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Black men face high rates of police violence, including direct victimization and indirect exposure to or knowledge of harmful policing. This violence can result in death and physical harm, as well as in numerous poor mental health outcomes. There has been little research examining experiences of police violence experienced by Black gay and bisexual men or the effects of police brutality on HIV continuum of care outcomes. To address this important gap, in this exploratory study, we examined the effects of police brutality on engagement in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral medications. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 107 Black gay and bisexual men living with HIV. The path analysis showed that men with greater exposure to police violence had increased symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and were more likely to have missed HIV care appointments in the past year. Additionally, there was a significant indirect effect of exposure to police violence on missed medication doses via PTSD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIDS & Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Intersectional stigma and discrimination have increasingly been recognized as impediments to the health and well-being of young Black sexual minority men (YBSMM) and transgender women (TW). However, little research has examined the relationship between intersectional discrimination and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) outcomes. This study with 283 YBSMM and TW examines the relationship between intersectional discrimination and current PrEP use and likelihood of future PrEP use. Path models were used to test associations between intersectional discrimination, resilience and social support, and PrEP use and intentions. Individuals with higher levels of anticipated discrimination were less likely to be current PrEP users (OR = 0.59, p =.013), and higher levels of daily discrimination were associated with increased likelihood of using PrEP in the future (B = 0.48 (0.16), p =.002). Greater discrimination was associated with higher levels of resilience, social support, and connection to the Black LGBTQ community. Social support mediated the effect of day-to-day discrimination on likelihood of future PrEP use. Additionally, there was a significant and negative indirect effect of PrEP social concerns on current PrEP use via Black LGBTQ community connectedness. The results of this study highlight the complexity of the relationships between discrimination, resilience, and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIDS & Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The United States (US) is on track to achieve the 90-90-90 targets set forth by UNAIDS and the National HIV/AIDS strategy, yet significant racial disparities in HIV care outcomes remain, particularly for young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Research has demonstrated that various types of violence are key aspects of syndemics that contribute to disparities in HIV risk. However, little research has looked collectively at cumulative violent experiences and how those might affect HIV treatment and care outcomes. Drawing on extant literature and theoretical underpinnings of syndemics, we provide a conceptual model that highlights how continuous traumatic violence experienced by YBMSM may affect HIV outcomes and contribute to racial disparities in HIV outcomes. The findings of this focused review suggest a need for research on how continuous exposure to various types of violence influence HIV prevention and treatment outcomes for young Black MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As communities struggle with how to cope with the health and social consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), sexual and gender minority men living with or affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic have important insights into how to cope with uncertainty, public health protocols, and grief. We recruited sexual and gender minority men using online networking apps from April 18–24, 2020 to enroll a longitudinal cohort. We analyzed baseline qualitative data from open-ended responses using content analysis to examine how the HIV/AIDS epidemic has helped sexual minority men with the current COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 437 participants who completed the survey, 155 (35%) indicated that HIV/AIDS had helped them cope with COVID-19. Free-response data from those 135 of those participants clustered around four themes: (1) experience having lived through a pandemic, (2) experience coping with stigma, (3) familiarity with public health protocols, and (4) belief in collective action. Based on the experiences of these men, public health approaches centered on resilience and collective action could be particularly helpful in responding and coping with COVID-19—especially if the pandemic persists over longer periods of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the applying the popular opinion leader intervention for HIV to COVID‑19. Topics discussed include the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has demanded an immediate public health response and community-wide adoption of various behavior change strategies; and public health guidelines and recommendations emerged rapidly and have been modified as the pandemic has shifted.

Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) has been clinically recommended since 2005. HIV providers and non-HIV providers (n = 480) practicing within above-average HIV prevalence ZIP codes of the 10 U.S. cities with greatest overall HIV prevalence participated in a cross-sectional survey between July 2014 and May 2015. Providers were asked about their awareness of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and nPEP prescribing experience for patients with potential sexual exposures to HIV, which we coded into a PEP prescribing cascade with three categories: (1) PEP unaware, (2) PEP aware, no nPEP prescribing experience, and (3) nPEP prescribing experience. Overall, 12.5% were unaware of PEP, 43.5% were aware but hadn't prescribed nPEP, and 44.0% had prescribed nPEP for potential sexual exposures to HIV. Fewer providers practicing in the U.S. South had ever prescribed nPEP compared to providers in other regions (χ2= 39.91, p < 0.001). HIV providers, compared to non-HIV providers, were more likely to be classified in the nPEP prescription group compared to the PEP aware without nPEP prescription group (RRR = 2.96, p < 0.001). PrEP prescribers, compared to those PrEP unaware, were more likely to be classified in the nPEP prescription group compared to PEP aware without nPEP prescription group (RRR = 12.49, p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective at reducing new HIV infections among adherent users. However, there are potential benefits of PrEP beyond HIV prevention that remain understudied, particularly among young Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2018, we conducted six focus groups (n = 36) in four midwestern cities: Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis, MN; Detroit, MI; and Kansas City, MO with current and former PrEP users who identified as Black MSM. The focus groups covered medical care and provider experiences, patterns of PrEP use and adherence, relationships while on PrEP, and PrEP stigma. Results revealed four unanticipated benefits of PrEP for young Black MSM: (1) improved engagement in medical care, (2) reduced sexual and HIV anxiety, (3) increased sexual comfort and freedom, and (4) positive sexual relationships with people living with HIV. Findings from this study fill a gap in our understanding of the potential benefits of PrEP beyond HIV prevention. Public health campaigns and messaging around PrEP should incorporate such benefits to reach young Black MSM who may be motivated by benefits beyond HIV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined social and health-related correlates of AIDS conspiracy theories among 464 African American men who have sex with men (MSM). Exploratory factor analysis revealed two subscales within the AIDS conspiracy beliefs scale: medical mistrust and AIDS genocidal beliefs. Multiple regression analyses revealed medical mistrust and AIDS genocidal beliefs were both associated negative condom use attitudes and higher levels of internalized homonegativity. Medical mistrust was also associated with lower knowledge of HIV risk reduction strategies. Finally, we conducted bivariate regressions to examine the subsample of participants who reported being HIV-positive and currently taking HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) to test associations between sexual behavior and HIV treatment and AIDS conspiracy theories. Among this subsample, medical mistrust was associated with having a detectable viral load and not disclosing HIV-status to all partners in the previous 3 months. Collectively, these findings have implications for HIV prevention and treatment for African American MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]