Prevalence of anal cytology screening among persons with HIV and lack of access to high-resolution anoscopy at HIV care facilities.

BACKGROUND: Persons with HIV (PWH) at highest risk of anal cancer include gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and transgender women aged ≥ 35 years, and other PWH aged ≥ 45 years. Identifying and treating precancerous lesions can reduce anal cancer incidence in these groups. We assessed prevalence of anal cytology and access to high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) among PWH, overall and those at highest risk. METHODS: Data were obtained from the CDC's Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), a population-based survey of PWH aged ≥ 18 years, and a supplemental MMP facility survey. We report weighted percentages of PWH receiving anal cytology during the past 12 months, access to HRA, and characteristics of HIV care facilities by availability of HRA. RESULTS: Overall, 4.8% (95% CI 3.4 to 6.1) of PWH had anal cytology in the prior 12 months. Only 7.7% (95% CI 5.1 to 10.6) of GBMSM and transgender women aged ≥ 35 years, and 1.9% (95% CI 0.9 to 2.9) of all other PWH aged ≥ 45 years, had anal cytology. Prevalence was statistically significantly low among PWH with the following characteristics: non-Hispanic/Latino Black/African American, ≤ high school education, heterosexual orientation, and living in Southern MMP states. Among PWH, 32.8% (95% CI 28.0 to 37.7) had no HRA access on-site/through referral at their care facility; 22.2% (95% CI 19.5 to 24.9) had on-site access; 45.0% (95% CI 41.5 to 48.5) had HRA available through referral. Most facilities that received Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding, cared for > 1000 PWH, or provided on-site colposcopy also provided HRA on-site/through referral. CONCLUSIONS: Anal cytology and access to HRA was low among PWH, including those at highest risk of anal cancer. Our data may inform large-scale implementation of anal cancer prevention efforts.

Progress towards achieving national goals for improved quality of life among cis-gender Black women with HIV.

Data from the CDC's Medical Monitoring Project indicate that the United States is on track to meet one of five National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) Quality of Life goals among cisgender Black women, specifically, hunger/food insecurity. Substantial work needs to be done to improve self-rated health and to decrease unmet need for mental health services. Enhanced and coordinated action are necessary to reach all Quality of Life goals in this NHAS priority population.

Prevalence of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Depression Among US Adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Data from the Medical Monitoring Project.

People with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) are disproportionately affected by depression, but the recent national estimates for US PWH encompassing both current symptoms and clinical diagnoses to assess missed diagnoses and lack of symptom remission are lacking. We used data from CDC's Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) to report nationally representative estimates of diagnosed and undiagnosed depression among US adult PWH. During June 2021 to May 2022, MMP collected interview data on symptoms consistent with major or other depression and depression diagnoses from medical records of 3928 PWH. We report weighted percentages and prevalence ratios (PRs) to quantify differences between groups on key social and health factors. Overall, 34% of PWH experienced any depression (diagnosis or Patient Health Questionnaire-8); of these, 26% had symptoms but no diagnosis (undiagnosed depression), 19% had both diagnosis and symptoms, and 55% had a diagnosis without symptoms. Among those with depression, persons with a disability (PR: 1.52) and food insecurity (PR: 1.67) were more likely to be undiagnosed. Unemployed persons (PR: 1.62), those experiencing a disability (PR: 2.78), food insecurity (PR: 1.46), or discrimination in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care (PR: 1.71) were more likely to have diagnosed depression with symptoms. Those with symptoms (undiagnosed or diagnosed) were less likely to be antiretroviral therapy (ART) dose adherent (PR: 0.88; PR: 0.73) or have sustained viral suppression (PR: 0.62; PR: 0.91) and were more likely to have unmet needs for mental health services (PR: 2.38, PR: 2.03). One-third of PWH experienced depression, of whom nearly half were undiagnosed or still experiencing clinically relevant symptoms. Expanding screening and effective treatment for depression could improve quality of life and HIV outcomes.

Access to High-Resolution Anoscopy Among Persons With HIV and Abnormal Anal Cytology Results.

This cross-sectional study evaluates use and availability of follow-up anoscopy among persons at highest risk for anal cancer.

Self-rated Health and HIV Outcomes Among Adults with Diagnosed HIV - Medical Monitoring Project, United States, 2020-21.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate associations between self-rated health (SRH) and care outcomes among United States adults with diagnosed HIV infection. DESIGN: We analyzed interview and medical record data collected during June 2020-May 2021 from the Medical Monitoring Project, a complex, nationally representative sample of 3,692 people with HIV (PWH). Respondents reported SRH on a 5-point Likert type scale (poor to excellent), which we dichotomized into "good or better" and "poor or fair". We computed weighted percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and age-adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) to investigate associations between SRH and HIV outcomes and demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS: Nationally, 72% of PWH reported "good or better" SRH. PWH with the following characteristics had a lower prevalence of "good or better" SRH, compared with those without: any missed HIV care appointment in the last 12 months (aPR 0.86, 95% CI:0.81-0.91), symptoms of moderate or severe depression (aPR 0.51, 95% CI:0.43-0.59) and anxiety (aPR 0.60, 95% CI:0.54-0.68), unstable housing or homelessness (aPR 0.77, 95% CI:0.71-0.82), and hunger or food insecurity (aPR 0.74, 95% CI:0.69-0.80), as well as having a mean CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 vs. CD4 >500 cells/mm3 (aPR 0.70, 95% CI:0.57-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: Though SRH is a holistic measure reflective of HIV outcomes, integrated approaches addressing needs beyond physical health are necessary to improve SRH among PWH in the U.S. Modifiable factors like mental health, unstable housing or homelessness, and food insecurity warrant further study as potential high-yield targets for clinical and policy interventions to improve SRH among PWH.

Explaining racial and ethnic disparities in antiretroviral therapy adherence and viral suppression among U.S. men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors - including social determinants of health (SDOH) - that explain racial/ethnic disparities in antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and sustained viral suppression (SVS) among U.S. men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV. DESIGN: We used weighted data from 2017-2021 cycles of the Medical Monitoring Project. METHODS: Among MSM taking ART, we calculated prevalence differences (PDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ART adherence (100% ART adherence, past 30 days) and SVS (all viral loads in past 12 months <200 copies/ml or undetectable) for Black MSM (BMSM) and Hispanic/Latino MSM (HMSM) compared with White MSM (WMSM). Using forward stepwise selection, we calculated adjusted PDs with 95% CIs to examine if controlling for selected variables reduced PDs. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, any unmet service need, federal poverty level (FPL), food insecurity, homelessness, time since HIV diagnosis, gap in health coverage, and education, the BMSM/WMSM PD for ART adherence reduced from -16.9 to -8.2 (51.5%). For SVS, the BMSM/WMSM PD reduced from -8.3 to -3.6 (56.6%) after adjusting for ART adherence, age, homelessness, food insecurity, gap in health coverage, FPL, any unmet service need, time since diagnosis, and ER visit(s). The HMSM/WMSM PD for ART adherence reduced from -9.3 to -2.9 (68.8%) after adjusting for age and FPL. The unadjusted HMSM/WMSM PD for SVS was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Adjusting for SDOH and other factors greatly reduced racial/ethnic disparities in ART adherence and SVS. Addressing these factors - particularly among BMSM - could substantially improve health equity among MSM with HIV.

Unmet Needs for HIV Ancillary Services Among Persons With Diagnosed HIV Aged 55 years and Older.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 2 in 5 persons with HIV (PWH) in the United States are aged 55 years or older. HIV ancillary services, such as case management and transportation services, can help older PWH remain engaged in care. We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) to describe the prevalence of unmet needs for ancillary services among persons with diagnosed HIV aged 55 years or older. SETTING: MMP is an annual cross-sectional study that reports representative estimates on adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We used MMP data collected during June 2019-May 2021 to calculate weighted percentages of cisgender men and cisgender women with HIV aged 55 years or older with unmet needs for ancillary services, overall and by selected characteristics (N = 3200). Unmet need was defined as needing but not receiving a given ancillary service. We assessed differences between groups using prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals with predicted marginal means. RESULTS: Overall, 37.7% of cisgender men and women with HIV aged 55 years or older had ≥1 unmet need for ancillary services. Overall, 16.6% had ≥1 unmet need for HIV support services, 26.9% for non-HIV medical services, and 26.7% for subsistence services. There were no statistically significant differences in unmet needs for services by gender. The prevalence of ≥1 unmet need was higher among non-White persons (PR range: 1.35-1.63), persons who experienced housing instability (PR = 1.70), and those without any private insurance (PR range: 1.49-1.83). CONCLUSION: A large percentage of older PWH have unmet needs for ancillary services. Given the challenges that older PWH face related to the interaction of HIV and aging-associated factors, deficits in the provision of ancillary services should be addressed.

Comparison of Demographic Characteristics and Social Determinants of Health Between Adults With Diagnosed HIV and All Adults in the U.S.

Introduction: Quantifying disparities in social determinants of health between people with HIV and the total population could help address health inequities, and ensure health and well-being among people with HIV in the U.S., but estimates are lacking. Methods: Several representative data sources were used to assess differences in social determinants of health between adults with diagnosed HIV (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Monitoring Project) and the total adult population (U.S. Census Bureau's decennial census, American Community Survey, Household Pulse Survey, the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements; the Department of Housing and Urban Development's point-in-time estimates of homelessness; and the Bureau of Justice Statistics). The differences were quantified using standardized prevalence differences and standardized prevalence ratios, adjusting for differences in age, race/ethnicity, and birth sex between people with HIV and the total U.S. population. Results: Overall, 35.6% of people with HIV were living in a household with an income at or below the federal poverty level, and 8.1% recently experienced homelessness. Additionally, 42.9% had Medicaid and 27.6% had Medicare; 39.7% were living with a disability. Over half (52.3%) lived in large central metropolitan counties and 20.6% spoke English less than very well based on survey responses. After adjustment, poverty (standardized prevalence difference=25.1%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.5), homelessness (standardized prevalence difference=8.5%, standardized prevalence ratio=43.5), coverage through Medicaid (standardized prevalence difference=29.5%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.0) or Medicare (standardized prevalence difference=7.8%), and disability (standardized prevalence difference=30.3%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.0) were higher among people with HIV than the total U.S. population. The percentage of people with HIV living in large central metropolitan counties (standardized prevalence difference=13.4%) or who were recently incarcerated (standardized prevalence ratio=5.9) was higher than the total U.S. population. Conclusions: These findings provide a baseline for assessing national-level disparities in social determinants of health between people with HIV and the total U.S. population, and it can be used as a model to assess local disparities. Addressing social determinants of health is essential for achieving health equity, requiring a multipronged approach with interventions at the provider, facility, and policy levels.

The associations of income and Black-White racial segregation with HIV outcomes among adults aged ≥18 years-United States and Puerto Rico, 2019.

OBJECTIVE(S): To examine associations between Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) measures for economic and racial segregation and HIV outcomes in the United States (U.S.) and Puerto Rico. METHODS: County-level HIV testing data from CDC's National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation and census tract-level HIV diagnoses, linkage to HIV medical care, and viral suppression data from the National HIV Surveillance System were used. Three ICE measures of spatial polarization were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey: ICEincome (income segregation), ICErace (Black-White racial segregation), and ICEincome+race (Black-White racialized economic segregation). Rate ratios (RRs) for HIV diagnoses and prevalence ratios (PRs) for HIV testing, linkage to care within 1 month of diagnosis, and viral suppression within 6 months of diagnosis were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to examine changes across ICE quintiles using the most privileged communities (Quintile 5, Q5) as the reference group. RESULTS: PRs and RRs showed a higher likelihood of testing and adverse HIV outcomes among persons residing in Q1 (least privileged) communities compared with Q5 (most privileged) across ICE measures. For HIV testing percentages and diagnosis rates, across quintiles, PRs and RRs were consistently greatest for ICErace. For linkage to care and viral suppression, PRs were consistently lower for ICEincome+race. CONCLUSIONS: We found that poor HIV outcomes and disparities were associated with income, racial, and economic segregation as measured by ICE. These ICE measures contribute to poor HIV outcomes and disparities by unfairly concentrating certain groups (i.e., Black persons) in highly segregated and deprived communities that experience a lack of access to quality, affordable health care. Expanded efforts are needed to address the social/economic barriers that impede access to HIV care among Black persons. Increased partnerships between government agencies and the private sector are needed to change policies that promote and sustain racial and income segregation.

The Capacity of HIV Care Facilities to Implement Strategies Recommended by the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative: The Medical Monitoring Project Facility Survey.

BACKGROUND: Data are needed to assess the capacity of HIV care facilities to implement recommended Ending the HIV Epidemic activities. SETTING: US HIV care facilities. METHODS: We analyzed 2021 survey data from 514 facilities that were recruited from a census of facilities providing care to a national probability sample of US adults with HIV. We present weighted estimates of facility characteristics, services, and policies and estimates of the proportion of all US HIV patients attending these facilities. RESULTS: Among HIV care facilities, 37% were private practices, 72% were in areas with population >1 million, and 21% had more than 1000 HIV patients. Most provided preexposure prophylaxis (83%) and postexposure prophylaxis (84%). More than 67% of facilities provided HIV-specific stigma or discrimination training for all staff (covering 70% of patients) and 66% provided training on cultural competency (covering 74% of patients). A majority of patients attended facilities that provided on-site access to HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission risk reduction counseling (89%); fewer had on-site access to treatment for substance use disorders (35%). We found low provision of on-site assistance with food banks or meal delivery (14%) and housing (33%). Approximately 71% of facilities reported using data to systematically monitor patient retention in care. On-site access to adherence tools was available at 58% of facilities; 29% reported notifying patients of missed prescription pickups. CONCLUSION: Results indicate some strengths that support Ending the HIV Epidemic-recommended strategies among HIV care facilities, such as high availability of preexposure prophylaxis/postexposure prophylaxis, as well as areas for improvement, such as provision of staff antistigma trainings and adherence supports.

Problems Paying Medical Bills Among Adults With Diagnosed HIV in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Problems paying medical bills may affect HIV outcomes among people with HIV (PWH), thus limiting progress toward achieving national HIV prevention goals. We analyzed nationally representative data from CDC's Medical Monitoring Project collected during 6/2018-5/2020. Among 8,108 PWH, we reported weighted percentages of characteristics and examined associations between problems paying medical bills and clinical outcomes using prevalence ratios with predicted marginal means, adjusting for potential confounding. Nineteen percent of PWH reported problems paying medical bills. Problems paying medical bills were more prevalent among persons who experienced homelessness (26.9% vs. 18.3%). People with problems paying medical bills were more likely to have adverse HIV outcomes and were more likely to have ≥1 emergency room visit (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.59; 95% CI [1.51-1.68]) or hospitalization (PR: 1.72; 95% CI [1.55-1.91]) in the past year. Identifying PWH experiencing financial barriers and expanding access to safety net programs could improve access to care and outcomes.

Intersectional Discrimination in HIV Healthcare Settings Among Persons with Diagnosed HIV in the United States, Medical Monitoring Project, 2018-2019.

Experiences with stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings are associated with negative health outcome for persons with HIV (PWH). PWH may experience discrimination due to the intersection of multiple marginalized social identities. Describing these experiences is important for informing interventions and strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination. We report experiences with discrimination in HIV healthcare settings attributed to multiple characteristics, e.g., sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, income, or social class, and/or injection drug use, among a nationally representative sample of persons with diagnosed HIV in the United States using data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP). We calculated weighted prevalences and associated 95% confidence intervals for any discrimination and discrimination attributed to multiple characteristics (intersectional discrimination). Among those experiencing discrimination, nearly 1 in 4 persons reported intersectional discrimination, with a higher burden among key populations of focus for HIV prevention and treatment. Discrimination was attributed to HIV status (62.5%), sexual orientation (60.4%), and race/ethnicity (54.3%). Persons who experienced intersectional discrimination were less likely to have a regular HIV care provider, have trust in HIV care or treatment information from healthcare providers, and be antiretroviral treatment or HIV care visit adherent. Future studies should explore methods to operationalize and assess experiences with intersectional stigma and discrimination and use the outcomes to inform qualitative research that provides more context and a deeper understanding of experiences with intersectional discrimination among PWH.

Understanding Disparities in Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence and Sustained Viral Suppression Among Black, Hispanic/Latina, and White Women in the United States - Medical Monitoring Project, United States, 2015-2019.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities in antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and sustained viral suppression (SVS) have been documented among women with HIV. We examined factors that may account for these racial/ethnic differences among women to inform interventions that increase health equity. METHODS: We used data from the 2015-2019 cycles of the Medical Monitoring Project, a probability sample of U.S. adults with diagnosed HIV. Using logistic regression with predicted marginal means, we calculated weighted prevalence differences (PDs) of ART adherence and SVS among Black, Hispanic/Latina, and White women taking ART. Using modeling with forward stepwise selection, we adjusted PDs for selected variables, including social and structural determinants of health (SDOH) factors, to examine whether magnitude of PDs was attenuated by their inclusion. We assessed relative changes between unadjusted and adjusted PDs. RESULTS: After adjusting for poverty, transportation needs, health literacy, and gap in health insurance/coverage, the Black-White PD in adherence decreased by 11% (-16.0% to -14.2%). After adjusting for adherence, poverty, type of health insurance, and gap in health insurance/coverage, the Black-White PD in SVS reduced 37% (-7.9% to -5.0%) and was no longer statistically different. The Hispanic/Latina-White PD in adherence reduced 24% (-12.7% to -9.6%) after adjusting for poverty, health literacy, and transportation needs. The unadjusted Hispanic/Latina-White PD in SVS was not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Racial/ethnic disparities in HIV outcomes among women taking ART were substantially reduced after accounting for SDOH and other factors although differences remained. Structural interventions to improve SDOH are needed to improve health equity for women with HIV.

Needs for shelter or housing assistance among people with diagnosed HIV by jurisdiction: United States, 2015-2020.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the landscape of needs for housing assistance among people with HIV (PWH) and availability of Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) funding with respect to housing service needs, nationally and for 17 US jurisdictions. DESIGN: The CDC Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is an annual, cross-sectional survey designed to report nationally and locally representative estimates of characteristics and outcomes among adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We analyzed 2015-2020 data from MMP and 2019 funding data from HOPWA. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for national and jurisdiction-level estimates were reported. RESULTS: Nationally, 1 in 4 (27.7%) PWH had shelter or housing service needs. Among those who needed housing services, 2 in 5 (40.4%) did not receive them (range: 21.3% in New York to 62.3% in Georgia). Reasons for unmet needs were multifactorial and varied by jurisdiction. Available 2019 HOPWA funding per person in need would cover up to 1.24 months of rent per person nationally (range: 0.53 months in Virginia to 9.54 months in Puerto Rico), and may not have matched housing assistance needs among PWH in certain jurisdictions. CONCLUSION: Addressing housing service needs necessitates a multipronged approach at the provider, jurisdiction, and national level. Locally, jurisdictions should work with their partners to understand and address housing service needs among PWH. Nationally, distribution of HOPWA funding for housing services should be aligned according to local needs; the funding formula could be modified to improve access to housing services among PWH.

Cisgender women with HIV in the United States: how have HIV care continuum outcomes changed over time? 2015-2020.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate HIV care continuum trends over time among women with HIV (WWH). DESIGN: The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We used 2015-2019 MMP data collected from 5139 adults with diagnosed HIV infection who identified as cisgender women. We calculated weighted percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all characteristics and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and the associated 95% CI to assess trends. EAPCs were considered meaningful from a public health perspective if at least 1% with P values less than 0.05. RESULTS: Among cisgender women with diagnosed HIV infection during 2015-2019, 58.8% were Black or African American (95% CI 54.4-63.3), 19% were Hispanic/Latina (95% CI 14.7-23.2), and 16% were Non-Hispanic White (95% CI 14.1-17.9) persons. There was a meaningful increase in the percentage who ever had stage 3 HIV disease from 55.8% (95% CI 51.0-60.5) in 2015 to 61.5% (95% CI 58.1-64.8) in 2019 (EAPC 1.7%; CI 1.5-1.9; P < 0.001). There were no meaningful changes over time among women, overall, in retention in care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription, ART adherence, missed appointments, or recent or sustained viral suppression. CONCLUSION: The HIV care continuum outcomes among WWH did not meaningfully improve from 2015 to 2019, raising a concern that Ending the HIV Epidemic in the US (EHE) initiative goals will not be met. To improve health and reduce transmission of HIV among WWH, multifaceted interventions to retain women in care, increase ART adherence, and address social determinants of health are urgently needed.

Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics associated with perceived discrimination in healthcare settings among Black persons with diagnosed HIV in the United States.

Research that explores the intra-racial socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with perceived discrimination in healthcare settings in the US is lacking. We examined the prevalence of self-reported discrimination in HIV care settings during the past 12 months among Black persons from a nationally representative sample of US adults with diagnosed HIV collected 6/2018-5/2019. We assessed the prevalence of self-reported discrimination in HIV care settings during the past 12 months, perceived reasons for discrimination, and factors associated with discrimination among Black persons with diagnosed HIV (n = 1,631). Overall, 22% reported experiencing discrimination in a healthcare setting; discrimination was most often attributed to HIV status. Those reporting discrimination were younger, MSM, and living at or below the federal poverty level. They also experienced homelessness, incarceration and illicit substance use in the past 12 months, and anxiety and depression symptoms in the past 2 weeks. They were less likely to use ART or report 100% ART dose adherence in the past 30 days. No associations were found with viral suppression. Systems are needed to monitor, evaluate reports of, and address discrimination in healthcare settings. Incorporating anti-discrimination policies and continuing education opportunities for providers and staff may reduce experiences of discrimination among persons with HIV.

Stigma, Discrimination, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Transgender Women With Diagnosed HIV Infection in the United States, 2015-2018.

OBJECTIVE: Transgender women with diagnosed HIV experience social and structural factors that could negatively affect their overall health and HIV-related health outcomes. We describe estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) of sociodemographic characteristics, HIV stigma, discrimination, and mental health outcomes among transgender women with diagnosed HIV. METHODS: We analyzed pooled data of all transgender women with diagnosed HIV (N = 217) from the 2015 through 2018 MMP cycles. We reported unweighted frequencies, weighted percentages, and 95% CIs for all characteristics. We post-stratified data to known population totals by age, race and ethnicity, and sex at birth from the National HIV Surveillance System. RESULTS: Approximately 46% of transgender women with diagnosed HIV identified as Black or African American, 67% lived at or below the federal poverty level, 18% had experienced homelessness in the past year, 26% experienced mild to severe symptoms of depression, 30% experienced mild to severe anxiety symptoms, 32% reported physical violence by an intimate partner, and 30% reported forced sex during their lifetime. Despite 80% being very satisfied with their current HIV care, 94% experienced current HIV stigma and 20% experienced health care-related discrimination since being diagnosed with HIV. Among transgender women with diagnosed HIV who experienced discrimination, 46% and 51% experienced health care discrimination attributed to their gender and sexual orientation or sexual practices, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore a need to address unmet ancillary services, such as housing, intimate partner violence, and mental health needs, and the need for strategies to reduce experiences with HIV stigma and discrimination in care for transgender women with diagnosed HIV in the United States.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With Recent Incarceration Among People With HIV, United States, 2015-2017.

OBJECTIVES: We examined sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors associated with previous incarceration among people with diagnosed HIV to inform HIV care efforts for this population. METHODS: We used 2015-2017 data from a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of US adults with diagnosed HIV (N = 11 739). We computed weighted percentages and 95% CIs to compare the characteristics of people with HIV incarcerated in the past 12 months (ie, recently) with people with HIV not recently incarcerated. We used adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) with predicted marginal means to examine associations between selected factors and incarceration status. RESULTS: Adults with HIV who were recently incarcerated, when compared with those who were not, were more likely to be aged 18-29 years (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.51), non-Hispanic Black (PR = 1.39), less educated (

Clinical Outcomes of Adults With Diagnosed HIV Living in Ending the HIV Epidemic Priority Areas, Medical Monitoring Project, 2018.

OBJECTIVES: The Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative prioritizes treatment and prevention efforts in counties where most new HIV diagnoses occur and states with substantial incidence of new HIV diagnoses in rural areas. Understanding the characteristics of adults with HIV living in EHE priority areas, and how these characteristics compare with adults with HIV living in non-EHE priority areas, can inform EHE efforts. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2018 Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) to understand the characteristics of adults with HIV living in 36 of 48 EHE priority counties; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and 1 of 7 EHE priority states. We calculated weighted percentages of sociodemographic characteristics, behaviors, and clinical outcomes of adults with diagnosed HIV living in MMP EHE priority areas and compared them with characteristics of adults who did not live in MMP EHE priority areas using prevalence ratios (PRs) with predicted marginal means. RESULTS: Living in an MMP EHE priority area was more common among adults who were non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic, experienced homelessness, or were food insecure compared with adults who were non-Hispanic White (59.3% and 58.4% vs 41.0%), not experiencing homelessness (60.9% vs 51.9%), or not food insecure (59.8% vs 51.0%). Adults who lived in MMP EHE priority areas were significantly less likely to be adherent to their HIV medications (PR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99) and durably virally suppressed (PR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.97), and more likely to miss scheduled appointments for HIV care (PR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.10-1.56) than adults who did not live in MMP EHE priority areas. CONCLUSION: To increase viral suppression and reduce HIV transmission, it is essential to strengthen public health efforts to improve medication and appointment adherence in this population.

Trends in preexposure prophylaxis use among sex partners as reported by persons with HIV - United States, May 2015-June 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate trends in the proportion of sexually active U.S. adults with HIV (PWH) reporting an HIV-discordant sexual partner taking preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and proportion of partners taking PrEP. DESIGN: The Medical Monitoring Project is a complex sample survey of U.S. adults with diagnosed HIV. METHODS: We used annual cross-sectional data collected during June 2015-May 2020 to estimate the annual percentage change (EAPC), overall and by selected characteristics, in reported partner PrEP use among PWH with HIV-discordant partners (N = 8707) and reported PrEP use among these partners (N = 15 844). RESULTS: The proportion of PWH reporting PrEP use by one or more HIV-discordant sex partner rose 19.5% annually (11.3 to 24.4%). The prevalence rose from 6.0 to 17.4% (EAPC, 25.8%) among Black PWH, 10.1 to 26.0% (EAPC, 19.5%) among Hispanic/Latino PWH, and 20.8 to 34.6% (EAPC, 16.3%) among White PWH. Among MSM with HIV, the prevalence increased from 9.6 to 32.6% (EAPC, 28.2%) among Black MSM, 16.6 to 36.0% (EAPC, 15.6%) among Hispanic/Latino MSM, and 24.9 to 44.1% (EAPC, 17.9%) among White MSM. Among HIV-discordant sex partners, the proportion reported to be taking PrEP increased 21.1% annually (7.8 to 18.8%). Reported PrEP use rose from 4.9 to 14.2% (EAPC, 29.9%) among Black partners, 6.5 to 16.8% (EAPC, 20.3%) among Hispanic/Latino partners, and 12.7 to 26.1% (EAPC, 17.0%) among White partners. CONCLUSIONS: One in five HIV-discordant sexual partners of PWH was reported to be taking PrEP. PrEP use rose among all examined populations, although the increases did not eliminate disparities in PrEP use.