ReACH2Gether: Iterative Development of a Couples-Based Intervention to Reduce Alcohol use Among Sexual Minority Men Living with HIV and Their Partners.

Unhealthy alcohol use, which encompasses heavy episodic drinking to alcohol use disorder, has been identified as a modifiable barrier to optimal HIV care continuum outcomes. Despite the demonstrated efficacy of couples-based interventions for addressing unhealthy alcohol use, there are no existing couples-based alcohol interventions designed specifically for people living with HIV. This study presents the development and refinement of a three-session couples-based motivational intervention (ReACH2Gether) to address unhealthy alcohol use among a sample of 17 sexual minority men living with HIV and their partners living in the United States. To increase potential population reach, the intervention was delivered entirely remotely. Throughout an original and a modified version, results indicated that the ReACH2Gether intervention was acceptable and there were no reports of intimate partner violence or adverse events. Session engagement and retention were high. In pre-post-test analyses, the ReACH2Gether intervention showed trends in reducing Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scores and increasing relationship-promoting dynamics, such as positive support behaviors and goal congruence around alcohol use. Results support the need for continued work to evaluate the ReACH2Gether intervention.

RESUMEN: El consumo no saludable de alcohol, que abarca episodios intensos de consumo hasta llegar a causar trastornos de alcohol, se ha identificado como una barrera modificable para los resultados óptimos continuos de la atención del VIH. A pesar de la eficacia demostrada de las intervenciones basadas en parejas para abordar el consumo no saludable de alcohol, no existen intervenciones de alcohol basadas en parejas diseñadas específicamente para personas que viven con el VIH. Este estudio presenta el desarrollo y perfeccionamiento de una intervención motivacional basada en parejas de tres sesiones (ReACH2Gether) para abordar el consumo no saludable de alcohol entre una muestra de 17 hombres de minorías sexuales que viven con el VIH y sus parejas que viven en los Estados Unidos. Para aumentar el alcance de la población potencial, la intervención se realizó de forma totalmente remota. A lo largo de una versión original y modificada, los resultados indicaron que la intervención ReACH2Gether era aceptable y no hubo informes de violencia de pareja o eventos adversos. El compromiso y la retención de la sesión fueron altos. En los análisis previos y posteriores a la prueba, la intervención ReACH2Gether mostró tendencias en la reducción de las puntuaciones de la prueba de identificación del trastorno por consumo de alcohol y en el aumento de las dinámicas que promueven las relaciones, como comportamientos de apoya positivas y congruencia de objetivos en torno al consumo alcohol. Los resultados respaldan la necesidad de un trabajo continuo para evaluar la intervención ReACH2Gether.

A Cautionary Tale: Digital Clinical Trial Implementation of a Couples-Based HIV Prevention Study among Transgender Women and Their Partners in the United States.

This study investigates baseline differences in couples enrolled in the "It Takes Two" HIV prevention intervention for transgender women and their partners, comparing in-person participation pre-COVID-19 and digital participation during the pandemic. Among 52 couples (40% in-person, 60% digital), bivariate analyses revealed that in-person participants were more likely to be African American, have cisgender male partners, report higher unemployment, incarceration histories, greater relationship stigma, and lower relationship quality. The findings highlight the limitations of digital modalities in engaging transgender women of color and those with structural vulnerabilities. The study emphasizes that reliance on digital methods in HIV research jeopardizes the inclusion of those lacking technological access and literacy, especially communities disproportionately impacted by HIV. Researchers must incorporate hybrid or in-person options and engage communities to ensure equity and inclusion, thus overcoming barriers and ensuring comprehensive population reach in HIV prevention studies.

Sexual Agreement Discussions Among Adolescent Sexual Minority Men in the USA.

Nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections are attributed to primary partners, necessitating a greater understanding of relationship context of HIV transmission among sexual minority men. Sexual agreements, which are the explicit decisions couples make about sexual behaviors allowed inside and outside of their relationship, have been primarily studied among adult sexual minority men. Little work has sought to understand how adolescent sexual minority men utilize and navigate sexual agreement conversations. In this qualitative study, we explored adolescent sexual minority men's motivations for having these conversations, how they define different types of agreements (e.g., monogamous, non-monogamous), and the topics most commonly discussed in their conversations. We conducted thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 partnered, HIV-negative, adolescent sexual minority men ages 15-19 years. Participants reported similar reasons, definitions, and desires for creating sexual agreements as those reported in the adult literature. Novel to this population was the influence of stigma and heterosexism on the participants' choice of sexual agreement type. Like adult sexual minority men, participants used sexual agreement conversations to respond to life events; however, the adolescents in our sample, when talking with their partners, led with the context of developmentally specific events such as leaving for college or attending a school dance. Those with more relationship experience often described having intentional, explicit sexual agreement conversations. Study findings suggest that content focused on sexual agreements is important for HIV prevention interventions designed with adolescent sexual minority men, especially young men who have less relationship experiences.

Racial/ethnic differences in the association between transgender-related U.S. state policies and self-rated health of transgender women.

BACKGROUND: Policy protections for transgender adults in the United States are consistently associated with positive health outcomes. However, studies over-represent non-Latinx White transgender people and obscure variation in policies' intended goals. This study examined racial differences in the relationship between transgender-related policies and transgender women's self-rated health. Guided by Critical Race Theory, we hypothesized that policies conferring access to resources (e.g., healthcare) would be associated with better self-rated health among all participants while policies signifying equality (e.g., nondiscrimination laws) would be associated with better self-rated health only for White participants. METHODS: Using cross-sectional data collected between March 2018-December 2020 from 1566 transgender women, we analyzed 7 state-level 'access policies,' 5 'equality policies,' and sum indices of each. Participants represented 29 states, and 54.7% were categorized as people of color. We fit a series of multilevel ordinal regression models predicting self-rated health by each policy. Multivariate models were adjusted for relevant covariates at the individual- and state-level. We then tested moderation by race/ethnicity using interaction terms and generated stratified predicted probability plots. RESULTS: In bivariate models, 4 access policies, 2 equality policies, and both indices were associated with better self-rated health, but associations did not persist in adjusted models. Results from the multivariable models including interaction terms indicated that policies concerning private insurance coverage of gender-affirming care, private insurance nondiscrimination, credit nondiscrimination, and both indices were statistically significantly associated with better self-rated health for White participants and worse self-rated health for participants of color. CONCLUSIONS: The policies included in this analysis do not mitigate racism's effects on access to resources, indicating they may be less impactful for transgender women of color than White transgender women. Future research and policy advocacy efforts promoting transgender women's health must center racial equity as well as transgender people of color's priorities.

Mapping Community-Engaged Implementation Strategies with Transgender Scientists, Stakeholders, and Trans-Led Community Organizations.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) represents one of the most effective methods of prevention for HIV, but remains inequitable, leaving many transgender and nonbinary (trans) individuals unable to benefit from this resource. Deploying community-engaged PrEP implementation strategies for trans populations will be crucial for ending the HIV epidemic. RECENT FINDINGS: While most PrEP studies have progressed in addressing pertinent research questions about gender-affirming care and PrEP at the biomedical and clinical levels, research on how to best implement gender-affirming PrEP systems at the social, community, and structural levels remains outstanding. The science of community-engaged implementation to build gender-affirming PrEP systems must be more fully developed. Most published PrEP studies with trans people report on outcomes rather than processes, leaving out important lessons learned about how to design, integrate, and implement PrEP in tandem with gender-affirming care. The expertise of trans scientists, stakeholders, and trans-led community organizations is essential to building gender-affirming PrEP systems.

Psychometric Evaluation and Predictive Validity of an Adapted Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale for PrEP.

Adherence to and sustainment of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are critical to its effectiveness. Adherence self-efficacy, i.e., confidence in one's ability to adhere to a particular medication, is a key psychological determinant of health behavior that strongly predicts HIV treatment adherence but has been understudied in PrEP research. This paper describes the psychometric evaluation and validation of the PrEP Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (PrEP-ASES), adapted from the previously validated HIV Treatment Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (HIV-ASES). Data are drawn from two studies conducted at a community health center, one focused on gay and bisexual cisgender men and the other on transgender women. Factor analyses support a one-factor score (eigenvalue = 6.78) that explained 75.3% of the variance, with good test-retest reliability (rs > 0.40). In both studies, higher PrEP-ASES scores were associated with PrEP uptake, adherence, and sustainment. Findings support the utility of the PrEP-ASES in research and suggest the importance of addressing self-efficacy in PrEP programs and services.

Socio-ecological Barriers to Viral Suppression Among Transgender Women Living with HIV in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California.

Troubling disparities in viral suppression persist among transgender (trans) women living with HIV in the US. We utilized baseline data from a randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention among trans women living with HIV in San Francisco and Los Angeles, to identify the socio-ecological correlates of biologically confirmed viral suppression (< 200 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL). Among 253 participants, the mean age was 43 (SD = 11), 46% identified as Black or African American and 35% were virally non-suppressed. In adjusted Poisson regression models, the following barriers to viral suppression were identified: injection drug use [adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.93, Z = - 2.64, p = 0.008], methamphetamine use (aRR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51-0.83, Z = - 3.45, p = 0.001), amphetamine use (aRR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44-0.87, Z = - 2.75, p = 0.006), homelessness (aRR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.98, Z = - 2.06, p = 0.039), and sex work (aRR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.86, Z = - 2.77, p = 0.009). These findings underscore the importance of interventions that address the socio-ecological barriers to viral suppression among trans women in urban settings.

RESUMEN: Persisten disparidades preocupantes en la supresión viral entre las mujeres transgénero (trans) que viven con el VIH en los EE. UU. Utilizamos datos de referencia de un ensayo controlado aleatorizado de una intervención conductual entre mujeres trans que viven con el VIH en San Francisco y Los Ángeles, para identificar los correlatos socioecológicos de la supresión viral confirmada biológicamente (< 200 copias/ml de ARN del VIH-1). Entre 253 participantes, la edad media fue de 43 años (DE = 11), el 46% se identificó como negro o afroamericano y el 35% no tenía supresión viral. En modelos de regresión de Poisson ajustados, se identificaron las siguientes barreras para la supresión viral: uso de drogas inyectables [razón de riesgo ajustada (aRR) 0,78, IC del 95% 0,65­0,93, Z = − 2,64, p = 0,008], uso de metanfetamina (aRR 0,65, IC 95% 0,51­0,83, Z = − 3,45, p = 0,001), consumo de anfetaminas (aRR 0,62, IC 95% 0,44­0,87, Z = − 2,75, p = 0,006), falta de vivienda (aRR 0,79, IC 95% 0,63­0,98, Z = − 2,06, p = 0,039), y trabajo sexual (aRR 0,60, IC 95% 0,41­0,86, Z = − 2,77, p = 0,009). Estos hallazgos subrayan la importancia de las intervenciones que abordan las barreras socioecológicas para la supresión viral entre las mujeres trans en entornos urbanos.

A Relationship-Focused HIV Prevention Intervention for Young Sexual Minority Men in the United States: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the We Prevent Intervention.

We Prevent is a virtual counseling intervention designed to improve communication as a mechanism for reducing HIV risk among young sexual minority men (SMM) in relationships. We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of We Prevent in comparison to standard Counseling, Testing, and Referral among a national sample of 318 SMM ages 15-24 in a pilot randomized control trial. We found significant differences in condomless sex with outside partners; however, there were no differences in other sexual behaviors, sexual agreements, intimate partner violence (IPV), or communication between the conditions across the 9-month follow-ups. Stratified analyses found non-significant trends suggestive that We Prevent may reduce condomless sex for those ages 15-17 and for relationships over 1-year and may reduce IPV in relationships over 1-year. Though study retention was adequate, session attendance was low. Exit interviews participants reported benefits of We Prevent and provided insights into how to increase uptake.

Structural Needs, Substance Use, and Mental Health Among Transgender and Nonbinary Young Adults in the San Francisco Bay Area: Findings from the Phoenix Study.

Transgender and nonbinary (trans) young adults report high rates of substance use and adverse mental health outcomes; however, few studies have examined how social, economic, and legal factors may contribute to health inequities in this population. Guided by the structural vulnerability framework, this study sought to explore structural needs and whether these needs were associated with substance use and mental health outcomes among trans young adults. Between 2019 and 2021, 215 trans young adults aged 18-29 from San Francisco Bay Area were recruited into a longitudinal study. Baseline data were used to examine bivariate and multivariable associations between structural needs and substance use and mental health outcomes. There were bivariate differences in the number of structural needs by education, income source, incarceration history, and ethnicity, and the number of unmet structural needs was associated with education and income source. After adjusting for sociodemographics, the number of structural needs was associated with daily marijuana use (AOR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10-1.49) and suicidal ideation (AOR 1.24, 95% CI: 1.06-1.45), and the number of unmet structural needs was associated with daily marijuana use (AOR 1.30, 95% CI: 1. 10-1.55) and depressive symptoms (ß 2.00, 95% CI: 1.00-3.00). Additionally, both numbers of structural needs and unmet structural needs mediated the relationship between income source (traditional employment vs. other income only) and depressive symptoms (TIE ß 2.51, 95% CI: 0.99-4.04; ß 1.37, 95% CI: 0.23-2.52, respectively). Findings highlight a need for multisector efforts to address structural vulnerabilities among trans young adults.

Exploring the Potential for Smoke-Free Laws to Reduce Smoking Disparities by Sexual Orientation in the USA.

BACKGROUND: We examined associations between smoke-free laws and smoking outcomes in a nationally representative sample of US adults, including exploring whether these associations differed for heterosexual and sexual minority (SM) adults. METHODS: We constructed county-level variables representing the percent of the population covered by state-, county-, or city-level smoke-free laws in workplaces and hospitality venues. We combined this information with restricted individual-level adult data with masked county identifiers from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2013-2018. We used modified Poisson regression to explore associations between each type of smoke-free law and the prevalence ratio (PR) of current smoking, and we used linear regression to explore associations with smoking intensity (mean cigarettes per day). We assessed interactions between smoke-free laws and SM status on the additive scale to determine whether associations were different for SM and heterosexual adults. RESULTS: In adjusted models without interaction terms, smoke-free laws in hospitality venues were associated with lower prevalence of current smoking (PR = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.89, 0.98). Both types of smoke-free laws were associated with lower mean cigarettes per day (workplace law change in mean = - 0.50, 95% CI = - 0.89, - 0.12; hospitality law change in mean = - 0.72, 95% CI = - 1.14,-0.30). We did not observe any statistically significant interactions by SM status, though statistical power was limited. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find evidence that smoke-free laws were differentially associated with smoking outcomes for heterosexual and SM adults. Additional studies are needed to further explore the potential for tobacco control policies to address the elevated risk of smoking in SM communities.

Structural vulnerability as a conceptual framework for transgender health research: findings from a community needs assessment of transgender women of colour in Detroit.

The concept of structural vulnerability explains how systems of oppression drive health inequities by reducing access to survival resources (e.g. food, housing) for marginalised populations. Indicators of structural vulnerability such as housing instability, violent victimisation and poverty are often interconnected and result from intersectional oppression. We sought to demonstrate the utility of the structural vulnerability framework for transgender health research by examining patterns of structural vulnerability indicators among transgender women of colour in Detroit. We conducted latent class analysis and tested associations between classes and mental health and substance use outcomes. Membership to the Lowest Vulnerability class was negatively associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (aOR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02-0.59). High Economic Vulnerability membership was associated with daily marijuana use (aOR = 4.61, 95% CI: 1.31-16.16). Complex Multi-Vulnerability membership was associated with PTSD (aOR = 9.75, 95% CI: 2.55-37.29), anxiety (aOR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.22-13.97), suicidality (aOR = 6.20, 95% CI: 1.39-27.70), and club drug use (aOR = 4.75, 95% CI: 1.31-17.29). Substantively different findings emerged when testing relationships between each indicator and each outcome, highlighting the value of theoretically grounded quantitative approaches to understanding health inequities. Community-driven interventions and policy changes that reduce structural vulnerability may improve mental health and substance use outcomes among structurally vulnerable trans women of colour.

Associations Among Enacted Stigma, Perceived Chances for Success, Life Satisfaction, and Substance Use Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Youth.

Background: Sexual minority youth report high rates of substance use compared to heterosexual youth. Stigma can diminish perceptions of future success and life satisfaction and contribute to elevated substance use. This study examined whether experiences of enacted stigma (i.e., discrimination) and substance use among sexual minority and heterosexual youth were indirectly associated through perceived chances for success and life satisfaction. Method: In a sample of 487 adolescents who indicated their sexual identity (58% female, M age = 16.0, 20% sexual minority), we assessed substance use status and factors that might explain sexual minority disparities in substance use. Using structural equation modeling, we examined indirect associations between sexual minority status and substance use status through these factors. Results: Compared to heterosexual youth, sexual minority youth reported greater stigma, which was associated with both lower perceived chances for success and life satisfaction, which were in turn associated with greater likelihood of substance use. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of attending to stigma, perceived chances for success, and general life satisfaction to understand and intervene to prevent substance use among sexual minority youth.

US Black-White Differences in Mortality Risk Among Transgender and Cisgender People in Private Insurance, 2011-2019.

Objectives. To compare survival by gender and race among transgender and cisgender people enrolled in private insurance in the United States between 2011 and 2019. Methods. We examined Optum's Clinformatics Data Mart Database. We identified transgender enrollees using claims related to gender-affirming care. Our analytic sample included those we identified as transgender and a 10% random sample of cisgender enrollees. We limited our sample to those 18 years or older who were non-Hispanic Black or White. We identified 18 033 transgender and more than 4 million cisgender enrollees. We fit Kaplan-Meier survival curves and calculated standardized mortality ratios while adjusting for census region. Results. Black transfeminine and nonbinary people assigned male sex at birth were 2.73 times more likely to die than other Black transgender people and 2.38 and 3.34 times more likely than Black cisgender men and women, respectively; similar results were found when White transfeminine and nonbinary people assigned male sex at birth were compared with White cisgender cohorts. Conclusions. Our findings highlight glaring inequities in mortality risks among Black transfeminine and nonbinary people assigned male sex at birth and underscore the need to monitor mortality risks in transgender populations and address the social conditions that increase these risks. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(10):1507-1514. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306963).

State-Level Policy Stigma and Non-Prescribed Hormones Use among Trans Populations in the United States: A Mediational Analysis of Insurance and Anticipated Stigma.

BACKGROUND: Medical gender affirmation (i.e., hormone use) is one-way transgender (trans) people affirm their gender and has been associated with health benefits. However, trans people face stigmatization when accessing gender-affirming healthcare, which leads some to use non-prescribed hormones (NPHs) that increase their risk for poor health. PURPOSE: We examined whether healthcare policy stigma, as measured by state-level trans-specific policies, was associated with NPHs use and tested mediational paths that might explain these associations. Because stigmatizing healthcare policies prevent trans people from participation in healthcare systems and allow for discrimination by healthcare providers, we hypothesized that healthcare policy stigma would be associated with NPHs use by operating through three main pathways: skipping care due to anticipated stigma in healthcare settings, skipping care due to cost, and being uninsured. METHODS: We conducted analyses using data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. The analytic sample included trans adults using hormones (N = 11,994). We fit a multinomial structural equation model to examine associations. RESULTS: Among trans adults using hormones, we found that healthcare policy stigma was positively associated with NPHs use and operated through insurance coverage and anticipating stigma in healthcare settings. The effect sizes on key predictor variables varied significantly between those who use supplemental NPHs and those who only use NPHs suggesting the need to treat NPHs use as distinct from those who use supplemental NPHs. CONCLUSIONS: Our work highlights the importance of healthcare policy stigma in understanding health inequities among trans people in the USA, specifically NPHs use.

Perceptions of Relationship Quality Before and During COVID-19 Pandemic Among Young Sexual Minority Men in Romantic Relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the well-being of people worldwide; however, there has been limited research examining ways in which the pandemic has created changes in relationship quality among young sexual minority men. We analyzed data from a sample of 150 young sexual minority men, aged 15-24 years. In total, 25% reported their relationship quality decreased during the pandemic, 47% reported no change, and 28% reported increased relationship quality due to COVID-19. In multinomial models, intimate partner violence, lower commitment, and spending less time with a partner due to COVID-19 were associated with decreased relationship quality during the pandemic compared to those who reported no change or increased relationship quality due to the pandemic. More efforts are needed to understand and address the impact of COVID-19 on the romantic relationships of young sexual minority men.

Differences in All-Cause Mortality Among Transgender and Non-Transgender People Enrolled in Private Insurance.

Few studies have analyzed mortality rates among transgender (trans) populations in the United States and compared them to the rates of non-trans populations. Using private insurance data from 2011 to 2019, we estimated age-specific all-cause mortality rates among a subset of trans people enrolled in private insurance and compared them to a 10% randomly selected non-trans cohort. Overall, we found that trans people were nearly twice as likely to die over the period as their non-trans counterparts. When stratifying by gender, we found key disparities within trans populations, with people on the trans feminine to nonbinary spectrum being at the greatest risk of mortality compared to non-trans males and females. While we found that people on the trans masculine to nonbinary spectrum were at a similar risk of overall mortality compared to non-trans females, their overall mortality rate was statistically smaller than that of non-trans males. These findings provide evidence that some trans and non-trans populations experience substantially different mortality conditions across the life course and necessitate further study.

Gender Affirmation as a Source of Resilience for Addressing Stigmatizing Healthcare Experiences of Transgender Youth of Color.

BACKGROUND: Transgender and other gender diverse (TGD) youth of color experience stigma within healthcare. Gender affirmation can be a resilience resource; however, little is known about gender affirmation within healthcare. PURPOSE: This study explores TGD youth of color's experiences of stigma and gender affirmation across the entire healthcare experience and their role on motivation to seek care. METHODS: In 2015, cross-sectional surveys and individual in-depth interviews were conducted among 187 TGD youth ages 16-24 living in 14 U.S. cities. Analyses followed a mixed-methods design whereby 33 participants were purposively selected for a qualitative phenomenological analysis based on quantitatively reported gender affirmation needs. Subsequent quantitative analyses examined how healthcare use differed by access to gender affirmation. RESULTS: Participants qualitatively described experiencing stigma across multiple healthcare settings (e.g., primary care, emergency care, medical gender affirmation), including before (finding providers, scheduling), during (waiting rooms, provider interactions), and after (pharmacy) healthcare visits. Participants who quantitatively reported access to gender-affirming healthcare still described negative healthcare experiences, either because they accessed multiple healthcare services or because of prior negative experiences. Stigma and gender affirmation (both inside and outside of healthcare) influenced motivation to seek care, with variation depending on the type of care. Quantitative analyses confirmed these findings; access to gender affirmation differed for participants who delayed primary care vs. those who did not, but did not vary based on participants' use of medical gender affirmation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of promoting gender-affirming healthcare environments to increase access to care for TGD youth of color.

State-Level Structural Stigma and Smoking Among Sexual Minority Adults in the USA, 2012-2014.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to structural stigma (i.e., societal norms and policies that constrain access to resources) may help explain poor health outcomes among sexual minority (SM) individuals in the USA. PURPOSE: We examined the relationship between structural stigma and smoking prevalence among U.S. SM and heterosexual adults. METHODS: We adapted an index to capture multiple state-level structural stigma indicators, including attitudes toward same-sex marriage; the geographical density of same-sex couples; and state-level policies toward SMs. The outcome variable was current smoking, derived from the National Adult Tobacco Survey (2012-2014). Poisson regression models stratified by SM status were used to assess the relationship between structural stigma and the prevalence ratio (PR) of current smoking. We included a squared term for stigma to explore nonlinear relationships between stigma and smoking. Interaction terms were used to examine effect modification by sex. RESULTS: Adjusted models suggested a curvilinear PR relationship between stigma and smoking for both SM (linear PR = 1.03 [0.97-1.08]; quadratic PR = 0.98 [0.97-1.00]) and heterosexual (linear PR = 1.00 [0.99-1.02]; quadratic PR = 0.99 [0.988-0.995]) adults. The quadratic term was significant (p < .05) for both SM and heterosexual respondents, however, the change in probability of smoking associated with structural stigma was more pronounced among SM individuals. Specifically, the highest and lowest exposures to stigma were associated with the lowest probabilities of smoking. There was no apparent effect modification by sex. CONCLUSIONS: Findings lend support to addressing SM structural stigma as a driver of smoking, particularly among SM adults.

Perspectives from Young Partnered Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men on the Adaptation of Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC).

Young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YGBMSM) are a priority population for HIV prevention efforts. Although there has been a growing focus on dyadic HIV prevention interventions for same-gender male couples, the unique needs of partnered YGBMSM have been largely overlooked. In this qualitative study, we explored partnered YGBMSM's perceptions of existing HIV prevention interventions to inform the design of a relationship-focused HIV prevention intervention. Between July and November 2018, we conducted in-depth interviews with 30 young partnered YGBMSM (mean age = 17.8, SD = 1.1). Participants described that interventions were needed to address skills regarding: (1) implicit versus explicit communication about sexual agreements; (2) boundary setting and identifying signs of abusive relationships; and (3) relationship dynamics (e.g., trust). Participants noted the absence of inclusive sexual education for them; thus, findings suggest that the provision of relationship skills training are requisites for HIV prevention interventions with YGBMSM in the US.

Perceived facilitators of decision-making and usage of biomedical HIV prevention strategies: findings from an online, qualitative study with same-gender male couples in the United States.

The early stages of gay and bisexual men's relationships are a critical period for communicating about HIV prevention strategies. This study sought to: (1) explore facilitators to decision-making to use prevention strategies and (2) describe the prevention strategies being used by same-gender male couples in new relationships. Individual interviews were conducted with 76 partnered men, representing 37 couples and 2 individuals. Couples had been together for one year or less, and varied by U.S. geographical region of residence and HIV serostatus: 8 seroconcordant positive, 17 seroconcordant negative, and 13 serodiscordant couples. Two overarching qualitative themes emerged: (1) communication and (2) information and resources. Notably, few couples had both partners mention the same facilitator. The most commonly used HIV prevention strategies were treatment as prevention for partners in seroconcordant positive and serodiscordant couple relationships, and HIV/STI testing for partners of seroconcordant negative couples. Compared to the other two couple groups, fewer seroconcrdant negative couples were aware of each other's use of strategies. Study findings suggest these facilitators are important to include in future interventions. Efforts are also needed to improve within-dyad awareness about which strategies partners are using and how they may best support one another toward their sexual health goals.