Using Syndemics Theory to Investigate Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Condomless Sex Among Youth Living with HIV in 17 U.S. Cities.

Identifying risk and protective factors associated with condomless sex among youth living with HIV is imperative for developing effective HIV prevention strategies. A cross-sectional sample of 1728 participants, 12-26 years of age, recruited from adolescent medicine clinics in 17 U.S. cities completed an audio-computer assisted self-interview with questions about their substance use, psychosocial factors, and attitudinal and behavioral factors. Guided by syndemics theory, a path analysis was used to assess the interrelations of these factors. Analyses of model fit statistics indicated statistically significant direct pathways between substance use, psychosocial factors, self-efficacy for risk-reduction, alternative risk-reduction attitudes and behaviors and condomless sex. The total indirect effect of self-efficacy for risk-reduction on condomless sex through alternative risk-reduction attitudes and behaviors was also significant. Multi-faceted, tailored interventions that address individual risk and protective factors and their combined synergistic effects are urgently needed to prevent condomless sex among this population.

The association between gender identity fluidity and health outcomes in transgender and gender diverse people in New Orleans and Los Angeles, USA.

Objectives: Most studies with transgender and gender diverse people (TGD) examine gender identity cross-sectionally. Gender identity and expression can fluctuate over time, which may have implications for health. The goal of our study was to compare mental health, substance use and healthcare utilization among 163 gender identity fluid (1 + identity change) and gender identity consistent (no change) TGD. Methods: Participants were recruited in New Orleans, LA and Los Angeles, CA and assessed at four-month intervals over 24 months between 2017 and 2021. We conducted logistic regression models to test for associations between gender identity fluidity and health outcomes at 24 months. In post hoc analyses, we explore how controlling for cross-sectional report of gender identity at 24 months may impact the association between gender identity fluidity and health outcomes. Results: We saw no significant differences across mental health and substance use indicators. Gender identity fluid participants had 5.9 times the adjusted odds (95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 1.9-18.4) of no recent healthcare visit compared to gender identity consistent participants. After controlling for cross-sectional report of gender identity, the association between gender identity fluidity and no recent healthcare visit remained significant (aOR = 4.6; 95 % CI: 1.4-14.8). Conclusions: Because providers have limited experience providing gender-affirming care or treating patients with fluid gender identities, gender identity fluid patients may avoid healthcare more than gender identity consistent patients. Our preliminary study highlights the need to measure gender identity longitudinally and examine the relationship between gender identity fluidity and health.

Syndemic Conditions Reinforcing Disparities in HIV and Other STIs in an Urban Sample of Behaviorally Bisexual Latino Men.

Syndemics research has made great contributions to understanding sexual risk among Latino men who have sex with men. However, such work often combines data for behaviorally bisexual men with data for men with exclusively same-sex partners. Using cross-sectional data from 148 behaviorally bisexual Latino men, this study explored the impact of syndemic factors-polydrug use, childhood sexual abuse, and depression-on sexual risk behaviors and STI incidence. Approximately one-third of participants reported polydrug use, 22% reported childhood sexual abuse, and 26% screened for clinically significant depressive symptoms. An increase in syndemic factors was associated with increased odds of lifetime STI incidence and condomless receptive anal intercourse with men; however, the model did not predict condomless insertive anal intercourse with men or condomless vaginal intercourse. More efforts are needed to explore the varying mechanisms, including but not restricted to the combined impact of syndemic conditions, that influence sexual risk in this population.

A couple-based HIV prevention intervention for Latino men who have sex with men: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) experienced a 13% increase in HIV diagnoses from 2010 to 2014, more than any other racial/ethnic subgroup of MSM in the United States. If current HIV diagnoses rates persist, about one in four Latino MSM in the United States will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime. Although some efficacious HIV prevention interventions for Latino MSM exist, none have focused on couples. This paper describes the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the preliminary efficacy of a couple-based HIV prevention intervention that is culturally tailored for Latino men and their same-sex partners. METHODS: The RCT will determine the preliminary efficacy of Connecting Latinos en Pareja (CLP) to increase the proportion of anal sex acts that are HIV protected (i.e., anal sex acts in which condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), treatment as prevention (TasP), or a combination thereof, are used to reduce risk of HIV transmission). CLP builds upon previous couple-based interventions with white and black MSM by incorporating biomedical prevention techniques, such as PrEP and TasP, implementing a framework responsive to the couple's serostatus, and addressing the socio-cultural factors that influence HIV risk among Latino MSM. We also include input from community stakeholders, members of the target population, and a community advisory board as part of intervention development. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and 3- and 6-months post-intervention to examine the intervention effects on outcomes (HIV-protected sex acts), and factors potentially mediating or moderating intervention effects. DISCUSSION: This paper describes an innovative RCT that incorporates multiple HIV prevention techniques for Latino MSM in couples, regardless of serostatus. The ongoing involvement of community stakeholders, members of the target population, and a community advisory board is emphasized, and plans for widespread dissemination and application of findings into practice are discussed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: NCT03048838 . Registered on 3 February 2017.

Photolytic insertion of albumin on activated carbon modified with ozone.

254nm photolyses of bovine serum albumin [BSA] in aqueous solutions, were carried out in the presence of activated carbons modified by reaction with ozone. The photolyses were monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy and UV spectrophotometry, and the products were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, TGA, total organic carbon analyses [TOC], and XPS. The ozonation reaction was carried out at room temperature with O3 under dry and wet conditions. The carbon characterization showed that the reaction increased the amount of epoxide and carbonyl groups on the carbon matrix. The activated carbon modified with dry O3 exhibited higher concentration of oxidized groups in its surface, smaller surface area and lower thermal stability. Characterization of the photolysis of ozonized carbons pointed to a small release of carbon organic groups during the reaction with elimination of epoxide groups and increase of carbonyl groups without change of thermal stability. Photolysis of BSA in aqueous solution occurred with fluorescence quenching due to changes of the local microenvironment and/or macromolecular conformational changes. Absorbance increase of the UV spectrum indicated a hyperchromic effect due to albumin structure modifications during photolysis. TGA analysis of the photolysed activated carbons in the presence of BSA suggested that ozonized carbon samples underwent insertion of BSA upon photolysis, in particular the sample ozonized under dry conditions. The changes observed for the FTIR and elemental analysis agreed with this conclusion, which was further supported by 13C SS-NMR, fluorescence emission and XPS.