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Copyright of AIDS & Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Multilevel barriers to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care among male sex workers (MSW) include aspects of interactions with health services and providers. We examined relationships between health service- and provider-level factors and PrEP care among MSW. Between 2017 and 2019, we enrolled 111 MSW in the Northeast United States who were not on PrEP, but expressed interest in potentially using PrEP, in a behavioral intervention to promote PrEP uptake and adherence. Using baseline data, we examined whether having a primary care provider, past year frequency of medical visits, comfort discussing sexual practices with providers, and transportation difficulties to accessing general health care were associated with PrEP use self-efficacy, anticipated barriers to PrEP uptake, adherence, and retention (linear regression), and intention to initiate PrEP (logistic regression). Models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, education, and income. Participants' mean age was 34.2 [standard deviation (SD) = 8.5], and 47% were non-White. Three-quarters (76%) intended to initiate PrEP within the next month. Comfort discussing sexual practices with providers was associated with PrEP use self-efficacy (b = 0.41, p = 0.008). Comfort discussing sexual practices with providers was negatively associated with anticipated barriers to PrEP uptake (b = −0.29, p = 0.006). Transportation difficulties to accessing general health care were associated with barriers to PrEP uptake (b = 0.30, p = 0.007) and barriers to PrEP adherence and retention (b = 0.57, p < 0.001). No health service- and provider-level characteristics were associated with intention to initiate PrEP. PrEP programs targeting MSW may benefit from interventions to foster communication between MSW and providers about sexual practices and should consider structural barriers to accessing care, including lack of access to transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The estimated 2.2 million people who inject drugs (PWID) in the USA experience significant gaps in preventive healthcare and a high burden of infectious, psychiatric, and other chronic diseases. Many PWID rely on emergency medical services, which are costly and not designed to deliver preventive services, manage chronic conditions, or address social needs. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators to primary care utilization from the perspectives of PWID in New England, a region highly affected by the overdose crisis. Design: Participants completed semi-structured qualitative interviews exploring substance use and healthcare utilization patterns. Participants: We recruited 78 PWID through community-based organizations (e.g., syringe service programs) in 16 urban and non-urban communities throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Approach: Thematic analysis identified barriers and facilitators to primary care utilization at the individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels. Key Results: Among 78 PWID, 48 described recent primary care experiences; 33 had positive experiences and 15 described negative experiences involving discrimination or mistrust. Individual-level barriers to primary care utilization included perceived lack of need and competing priorities (e.g., avoiding opioid withdrawal, securing shelter beds). Interpersonal-level barriers included stigma and perceived low quality of care for PWID. Systemic-level barriers included difficulty navigating healthcare systems, inadequate transportation, long wait times, and frequent provider turnover. Participants with positive primary care experiences explained how appointment reminders, flexible hours, addiction medicine–trained providers, case management services, and transportation support facilitated primary care utilization and satisfaction. Conclusions: Findings regarding the multilevel barriers and facilitators to accessing primary care among PWID identify potential targets for programmatic interventions to improve primary care utilization in this population. Based on these findings, we make recommendations for improving the engagement of PWID in primary care as a means to advance individual and public health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for HIV infection through sharing contaminated needles and injection equipment, and engaging in condomless sex. Objectives: To qualitatively examine the overlapping nature of these behaviors among PWID in the US Northeast. Methods: We recruited HIV-uninfected PWID and key informants through community-based organizations. Qualitative interviews explored sexual partnerships as they related to sharing contaminated needles and injection equipment, engaging in condomless sex, and associated indications for PrEP among PWID. Results: Among 33 PWID, 66% engaged in condomless vaginal or anal sex in the past 3 months, and 27% had three or more sexual partners in this same time period. Over half engaged in any past month distributive or receptive syringe sharing (64%). We identified three contexts through which overlapping sexual and injection-related HIV risks emerged, including (1) multiple concurrent sexual partnerships; (2) using and injecting drugs with sexual partners (including increase injecting of crystal methamphetamine); and (3) exchanging sex for money or drugs (including among male PWID). Condom use was inconsistent across these contexts. Limited interactions with healthcare providers often resulted in sexual risks being overlooked in light of competing health concerns. Conclusions: Sexual risk for HIV acquisition is complex and multi-faceted among PWID yet may be overlooked by prevention and healthcare providers. Comprehensive HIV prevention efforts must acknowledge the distinct contexts in which overlapping injection and sexual risk behaviors occur. Increased sexual health screening and risk reduction services including PrEP for PWID may help curtail transmission in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIDS & Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Medication adherence among youth living with HIV (28%–69%) is often insufficient for viral suppression. The psychosocial context of adherence barriers is complex. We sought to qualitatively understand adherence barriers among behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth and develop an intervention specific to their needs. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 youth living with HIV (aged 14–24 years) and analyzed transcripts using the constant comparative method. Barriers were influenced by clinical and psychosocial factors. Perinatally infected youth barriers included reactance, complicated regimens, HIV fatigue, and difficulty transitioning to autonomous care. Behaviorally infected youth barriers included HIV-related shame and difficulty initiating medication. Both groups reported low risk perception, medication as a reminder of HIV, and nondisclosure, but described different contexts to these common barriers. Common and unique barriers emerged for behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth reflecting varying HIV experiences and psychosocial contexts. We developed a customizable intervention addressing identified barriers and their psychosocial antecedents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Male sex workers (MSW) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, with an estimated HIV prevalence in the United States of 19.3%. Existing research suggests that MSW are also at risk of adverse psychosocial problems. Cross-sectional studies of MSW have suggested that co-occurring epidemics or a "syndemic" of psychosocial problems may increase vulnerability to HIV acquisition/transmission by elevated sexual risk. To the best of our knowledge, there are no published studies examining this relationship longitudinally among MSW. This study examined how a syndemic of 6 psychosocial problems result in additive risk for condomless anal sex (CAS) with male clients among a multicity, longitudinal cohort of MSW., Setting: Community-based organization and health center in 2 Northeastern US cities., Methods: Between 2015 and 2017, 100 MSW from Boston, MA and Providence, RI completed behavioral/psychosocial surveys at baseline, 6 months, and 12months. Generalized estimating equation modeling was used to examine the prospective relationship of additive psychosocial problems and subsequent CAS with male clients, adjusting for age, site, race/ethnicity, MSW-type, and HIV serostatus., Results: Mean age = 34.7 (SD = 11.8); 62% racial/ethnic minority; and 20% HIV+. The prevalence of 6 psychosocial syndemic problems was substantial at baseline and remained high at each time point (all within the past 6 months): 74% problematic depressive symptoms, 27% polydrug use (3+ drugs, not including stimulants), 57% stimulant (methamphetamine/cocaine/crack) use, 44% hazardous drinking, 15% experienced client-specific physical/sexual violence, and 57% childhood sexual abuse. Looking at the number of psychosocial problems experienced, 7% had zero, 27% had 1, 24% had 2, 27% had 3, and 15% had 4 or more. We identified a statistically significant positive "dose-response" relationship between the number of psychosocial problems and CAS with male clients over time, with the greatest odds of engaging in CAS with a male client over follow-up among those with 4 or more psychosocial problems (adjusted odds ratio = 5.18, 95% CI: 1.61 to 16.62)., Conclusions: Internet escorts and street-based MSW are likely to experience psychosocial problems and engaging in HIV sexual risk with male clients. The accumulation of psychosocial problems additively predicted CAS with male clients in a prospective cohort of MSW. The specification of psychosocial problems presents distinct treatment targets for HIV prevention among MSW in the United States., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The estimated 2.2 million people who inject drugs (PWID) in the USA experience significant gaps in preventive healthcare and a high burden of infectious, psychiatric, and other chronic diseases. Many PWID rely on emergency medical services, which are costly and not designed to deliver preventive services, manage chronic conditions, or address social needs., Objective: The objective of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators to primary care utilization from the perspectives of PWID in New England, a region highly affected by the overdose crisis., Design: Participants completed semi-structured qualitative interviews exploring substance use and healthcare utilization patterns., Participants: We recruited 78 PWID through community-based organizations (e.g., syringe service programs) in 16 urban and non-urban communities throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island., Approach: Thematic analysis identified barriers and facilitators to primary care utilization at the individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels., Key Results: Among 78 PWID, 48 described recent primary care experiences; 33 had positive experiences and 15 described negative experiences involving discrimination or mistrust. Individual-level barriers to primary care utilization included perceived lack of need and competing priorities (e.g., avoiding opioid withdrawal, securing shelter beds). Interpersonal-level barriers included stigma and perceived low quality of care for PWID. Systemic-level barriers included difficulty navigating healthcare systems, inadequate transportation, long wait times, and frequent provider turnover. Participants with positive primary care experiences explained how appointment reminders, flexible hours, addiction medicine-trained providers, case management services, and transportation support facilitated primary care utilization and satisfaction., Conclusions: Findings regarding the multilevel barriers and facilitators to accessing primary care among PWID identify potential targets for programmatic interventions to improve primary care utilization in this population. Based on these findings, we make recommendations for improving the engagement of PWID in primary care as a means to advance individual and public health outcomes.

Background Stigma is associated with poor health among sexual minority individuals. However, no studies have examined the relationship between stigma and problematic drinking among male sex workers (MSWs). This study examined the relationship between sex work stigma and problematic alcohol use among MSWs., Methods: Using baseline data from a cohort of 98 MSWs in the US Northeast enrolled between 2015 and 2016, we used logistic regression to examine associations between sex work stigma and hazardous drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score ≥8) and sex work while drunk, and tested whether sexual orientation (gay vs non-gay identified) and social network size moderated these associations., Results: Almost half the sample (n = 46; 44%) reported hazardous drinking and 56 MSWs (57%) reported engaging in sex work while drunk. Sex work stigma was associated with hazardous drinking (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.36). Sexual orientation marginally moderated this relationship (P = 0.07), such that it was only significant among gay-identified MSWs (aOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.11-3.28), not among non-gay MSW. Similarly, sexual orientation moderated the effect of sex work stigma on sex work while drunk (P = 0.02), which was only significant among gay-identified MSWs (aOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.05-1.60). Social network size also moderated the effect of sex work stigma on sex work while drunk (P = 0.02), which was only significant among MSWs with small networks (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.00-1.58), suggesting large networks can be protective., Conclusions: Gay MSWs may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol-related effects of stigma. Future interventions should consider engaging social networks to curb problematic drinking among MSWs.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) have limited engagement in healthcare services and report frequent experiences of stigma and mistreatment when accessing services. This paper explores the impact of stigma against injection drug use on healthcare utilization among PWID in the U.S. Northeast., Methods: We recruited PWID through community-based organizations (CBOs; e.g., syringe service programs). Participants completed brief surveys and semi-structured interviews lasting approximately 45 min exploring HIV risk behaviors and prevention needs. Thematic analysis examined the emergent topic of stigma experiences in relation to healthcare utilization., Results: Among 33 PWID (55% male; age range 24-62 years; 67% White; 24% Latino), most used heroin (94%) and injected at least daily (60%). Experiences of dehumanization in healthcare settings were common, with many participants perceiving that they had been treated unfairly or discriminated against due to their injection drug use. As participants anticipated this type of stigma from healthcare providers, they developed strategies to avoid it, including delaying presenting for healthcare, not disclosing drug use, downplaying pain, and seeking care elsewhere. In contrast to large institutional healthcare settings, participants described non-stigmatizing environments within CBOs, where they experienced greater acceptance, mutual respect, and stronger connections with staff., Conclusions: Stigma against injection drug use carries important implications for PWID health. Increased provider training on addiction as a medical disorder could improve PWID healthcare experiences, and integrating health services into organizations frequented by PWID could increase utilization of health services by this population., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The sexual health of transmen--individuals born or assigned female at birth and who identify as male--remains understudied. Given the increasing rates of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among gay and bisexual men in the United States, understanding the sexual practices of transmen who have sex with men (TMSM) may be particularly important to promote sexual health or develop focused HIV prevention interventions. Between May and September 2009, 16 transmen who reported sexual behavior with nontransgender men completed a qualitative interview and a brief interviewer-administered survey. Interviews were conducted until redundancy in responses was achieved. Participants (mean age, 32.5, standard deviation [SD] = 11.1; 87.5% white; 75.0% "queer") perceived themselves at moderately high risk for HIV and STDs, although 43.8% reported unprotected sex with an unknown HIV serostatus nontransgender male partner in the past 12 months. The majority (62.5%) had used the Internet to meet sexual partners and "hook-up" with an anonymous nontransgender male sex partner in the past year. A lifetime STD history was reported by 37.5%; 25.0% had not been tested for HIV in the prior 2 years; 31.1% had not received gynecological care (including STD screening) in the prior 12 months. Integrating sexual health information "by and for" transgender men into other healthcare services, involving peer support, addressing mood and psychological wellbeing such as depression and anxiety, Internet-delivered information for transmen and their sexual partners, and training for health care providers were seen as important aspects of HIV and STD prevention intervention design and delivery for this population. "Embodied scripting" is proposed as a theoretical framework to understand sexual health among transgender populations and examining transgender sexual health from a life course perspective is suggested.

Studies have found that between 14% and 46% of US men who have sex with men (MSM) consistently report "barebacking" behavior (i.e., intentional unprotected anal intercourse) with other men. This is of public health significance because MSM continue to constitute more than 50% of new HIV infections in the USA. Men who self-identify as barebackers may represent a different and unique subset of MSM with distinct HIV prevention needs. In 2007, 227 HIV seronegative MSM recruited through modified respondent-driven sampling completed an interviewer-administered survey which assessed barebacker identity (i.e., personally identifying with the barebacker scene), demographics, sexual risk behaviors, psychosocial variables, and drug/alcohol use. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression procedures were used to examine predictors of barebacker identity in relation to HIV risk behavior. Overall, 31% of participants identified as a barebacker. In bivariate analyses, lower education (OR = 1.76; 95% CI = 0.99-3.13; p < 0.05), a current drinking problem (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.29-4.23; p < 0.01), higher levels of HIV treatment optimism (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01-1.12; p < 0.05), meeting sexual partners at private sex parties (OR = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.28-4.74; p < 0.01) or at bars/cubs (OR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.10-3.52; p < 0.05), and engaging in serodiscordant unprotected insertive anal sex (OR = 3.42; 95% CI = 1.27-9.21; p < 0.01) significantly predicted barebacker identification compared to those with no barebacker identification. In a multivariable model, barebackers were more likely to screen in for alcohol abuse (adjusted OR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.09-4.27; p < 0.05) and engage in serodiscordant unprotected insertive anal sex (adjusted OR = 3.17; 95% CI = 1.09-9.20; p < 0.05) compared to their non-barebacker counterparts. No significant differences were found in serodiscordant unprotected receptive anal sex between barebackers and non-barebackers. These findings suggest that barebacker identity is related to intentional HIV sexual risk taking and alcohol abuse. Furthermore, strategic positioning (i.e., engaging in insertive rather than receptive sex) might be associated with barebacker identification and may indicate a harm-reduction strategy being used among some HIV-uninfected MSM to reduce their risk of becoming infected. Additional research is warranted to understand the social identity of barebacking among MSM in order to develop more nuanced prevention strategies.