had ever received medically supervised gender-affirming hormones. Reports of discrimination were highest for gender identity and documentation status. Race/ethnicity-based discrimination was positively associated with accessing routine medical care in the past year (OR = 1.94, p = 0.048). Having more social support was positively associated with care (routine care: OR = 3.48, p = 0.002 and gender-affirming hormones: OR = 2.33, p = 0.003). The most commonly reported barriers to accessing both types of care included cost, insurance, and not knowing where to go. Findings highlight the importance of social support for healthcare use among transgender Latinas. Social support may be especially important when considering the unique experiences of discrimination faced by transgender Latinas in the U.S. South.
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the conduct of community-based and community-engaged research. Prior to the pandemic, our community-based participatory research partnership was testing ...ChiCAS, an in-person, group-level behavioral intervention designed to promote uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condom use, and medically supervised gender-affirming hormone therapy among Spanish-speaking transgender Latinas. However, the pandemic required adaptations to ensure the safe conduct of the ChiCAS intervention trial. In this article, we describe adaptations to the trial within five domains. Transgender women are disproportionately affected by HIV, and it is essential to find ways to continue research designed to support their health within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and future infectious disease outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. These adaptations offer guidance for ongoing and future community-based and community-engaged research during the COVID-19 pandemic and/or potential subsequent outbreaks (e.g., monkeypox), epidemics, and pandemics, particularly within under-served marginalized and minoritized communities.
Consistent with young adults' penchant for digital communication, young adults living with HIV use digital communication media to seek out health information. Understanding the types of health ...information sought online and the characteristics of these information-seeking young adults is vital when designing digital health interventions for them.
This study aims to describe characteristics of young adults living with HIV who seek health information through the internet. Results will be relevant to digital health interventions and patient education.
Young adults with HIV (aged 18-34 years) self-reported internet use during an evaluation of digital HIV care interventions across 10 demonstration projects in the United States (N=716). Lasso (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) models were used to select characteristics that predicted whether participants reported seeking general health and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information on the internet during the past 6 months.
Almost a third (211/716, 29.5%) and a fifth (155/716, 21.6%) of participants reported searching for general health and SRH information, respectively; 26.7% (36/135) of transgender young adults with HIV searched for gender-affirming care topics. Areas under the curve (>0.70) indicated success in building models to predict internet health information seeking. Consistent with prior studies, higher education and income predicted health information seeking. Higher self-reported antiretroviral therapy adherence, substance use, and not reporting transgender gender identity also predicted health information seeking. Reporting a sexual orientation other than gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight predicted SRH information seeking.
Young adults living with HIV commonly seek both general health and SRH information online, particularly those exploring their sexual identity. Providers should discuss the most commonly sought SRH topics and the use of digital technology and be open to discussing information found online to better assist young adults with HIV in finding accurate information. Characteristics associated with health information-seeking behavior may also be used to develop and tailor digital health interventions for these young adults.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Black women have disproportionate rates of HIV compared to women of all other racial groups. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate perceived HIV risk, HIV and sexually transmitted infection ...(STI) testing behaviors, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge and attitudes among Black sexual minority women (SMW) and examine differences based on their history of male sex partners. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the Generations Study. This analysis used a sample of N = 149 participants who identified as Black cisgender women. Results showed Black SMW with a history of male sex partners reported a higher perceived risk of contracting HIV and significantly more frequent HIV and STI testing than those without a history of male sex partners. Overall, most of the sample was not familiar with PrEP, but one-third had favorable attitudes toward it, and half felt like they did not know enough about PrEP to form an opinion. Implications for culturally relevant public health campaigns and comprehensive sexuality education that integrate PrEP are included.
This study uses cognitive interviewing to examine individuals’ interpretations of sexuality-related questions and meanings of sex and sexuality. The sample includes 20 adults (12 women and 8 men) who ...were randomly selected university staff in the Midwestern United States. Using a sexual script and symbolic interactionist framework, we identify two themes in individuals’ understandings of sex and sexuality: (1) people’s talk about sexuality at the cultural level typically corresponds to traditional gender arrangements and stereotypes; however, personal experiences elicit more contradictions and (2) our relatively small sample revealed a wide range of understandings of sex and sexuality, including how gender expectations influenced their meanings. Implications for theoretical work on gender and sexuality as well as future empirical studies are discussed.
Criminal justice practices in the USA disproportionately affect sexual and racial/ethnic minority men, who are at higher risk of incarceration. Previous research demonstrates associations between ...incarceration and sexual risk behaviors for men who have sex with men (MSM). However, little of this work focuses on young MSM (YMSM), particularly HIV-infected YMSM, despite nearly one-third reporting engagement in sexual risk behaviors, such as transactional sex. We therefore explored the association between incarceration and transactional sex among HIV-infected YMSM. We recruited 97 HIV-infected YMSM across 14 clinical sites in urban centers from August 2015 to February 2016. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between incarceration and transactional sex among YMSM. The majority was 24 years old (78%) and racial/ethnic minority (95%); over half were not in school and reported an annual income of < $12,000. In the multivariate model, having ever been incarcerated (aOR = 3.20; 95% CI 1.07–9.63) was independently associated with a history of transactional sex. Being 24 years vs. younger (aOR = 9.68; 95% CI 1.42–65.78) and having ever been homeless (aOR = 3.71, 95% CI 1.18–11.65) also remained independently associated with a history of transactional sex. This analysis fills a gap in the literature by examining the relationship between incarceration and transactional sex among HIV-infected YMSM. Facilitating youths’ engagement with social services available in their HIV clinic may serve as a key strategy in promoting health. Public health efforts need to address social-structural factors driving disproportionate rates of arrest and incarceration and related harms among this population.
The goal of this study was to gain insight on the sexual health needs of men who have sex with men (MSM) who use GPS-based social and sexual networking mobile applications (apps) and the future ...utility of app-based interventions. A health educator promoted HIV-testing resources in four popular apps used by MSM. Content analysis was used to identify salient themes that emerged from the conversations. Four major themes were identified: (1) soliciting sexual encounters, (2) relationship building, (3) HIV and STI-testing inquiries, and (4) seeking other sexual health information. The results suggest the intervention's social media-based strategy, respect for community culture, and unobtrusive approach was advantageous in establishing credibility and rapport with app users. These results highlight a need for convenient and discreet methods to access accurate sexual health information and suggest that apps provide an alternative, non-traditional venue for sexual health education in addition to HIV testing promotion.
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