Impact of COVID-19 on women living with HIV who are survivors of intimate partner violence.

BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV (WLWH) experience higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to women without HIV, but there has been minimal research to date on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lived experiences of WLWH who are IPV survivors. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of COVID-19 impact using baseline data from an ongoing, prospective, micro-longitudinal cohort study of HIV care engagement among WLWH who have experienced lifetime IPV. We measured the impact of COVID-19 along key domains (i.e., physical health, day-to-day life, sexual/relationship behavior, substance use, HIV care, mental health, financial status, and having conflict with partners). Using independent t-tests or Fisher's exact tests, and Pearson's chi-squared tests, we compared women with and without ongoing IPV across sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric disorders, substance use, and COVID-19 impact domains. We then built separate multivariate linear regression models for each of the different COVID-19 impact domains; ongoing IPV exposure was the primary explanatory variable of interest. RESULTS: Enrolled participants (n = 84) comprised a group of women (mean age 53.6y; SD = 9.9) who were living with HIV for a mean 23.3 years (SD = 10), all of whom had experienced lifetime IPV. Among 49 women who were currently partnered, 79.6% (n = 39) reported ongoing IPV. There were no statistically significant differences between those experiencing ongoing IPV and those who were not (or not partnered) in terms of demographic characteristics, substance use, or mental health. In multivariate models, ongoing IPV exposure was not associated with any COVID-19 impact domain. Anxiety and depression, however, were associated with COVID-19-related physical health, HIV care, and relationship conflict. Hispanic ethnicity was significantly associated with COVID-19-related physical health. More severe cocaine and opioid use were also significantly associated with COVID-19-related impact on day-to-day life. CONCLUSIONS: Among this sample of WLWH who are all lifetime IPV-survivors, nearly half had ongoing IPV exposure. The COVID-19 public health emergency period affected WLWH in varied ways, but impacts were most profound for women experiencing concurrent mental health and substance use problems. Findings have important implications for future interventions to improve women's health and social outcomes.

Experience delivering an integrated service model to people with criminal justice system involvement and housing insecurity.

BACKGROUND: People returning to communities from prison or jail face stressors related to securing housing, including discrimination, restrictions based on prior felony convictions, and limited economic and social resources. Existing housing programs can effectively reduce housing instability but often do not fully address the needs of people involved in the criminal justice system experiencing homelessness who often have co-occurring chronic medical issues, and psychiatric and substance use disorders. METHODS: Project CHANGE is an ongoing program to deliver person-centered, integrated care and services to individuals involved with the criminal justice system and experiencing homelessness. Applying a Screening, Brief Intervention, (Referral to) Treatment framework, a comprehensive needs assessment is followed by delivery of intensive housing and vocational case management; and psychiatric, substance use, and medical services in a single location by an interdisciplinary team. Participants are followed with study interviews for 12 months. The current analysis was designed to assess the baseline characteristics and needs of the sample population, and the intensity of contact required for integrated service delivery. RESULTS: Between November 2019 and September 2021, 86 participants were enrolled, of whom 64% had been released from prison/jail in the past 6 months; the remainder were on parole, probation, or intensive pretrial supervision. Participants were unstably housed (64%) or residing outdoors (26.7%) or in a shelter (24.4%). Most participants had high medical need and frequent healthcare engagement through outpatient and emergency department visits. Most participants were at-risk for clinical depression, and half were diagnosed with anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform, and other non-psychotic psychiatric disorders. Over 12-month follow-up, the interdisciplinary team made over 500 contact encounters, over half of which resulted in direct services provided, including obtaining vital documents for homelessness verification, housing applications, and employment coaching. CONCLUSION: Navigation of services can be particularly challenging for individuals experiencing criminal justice involvement, homelessness, and co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and substance use issues, which can be addressed holistically in an integrated service model. Integrated service delivery was time-, resource-, and staffing-intensive, and challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring innovative solutions to sustain participant engagement.

A PrEP Demonstration Project Using eHealth and Community Outreach to Justice-Involved Cisgender Women and Their Risk Networks.

Women involved in criminal justice systems (WICJ) are a key population at risk for HIV, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critical for HIV prevention. This project was designed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering PrEP via eHealth to WICJ and members of their risk network (RN). We recruited HIV-negative cisgender WICJ index participants (n = 38) and risk network (RN) members (n = 67) using modified respondent-driven sampling. TDF/FTC was initiated for PrEP in participants meeting clinical criteria and dispensed through eHealth using a community-based, low barrier-to-care outreach model. Key steps in the PrEP care continuum were measured over 12 months. Enrolled participants (n = 105) had high current and lifetime justice-involvement and were predominantly cisgender women and non-Hispanic white with a mean age of 40.9y (SD 9.6). Despite most having primary care providers and medical insurance, PrEP awareness was low, and participants experienced high levels of medical, psychiatric, substance use, social, and economic need. Fifty-two participants (50%) were PrEP-eligible, of whom 24 (46%) initiated PrEP. TDF/FTC was safe and well-tolerated throughout follow-up and 13 individuals chose to remain on PrEP following study conclusion. In this novel PrEP demonstration project for WICJ and RN members, despite high medical, psychiatric, and social comorbidity, PrEP was positively received and effectively delivered using a community outreach model via eHealth.Registered on clinicaltrials.gov under trial registration number NCT03293290.

Overlapping needs for sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention in women with substance use disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Women with substance use disorders have high unmet needs for HIV prevention and drug treatment and face challenges accessing care for other unique health issues, including their sexual and reproductive health. METHODS: We did a cross-sectional evaluation of sexual and reproductive health behaviors and outcomes among women with substance use disorders, who were enrolled in one of two concurrent clinical trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Descriptive analyses and bivariate logistic regression were used to assess factors driving contraceptive use, and other essential sexual and reproductive health services utilization and outcomes. RESULTS: Among 226 women, 173 (76.5%) were of reproductive age. Most women had histories of unintended pregnancy (79.2%) or miscarriage (45.1%) and high HIV risk behaviors (53.5%). Most (61%) participants did not use any form of contraception at the time of assessment, although few (15%) reported pregnancy intentions. In bivariate models, ongoing criminal justice involvement was associated with 2.22 higher odds of not using contraception (95% confidence interval = 1.09-4.53; p = 0.03) and hazardous drinking was protective against not using contraception (odds ratio = 0.33, 95% confidence interval = 0.13-0.81; p = 0.02). Contraception use was not significantly associated with any other individual characteristics or need factors. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that identifies the unmet sexual and reproductive health needs of women with substance use disorders who are engaging with pre-exposure prophylaxis. We found that women accessed some health services but not in a way that holistically addresses the full scope of their needs. Integrated sexual and reproductive care should align women's expressed sexual and reproductive health intentions with their behaviors and outcomes, by addressing social determinants of health.

Preexposure Prophylaxis for Women Across the Criminal Justice System: Implications for Policy and Practice.

Data that inform preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation for women involved in criminal justice (WICJ) systems are scarce. In a survey of PrEP attitudes, acceptability, and barriers across the criminal justice system, incarcerated women (n = 48) were more likely than WICJ on probation (n = 125) to be eligible for PrEP (29% vs. 15%; p = .04) and willing to take PrEP if offered (94% vs. 78%; p = .01). In multivariate models, PrEP eligibility directly correlated with being incarcerated (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76-13.1) and inversely correlated with Hispanic/Latina ethnicity (aOR 0.31; 95% CI 0.10-0.96). Recent partner violence exposure was associated with PrEP eligibility (aOR 3.29; 95% CI 1.54-7.02) and discordant risk perception (aOR 2.36; 95% CI 1.18-4.70). Findings demonstrate high potential for PrEP for all WICJ, though implementation efforts will need to address partner violence.

"A good mother": Impact of motherhood identity on women's substance use and engagement in treatment across the lifespan.

BACKGROUND: Women are underrepresented in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Interpersonal and structural factors affect women's access to SUD treatment, but limited research evaluates how motherhood is a potential barrier and facilitator to engagement in SUD treatment. We focus on women from young to middle adulthood, and capture women's identities as mothers, caretakers, and grandmothers, outside of pregnancy and the postpartum period. METHODS: Study staff conducted twenty qualitative interviews with women in SUD treatment to assess experiences with SUD treatment, in which motherhood emerged as a key theme. Twelve women then participated in four focus groups centered on motherhood. The study audio-recorded and transcribed interviews, and two independent authors analyzed interviews, followed by group consensus. RESULTS: Most women identified their children and responsibilities as mothers and caretakers as important motivators to accessing SUD treatment. Motherhood was also a barrier to treatment, in that women feared losing child custody by disclosing substance use and few residential programs accommodate women with children. Multiple women expressed guilt about their substance use, sensing that it contributed to perceived abandonment or separation from their children. Reunification was important to SUD recovery. CONCLUSION: Women with SUD who are mothers experience specific barriers to treatment engagement and recovery. Women need SUD treatment programs that address these interpersonal and structural factors across the lifespan.