HIV Treatment and Mental Health Outcomes Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV in a Pilot Multicomponent Intervention in Guatemala City.

Globally, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV, but few interventions address mental health and HIV outcomes among GBMSM living with HIV. The purpose of this study was to pilot a multicomponent intervention, integrating emotional well-being (EW) and health navigation for GBMSM living with HIV in Guatemala City. We implemented a 12-month intervention, including a four-session EW component and a health navigation component among newly diagnosed and reengaged GBMSM with HIV (n = 112). We conducted socio-behavioral surveys at baseline and endline to measure patient characteristics and HIV, and mental health outcomes as well as viral load testing. We documented participation in EW sessions and used a smartphone application to track navigation mode, frequency, and content. Using first-difference estimation modeling, we assessed associations between participation in EW and navigation and mental health (depression and anxiety symptoms) and HIV outcomes (HIV treatment adherence, viral suppression). Acceptability was high for EW (86%) and navigation (99%). During the intervention, viral suppression increased significantly and anxiety and depression decreased significantly. Participation in EW sessions and greater navigation frequency and duration were associated with being suppressed, whereas higher emotional navigator support was associated with being unsuppressed. Participation in EW sessions was associated with reduced anxiety. Findings suggest that multicomponent interventions integrating individual counseling and navigation may promote EW and sustained viral suppression. Future intervention research is needed to confirm whether HIV and mental health outcomes are attributable to the intervention and to assess mechanisms of influence.

Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Mental Health Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV in Guatemala.

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by poor mental health compared to their heterosexual counterparts. One factor that may increase mental health problems among MSM is intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. The objectives of this study are to (a) describe the prevalence of different forms of IPV victimization experienced by MSM living with HIV in Guatemala City and (b) examine the relationship between IPV victimization and mental health. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from a cohort of MSM living with HIV in Guatemala City (n = 374) to describe the burden of IPV, including physical, sexual, and emotional IPV. We then examined relationships between lifetime IPV and each form of recent IPV (past 12 months) with self-reported anxiety and depression using multivariable logistic regression. Over a quarter (27.3%) of the participants screened positive for anxiety and nearly one fifth (17.9%) screened positive for depression. Over a quarter of the participants (28.6%) reported ever having experienced any IPV victimization and 8.8% reported having experienced any form of recent IPV. In multivariable analyses, participants who experienced any form of lifetime IPV had roughly twice the odds of experiencing anxiety (OR: 1.86; 95% CI = [1.03, 3.38]) and depression (OR: 2.02; 95% CI = [1.02, 3.99]) compared to those who had not. Participants who experienced recent emotional IPV had over seven times the odds of experiencing anxiety (OR: 7.23; 95% CI = [1.46, 38.85]) compared to those who had not. MSM living with HIV in Guatemala experience a high burden of anxiety, depression, and IPV victimization. Those participants who had experienced lifetime IPV and recent emotional IPV were significantly more likely to screen for anxiety and depression. To improve their mental health, HIV clinics and other health services should provide support for MSM who have experienced IPV victimization.

A mobile application to monitor mode, content and duration of health navigation services for people living with HIV in Guatemala.

Health navigation is increasingly being used to support people living with HIV, but timely monitoring of navigation is challenging due to the burden of reporting a high volume of diverse activities. We designed a mobile application (app) for navigators to report their interactions with men who have sex with men living with HIV (n = 374), including: (1) mode of support; (2) content; and (3) duration. We assessed sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of the study sample and calculated monitoring system indicators. We also conducted qualitative interviews with navigators (n = 7) and used thematic analysis to assess app acceptability and usability. From January 2017 to June 2018, 95.3% of participants interacted with their navigator at least one time and 4281 reports were recorded by nine navigators. The median number of interactions per participant was 10 (range: 1-46). The majority of interactions (71.6%) occurred remotely. Most frequently covered topics included: appointment reminders (36.9%), employment (19.9%), and family (15.5%). Navigators indicated that the system was easy to use, but some did not use it in real time as intended. Timely access to navigator data enabled feedback and continuous training. These data can also facilitate analysis of intensity and content of interactions to improve tailoring and sustainability.

Strengthening the "Reach-Test-Treat-Retain" cascade for men who have sex with men in Guatemala: A pilot intervention. EIR-HIV KPIS

In a qualitative study with both MSM and TW living with HIV in Guatemala City, Barrington et al (2016) again found that intersecting stigma and discrimination created fear of HIV testing and linkage to HIV care and barriers to knowledge about HIV. Retention-specific determinants included HIV clinic dynamics and limited employment opportunities, which affected economic stability. These multiple levels of factors driving linkage and retention in care and treatment require multi-level, integrated responses (AU)