The impact of syndemic burden, age, and sexual minority status on internalized HIV stigma among people living with HIV in South Florida.

Internalized HIV stigma has been associated with several poor mental and physical health outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH); yet, little research has explored how internalized HIV stigma may be affected by syndemic burden. This study sought to examine the relationship between syndemic conditions and HIV stigma over and above the potential effects of two social determinants of health, age and sexual minority status, using a linear regression approach (N = 1343). Syndemic burden was significantly positively associated with internalized HIV stigma above and beyond the effects of age and sexual minority status (b = 0.23). Additionally, age (b = -0.02) and being a sexually minority (b = -0.31) were significantly negatively associated with internalized HIV stigma. Findings should inform future treatment targets for this population by specifically working to reduce internalized HIV stigma for people with a greater syndemic burden and, potentially, among young adults and heterosexual PLWH.

Factors associated with meningitis vaccine awareness and engagement among Latino men who have sex with men in South Florida.

Awareness and uptake of the meningitis vaccine remains low among marginalized groups, such as Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM), potentially due to structural and psychosocial barriers in accessing preventative healthcare. The current study explored awareness and uptake of meningitis vaccines among a group of LMSM (N = 99) living in South Florida. A three-pronged variable selection approach was utilized prior to conducting regression models (linear and logistic). Overall, 48.5% of the participants reported little to no knowledge about meningitis vaccines, and 20.2% reported being vaccinated. Living with HIV (OR = 10.48) and time since outbreak (OR = 1.03) were significant predictors of meningitis vaccine uptake. No significant correlates of meningitis vaccine awareness were identified. More research is needed to identify other important factors associated with meningitis vaccine awareness and uptake among LMSM, a multiple marginalized group.

Longitudinal predictors of post-exposure prophylaxis awareness among latino sexual minority men in South Florida.

Biomedical tools for HIV prevention such as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) continue to be underutilized by subgroups experiencing significant HIV inequities. Specifically, factors associated with both PEP awareness and uptake both cross-sectionally and longitudinally are under-researched, despite PEP being a part of the United States' Plan for Ending the HIV Epidemic. The current study examined longitudinal predictors of PEP awareness among Latino sexual minority men (LSMM) living in South Florida. This current study (N = 290) employed hierarchal linear modeling across three timepoints (baseline, 4-months, 8-months) to assess within-person and between-person effects over time for several psychosocial and structural factors. Most participants (67.5%) reported little to no awareness of PEP at baseline with general PEP awareness growing slightly across the study (60.5% reporting little to no awareness of PEP at 8 months). Results of the final conditional model suggest significant within-person effects of PrEP knowledge (p = 0.02) and PrEP self-efficacy (p < 0.001), as well as a significant positive between-person effect of PrEP knowledge (p < 0.01) on PEP awareness. Between-person HIV knowledge was also a significant predictor in this model (p = 0.01). This longitudinal analysis of LSMM's PEP awareness indicates that more must be done to increase PEP awareness among this subgroup. Future studies should explore how to build on existing interventions focused on HIV and PrEP knowledge and PrEP self-efficacy to incorporate information about PEP to increase the reach of this effective biomedical HIV prevention tool.

Refining Multilevel Barrier and Facilitator Measures for HIV Testing and PrEP Among Latino Sexual Minority Men.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to refine and establish measures of multilevel barriers and facilitators to HIV testing and PrEP for Latino sexual minority men (LSMM). DESIGN: Cross-sectional measure validation. SETTING: Participants from Miami, FL. SUBJECTS: 290 LSMM from the DÍMELO study. MEASURES: Based on prior qualitative work, we developed two measures that evaluated multiple determinants (i.e., barriers and facilitators) to (1) HIV testing and (2) PrEP use. ANALYSIS: All measures included in this analysis assessed a set of theoretically distinct barriers and facilitators. We performed 11 exploratory factor analyses (EFA) to assess the dimensionality of theoretical groupings of items informed by prior qualitative work, including: knowledge, perceived need and benefit, mistrust and concerns, stigma and normalization, cultural competence, navigation support, provider demeanor, clinic and medical system issues, privacy concerns, cost, and language and immigration barriers. Based on EFA results, we conducted two confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), one for each measure. RESULTS: Within each measure, the 11 EFAs extracted 10 barrier factors and 7 facilitator factors. The CFAs for HIV testing and PrEP measures were consistent, such that all models retained the structures identified in the EFAs. CONCLUSION: Findings support the use of these measures with LSMM. These measures can inform multilevel implementation strategies for health promotion professionals to scale up and disseminate HIV prevention services to LSMM.

PrEP to Party: Exploring MSM's PrEP Use and Interest in the Context of Sexually Themed Events.

Sexually themed events present a unique opportunity for scaling up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to men who have sex with men (MSM). This study descriptively explored PrEP uptake among MSM who anticipated attending a week-long major South Florida sexually themed event and examined potential facilitators and barriers to PrEP engagement among potential attendees. Of the participating HIV-negative MSM (n = 96), 66.7% were currently taking PrEP. Prior attendance at sexually themed events was significantly associated with current PrEP engagement and almost 75% of HIV-negative MSM not on PrEP reported high interest in taking PrEP if offered for free at future events.

A Rapid Environmental Scan of South Florida HIV Organizations' Mpox Messaging During the August 2022 Peak of the U.S. Outbreak.

The 2022 outbreak of mpox disproportionately impacted men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. As such, HIV organizations were uniquely situated to reach populations affected by mpox. However, the extent to which these organizations pivoted to address mpox, and what form mpox messaging took, is unknown. We conducted a rapid environmental scan of 29 HIV or sexual health organizations to assess the frequency and content of mpox messaging in August 2022, the peak of the mpox outbreak in Miami, FL. Approximately half of the organizations provided mpox messaging, most of which was accurate. Only 5% of the messages were in Spanish and 4% in Spanish and Haitian Creole. Our findings suggest HIV organizations' pivot to mpox messaging may have been delayed overall and in reaching Spanish- and Haitian Creole-speaking communities. Results could inform modifications to mpox messaging campaigns and future outbreaks that disproportionately affect minoritized communities.

RESUMEN: El brote de la viruela del mono en 2022 afectó desproporcionadamente a hombres que tienen relaciones sexuales con hombres y personas que viven con el VIH. Como tal, las organizaciones dedicadas al VIH estaban en una posición única para llegar a las poblaciones afectadas por la viruela del mono. Sin embargo, no se sabe en qué medida estas organizaciones cambiaron su enfoque para abordar la viruela del mono y qué forma tomó la mensajería sobre a la viruela del mono. Realizamos un escaneo ambiental rápido de 29 organizaciones de VIH o salud sexual para evaluar la frecuencia y el contenido de la mensajería sobre la viruela del mono en agosto de 2022, en el pico del brote de la viruela del mono en Miami, Florida. Aproximadamente la mitad de las organizaciones proporcionaron mensajería sobre la viruela del mono, la mayoría de la cual era precisa. Solo el 5% de los mensajes estaban en español y el 4% en español y criollo haitiano. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que el cambio de enfoque de las organizaciones de VIH hacia la mensajería sobre la viruela del mono puede haber sido en general demorado y que no llegó adecuadamente a las comunidades de habla hispana y criollo haitiano. Los resultados podrían informar modificaciones en las campañas de mensajería sobre la viruela del mono y en futuros brotes que afecten desproporcionadamente a comunidades minorizadas.

Trajectories of Drug Use and Depressive Symptoms among Latinx Youth and Sexual Minority Youth.

Drug use and depression co-occur and disproportionately affect Latinx sexual minority youth relative to their heterosexual Latinx peers. However, heterogeneity in co-occurring patterns of drug use and depressive symptoms is unknown. The objective of the current study was to identify patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories and examine how these patterns varied between Latinx sexual minority youth and Latinx non-sexual minority youth. Latent class trajectory analysis identified distinct patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories among 231 Latinx adolescents (Latinx sexual minority youth: n = 46, 21.4%; Latinx non-sexual minority youth: n = 169, 78.6%). After identifying class mean trajectories, we examined differences in mean trajectories across groups. A 3-class model was selected as the optimal class trajectory model for both groups, yet classes and trajectories differed. There were differences in initial levels of depression and drug use trajectories between both groups, as well as differences in patterns of drug use trajectories between both groups in two of the three classes. Given the variation in trajectory patterns, there is a need for practitioners to consider the unique needs of both groups to inform the development of preventive interventions for these two populations.

You gotta walk the walk to talk the talk: protocol for a feasibility study of the Happy Older Latino Adults (HOLA) health promotion intervention for older HIV-positive Latino men.

BACKGROUND: Older Latinos living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been disproportionately affected by the epidemic and experience compounded health disparities that have deepened over time. These health disparities are largely related to lifestyle and are either preventable or amenable to early detection or intervention. Despite existing resources to deliver an intervention to reduce this compounded health disparity, there is little information on the effects of health promotion interventions on indices of cardiometabolic risk in midlife and older Latinos living with HIV. The Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) intervention is an innovative health promotion program that is uniquely tailored to meet the diverse needs and circumstances of older Latinos with HIV. The goal of this manuscript is to describe the protocol of a feasibility study of the HOLA health promotion intervention for older HIV-positive Latino men. METHODS/DESIGN: HOLA, which is informed by Behavioral Activation and Social Learning theory is a community health worker (CHW)-led, multicomponent, health promotion intervention consisting of: (1) a social and physical activation session; (2) a moderately intense group walk led by a CHW for 45 min, 3×/week for 16 weeks; (3) pleasant events (e.g., going to brunch with friends) scheduling. Eighteen community dwelling Latinos living with HIV aged 50+ will be recruited for this feasibility study adapting the HOLA intervention. Participants will be assessed at three time points (baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention) on measures of cardiometabolic risk factors (waist circumference, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and glucose), psychosocial functioning, and health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: If HOLA can be delivered successfully by CHWs, then the scalability, accessibility, and potential for dissemination is increased. Additionally, this study will inform feasibility and identify modifications needed in the design of a larger hypothesis testing study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03839212. Date of Registration: 8 February, 2019.

Factors Associated with Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among a Community-Based Sample of Sexual Minority Older Adults with HIV.

Older sexual minorities (e.g., gay, bisexual) living with HIV are at risk for poor HIV outcomes due to their frequent experience with both psychosocial challenges and structural barriers to care. This study utilized a stochastic search variable selection (SVSS) approach to explore potential psychosocial and structural factors associated with HIV-related health outcomes among a community-based sample of older sexual minorities (N = 150) in South Florida, an U.S. HIV-epidemic epicenter. After SVSS, a forward entry regression approach suggested unstable housing, illicit substance use, current nicotine use, and depression were all associated with poorer ART adherence among older sexual minority adults living with HIV. No associations between potential correlates and biological measures of HIV disease severity were observed. Findings highlight a need to focus on multiple levels of intervention that target a combination of psychosocial and structural factors to improve HIV-care outcomes among older sexual minorities and achieve Ending the HIV Epidemic goals.

Minorías sexuales mayores (p.ej., gay, bisexual) que viven con VIH están en riesgo de resultados negativos de VIH debido a sus experiencias con desafíos psicosociales y barreras estructurales. Este estudio uso selección de variables de búsqueda estocástica (SVSS) para explorar factores psicosociales y estructurales asociadas con resultados de salud relacionado a VIH entre una muestra comunitaria de minorías sexuales mayores (N = 150) el la Sur de la Florida, un epicentro de la epidemia de VIH en EE. UU. Después de SVSS, una regresión de entrada directa sugirió que vivienda inestable, uso de sustancias ilícitas, consumo actual de nicotina, y depresión eran asociados con menos adherencia de terapias antirretroviral entre adultos mayores de minorías sexuales que viven con el VIH. No se encontraron asociaciones entre correlatos potenciales y medidas biológicas de VIH. Recomendaciones destacan una necesidad de concentrarse en múltiples niveles de intervención que apuntan una combinación de factores psicosociales y estructurales para mejorar resultados de VIH entre las minorías sexuales mayores y lograr las metas de Finalizando la Epidemia del VIH.

Promoting health equity in HIV prevention and treatment research: a practical guide to establishing, implementing, and sustaining community advisory boards.

Over the last 25 years, community-based participatory research (CBPR) has emerged as an innovative methodological approach to break down the barriers toward health equity in biopsychosocial research. Although there are several methods one can use to conduct CBPR research, one widely used established tool that has shown to be effective for engaging community meaningfully in research is community advisory boards (CABs). CABs are formalized collaborative bodies consisting of community and research stakeholders and have been integral in engaging underserved groups experiencing HIV-related health inequities at the early stages of the AIDS crisis. Even though evidence suggests that CABs are an effective tool for conducting high-quality, rigorous, and community-centered HIV-related research, there are minimal guidelines summarizing the steps needed for developing and maintaining a CAB. Therefore, to fill this gap in the literature, this article offers a practical guide to help researchers with minimal experience, particularly graduate students and early-stage investigators, feel more comfortable with establishing a CAB for equity-focused HIV-related research. This article synthesizes already established guidelines and frameworks for CAB development while specifically outlining unique steps related to the three main stages of CAB formation - establishment, implementation, and sustainment. Throughout this article, the authors offer tension points, generated from the literature and with consultation from a CAB working alongside the authors, that researchers and community partners may need to navigate during each of these three stages. In addition, best practices from the literature are identified for each step in the guidelines so that readers can see firsthand how research groups have carried out these steps in their own practice.

Prioritizing recruitment: the benefits to using a disease registry to recruit older adults with HIV and intersecting identities.

The success of a study hinges on its recruitment procedures, however there is a paucity of papers focused on innovative recruitment strategies, especially as it relates to the recruitment and retention of marginalized populations. This paper aims to outline how consent-to-contact databases can be used as an effective tool for recruitment. First, we begin by describing the consent-to-contact databases we used. Then, we offer insight into how a consent-to-contact database was utilized to recruit Latino older adults with HIV participants for an interdisciplinary behavioral and physical health promotion intervention. We outline barriers and challenges to recruitment and research participation with a specific emphasis on the unique hurdles associated with recruiting and retaining racial/ethnic minority older adults with HIV in behavioral health studies. Finally, we provide final recommendations for future researchers interested in how to best employ this type of recruitment tool in their own research.

Life Instability Associated with Lower ART Adherence and Other Poor HIV-Related Care Outcomes in Older Adults with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Life instability may be an important factor for HIV-related care outcomes in older adults living with HIV (OALWH). This study examined the degree to which an 11-item life instability index (LII) composed of individual- and community-level indicators was associated with HIV-related care outcomes-viral load, antiretroviral (ART) medication adherence, rates of detectable viral load, and HIV care appointment non-adherence among OALWH in the Miami area. METHODS: Six hundred twenty-three OALWH completed an interviewer-administered assessment (English or Spanish), which was matched with medical record data. RESULTS: Participants reported about six LII indicators each (M = 6.08, SD = 1.44). Greater index scores were associated with worse self-reported ART adherence (b = - 1.14, p = 0.03), lower observed appointment adherence (b = 0.02, p < 0.01), higher viral load (b = 0.09, p = 0.02), and greater odds of viral detection (OR = 1.22, p = 0.01). Regarding health behaviors, life instability was significantly associated with increased illicit substance use among participants and not associated with depression or anxiety. The association of life instability to ART adherence remained significant (although attenuated) when controlling for the significant effects of substance use (b = - 0.40, BSTP [- 0.87, - 0.09]). CONCLUSION: This present study is the first to examine an additive life instability index and its association with HIV-related behavioral and biomedical health outcomes among a population of OALWH. Greater indicators of life instability among OALWH may lead to poorer HIV-related health outcomes above and beyond the net of the effects of depression, anxiety, and substance use.

Factors associated with latino sexual minority men's likelihood and motivation for obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine: a mixed-methods study.

Minoritized communities are underreached by biomedical interventions, such as the COVID-19 vaccine. This mixed-methods study identified factors associated with vaccine likelihood (VL) and uptake (VU) among 187 Latino sexual minority men (LSMM) in South Florida. Regression models with LASSO variable selection and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) assessed determinants of VL and VU while open-ended questions were evaluated using thematic content analysis. VL (range 1-7; M = 6.00, SD = 1.84) and VU (63.6%) was high. LASSO modeling identified being insured, worrying about others, fear of transmitting COVID-19, and financial stress as the most influential factors for VL; working remotely from home was important for VU. Time (weeks) since addition of COVID-19 vaccination-related questions (December 2nd, 2020) was associated with both outcomes across both modeling techniques. Convergence between data suggests capitalizing on altruistic motivations and improving accessibility to vaccine campaigns are valuable assets to increase LSMM's vaccine confidence.

Applying Rapid Qualitative Analysis for Health Equity: Lessons Learned Using "EARS" With Latino Communities.

Qualitative research amplifies the voices of marginalized communities and thus plays a critical role in shaping our understanding of health inequities and their social determinants. Traditional qualitative approaches, such as grounded theory or thematic analysis, require extensive training and are time- and labor-intensive; as such, they may not be adequately suited to address healthy equity issues that require a swift response. Rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) is an action-oriented approach to qualitative data analysis that may be used when findings are needed to quickly inform practice. RQA capitalizes on using a team to summarize key points from qualitative data into matrices to explore relevant themes efficiently and systematically. In this paper, we provide case examples from our work applying RQA to health equity research with Latino communities to address community needs, such as responses to public health emergencies and the development of service delivery and technology interventions for infectious and chronic diseases. We draw from our collective experiences to share lessons learned and provide the following specific recommendations ("EARS") to researchers interested in applying RQA for health equity research: (1) Employ RQA to address rapidly evolving, urgent, health equity challenges; (2) Assure quality and rigor throughout the RQA process; (3) Respond to barriers and problem-solve as needed; and (4) Strengthen community relationships before, during, and after using RQA. Overall, we advocate for the use of RQA to promote health equity due to its ability to integrate the vital perspectives of marginalized communities and efficiently respond to their needs.

Impact of COVID-19 on HIV service delivery in Miami-Dade County: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Facilitating access to HIV prevention and treatment is imperative in Miami-Dade County (MDC), a U.S. HIV epicenter. With COVID-19, disruptions to these services have occurred, leading HIV organizations to innovate and demonstrate resilience. This study documented COVID-19 related disruptions and resilient innovations in HIV services within MDC. METHODS: This mixed methods cross-sectional study included HIV test counselors in MDC. In the quantitative component (N=106), participants reported COVID-19 impacts on HIV service delivery. Data visualization examined patterns within organizations and throughout the study period. Generalized estimating equation modeling examined differences in service disruptions and innovations. In the qualitative component, participants (N=20) completed interviews regarding COVID-19 impacts on HIV services. Rapid qualitative analysis was employed to analyze interviews. RESULTS: Quantitative data showed that innovations generally matched or outpaced disruptions, demonstrating resilience on HIV service delivery during COVID-19. HIV testing (36%, 95%CI[28%, 46%]) and STI testing (42%, 95%CI[33%, 52%]) were most likely to be disrupted. Sexual/reproductive health (45%, 95%CI[35%, 55%]), HIV testing (57%, 95%CI[47%,66%]), HIV case management (51%, 95%CI[41%, 60%]), PrEP initiation (47%, 95%CI[37%,57%]), and STI testing (47%, 95%CI[37%, 57%]) were most likely to be innovated. Qualitative analysis revealed three orthogonal themes related to 1) disruptions (with five sub-components), 2) resilient innovations (with four sub-components), and 3) emerging and ongoing health disparities. CONCLUSIONS: HIV organizations faced service disruptions during COVID-19 while also meaningfully innovating. Our findings point to potential changes in policy and practice that could be maintained beyond the immediate impacts of COVID-19 to enhance the resilience of HIV services. Aligning with the US Ending the HIV Epidemic Plan and the National Strategy for HIV/AIDS, capitalizing on the observed innovations would facilitate improved HIV-related health services for people living in MDC and beyond.

Refining an Implementation Strategy to Enhance the Reach of HIV-Prevention and Behavioral Health Treatments to Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Background: Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) experience HIV and behavioral health disparities. Yet, evidence-based interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and behavioral health treatments, have not been equitably scaled up to meet LMSM needs. To address quality of life and the public health importance of HIV prevention, implementation strategies to equitably scale up these interventions to LMSM need to be developed. This study identifies themes for developing culturally grounded implementation strategies to increase uptake of evidence-based HIV prevention and behavioral health treatments among LMSM. Methods: Participants included 13 LMSM and 12 stakeholders in Miami, an HIV epicenter. Feedback regarding the content, design, and format of an implementation strategy to scale up HIV-prevention and behavioral health services to LMSM were collected via focus groups (N=3) and individual interviews (N=3). Themes were inductively identified across the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF) domains. Results: Analyses revealed five higher order themes regarding the design, content, and format of the implementation strategy: cultural context, relationships and networks, navigation of health information and systems, resources and models of service delivery, and motivation to engage. Themes were applicable across HEIF domains, meaning that the same theme could have implications for both the development and implementation of the implementation strategy. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of addressing culturally specific factors, leveraging relational networks, facilitating navigation of health systems, tailoring to available resources, and building consumer and implementer motivation in order to refine an implementation strategy for reducing mental health burden and achieving HIV health equity among LMSM.

Factors Associated with Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Awareness Among Latino Sexual Minority Men in South Florida.

Despite their efficacy, biomedical HIV prevention tools such as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have been insufficiently scaled up and disseminated, especially among marginalized subgroups that face substantial HIV disparities. Given the minimal literature available on PEP among Latino sexual minority men (LSMM), this cross-sectional secondary analysis explored factors associated with PEP awareness among a group of LSMM living in South Florida, a US HIV epicenter. The parent study examined patterns of engagement in PrEP and behavioral health treatment services among LSMM (N = 290). The current secondary analysis (N = 243) identified factors associated with PEP awareness using three methods: stochastic search variable selection, participatory data science, and literature review-before being modeled using linear regression. Most participants (67.5%) reported having little to no awareness about PEP before initiating our study. Simple linear regression models suggested that higher PrEP knowledge (B = 0.17, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), HIV knowledge (B = 0.15, SE = 0.04, p < 0.001), PrEP self-efficacy (B = 0.37, SE = 0.13, p < 0.05), and high perceived community norms for HIV testing (B = 0.29, SE = 0.14, p < 0.05) were each associated with LSMM's greater PEP awareness, while identity affirmation was associated with less PEP awareness (B = -0.13, SE = 0.05, p < 0.01). Results suggest the utility of our three-pronged variable selection approach and address gaps in PEP awareness and use among LSMM living in a US HIV epicenter to support Ending the HIV Epidemic goals.

Centering Culture in Mental Health: Differences in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Access to Care Among Older People of Color.

Mental healthcare disparities are routinely documented, yet they remain wider than in most other areas of healthcare services and common mental disorders (depression and anxiety) continue to be one of the highest health burdens for older people of color. To address disparities in mental health services for older people of color, the narrative must move beyond simply documenting these inequities and attain a better understanding of the internalized, interpersonal, systemic, and medical racism that have harmed these communities and excluded them from its services in the first place. It is imperative that researchers, clinicians, and policymakers acknowledge the realities of racism and discrimination as leading causes of mental healthcare disparities. Therefore, this review is a call-to-action. Authors adopt an antiracist and health equity lens in evaluating the differing needs of Blacks/African-Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos by exploring psychiatric comorbidity, experiences with seeking, accessing, and engaging in treatment, and the unique cultural and psychosocial factors that affect treatment outcomes for these diverse groups. Further, authors offer researchers and practitioners tangible tools for developing and implementing culturally-sensitive, mental health focused interventions for older people of color with special attention placed on cultural adaptations, models of care, prevention, and practical strategies that can be implemented to reduce disparities and increase equity in mental healthcare.

Latino sexual minority men's intersectional minority stress, general stress, and coping during COVID-19: A rapid qualitative study.

Introduction: Sexual minority men face mental health, substance use, and HIV disparities, all of which can be understood by minority stress and intersectionality theories. With the emergence of COVID-19 and considering its disproportionate impact on Latinx and sexual minority communities, Latino sexual minority men (LSMM) may be facing unique consequences of this new pandemic that intersect with pre-COVID disparities. The purpose of the current study is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LSMM's intersectional minority stress, general stress, and coping, filling a gap in the current literature. Methods: The current rapid qualitative study explores the impact of COVID-19 on LSMM in South Florida who reported being HIV-negative (N=10) or living with HIV (N=10). Results: The rapid analysis revealed themes of exacerbated intersectional minority stress and general stress in the context of COVID-19, some of which was related to the impact of pre-COVID-19 disparities in the LSMM community. Participants reported a variety of coping responses, some of which participants found helpful and others (e.g., substance use) which further exacerbated disparities. Conclusion: The findings underscore the need to scale up and disseminate behavioral health resources to LSMM to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this community's health and well-being.