Competing subsistence needs are associated with retention in care and detectable viral load among people living with HIV

Competing priorities between subsistence needs and health care may interfere with HIV health. Longitudinal data from the Los Angeles-based HIV Outreach Initiative were analyzed to examine the association between competing subsistence needs and indicators of poor retention-in-care among hard-to-reach people with HIV. Sacrificing basic needs for health care in the previous six months was associated with a 1.55 times greater incidence of missed appointments (95% CI 1.17, 2.05), 2.32 times greater incidence of emergency department visits (95% CI 1.39, 3.87), 3.66 times greater incidence of not receiving ART if CD4 < 350 (95% CI 1.60, 8.37), and 1.35 times greater incidence of detectable viral load (95% CI 1.07, 1.70) (all p < 0.01). Among hard-to-reach PLHIV, sacrificing basic needs for health care delineates a population with exceptional vulnerability to poor outcomes along the HIV treatment cascade. Efforts to identify and reduce competing needs for this population are crucial to HIV health outcomes

Types of female partners reported by black men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) and associations with intercourse frequency, unprotected sex and HIV and STI prevalence.

We used baseline data from a study of Black MSM/MSMW in 6 US cities to examine the association of female partnership types with disease prevalence and sexual behaviors among the 555 MSMW participants. MSMW reported more than three times as many total and unprotected sex acts with each primary as they did with each non-primary female partner. We compared MSMW whose recent female partners were: (1) all primary ("PF only", n = 156), (2) both primary and non-primary ("PF & NPF", n = 186), and (3) all non-primary ("NPF only", n = 213). HIV/STI prevalence did not differ significantly across groups but sexual behaviors did. The PF only group had the fewest male partners and was the most likely to have only primary male partners; the PF & NPF group was the most likely to have transgender partners. PF & NPF men reported the most sex acts (total and unprotected) with females; NPF only men reported the fewest. Implications for HIV risk and prevention are discussed

Types of female partners reported by black men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) and associations with intercourse frequency, unprotected sex and HIV and STI prevalence.

We used baseline data from a study of Black MSM/MSMW in 6 US cities to examine the association of female partnership types with disease prevalence and sexual behaviors among the 555 MSMW participants. MSMW reported more than three times as many total and unprotected sex acts with each primary as they did with each non-primary female partner. We compared MSMW whose recent female partners were: (1) all primary ("PF only", n = 156), (2) both primary and non-primary ("PF & NPF", n = 186), and (3) all non-primary ("NPF only", n = 213). HIV/STI prevalence did not differ significantly across groups but sexual behaviors did. The PF only group had the fewest male partners and was the most likely to have only primary male partners; the PF & NPF group was the most likely to have transgender partners. PF & NPF men reported the most sex acts (total and unprotected) with females; NPF only men reported the fewest. Implications for HIV risk and prevention are discussed

Types of Female Partners Reported by Black Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women (MSMW) and Associations with Intercourse Frequency, Unprotected Sex and HIV and STI Prevalence

We used baseline data from a study of Black MSM/MSMW in 6 US cities to examine the association of female partnership types with disease prevalence and sexual behaviors among the 555 MSMW participants. MSMW reported more than three times as many total and unprotected sex acts with each primary as they did with each non-primary female partner. We compared MSMW whose recent female partners were: (1) all primary (“PF only”, n = 156), (2) both primary and non-primary (“PF & NPF”, n = 186), and (3) all non-primary (“NPF only”, n = 213). HIV/STI prevalence did not differ significantly across groups but sexual behaviors did. The PF only group had the fewest male partners and was the most likely to have only primary male partners; the PF & NPF group was the most likely to have transgender partners. PF & NPF men reported the most sex acts (total and unprotected) with females; NPF only men reported the fewest. Implications for HIV risk and prevention are discussed