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The potential for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the racial disparities in HIV incidence in the United States might be limited by racial gaps in PrEP care. We used a network-based mathematical model of HIV transmission for younger black and white men who have sex with men (BMSM and WMSM) in the Atlanta, Georgia, area to evaluate how race-stratified transitions through the PrEP care continuum from initiation to adherence and retention could affect HIV incidence overall and disparities in incidence between races, using current empirical estimates of BMSM continuum parameters. Relative to a no-PrEP scenario, implementing PrEP according to observed BMSM parameters was projected to yield a 23% decline in HIV incidence (hazard ratio = 0.77) among BMSM at year 10. The racial disparity in incidence in this observed scenario was 4.95 per 100 person-years at risk (PYAR), a 19% decline from the 6.08 per 100 PYAR disparity in the no-PrEP scenario. If BMSM parameters were increased to WMSM values, incidence would decline by 47% (hazard ratio = 0.53), with an associated disparity of 3.30 per 100 PYAR (a 46% decline in the disparity). PrEP could simultaneously lower HIV incidence overall and reduce racial disparities despite current gaps in PrEP care. Interventions addressing these gaps will be needed to substantially decrease disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Daily, oral use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine (TDF-FTC) for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective strategy to prevent acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is important to monitor PrEP uptake at the national level to increase our understanding of trends in its utilization, but national HIV surveillance data do not include PrEP uptake. Our objective was to develop feasible methods to estimate PrEP uptake and to estimate uptake each year among commercially insured persons during 2010-2014. Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the 2010-2014 MarketScan database, a national sample of persons with commercial health insurance in the United States. We developed an algorithm to identify persons aged ≥16 years who were prescribed TDF-FTC for PrEP each year. We generated nationally representative estimates of prevalence of persons prescribed PrEP. Results. We found a significantly increasing trend in the proportion of persons prescribed TDF-FTC for PrEP during the study period, with 417 users in 2010 and 9375 in 2014 (P < .001); 97% of PrEP users were male and 98% lived in metropolitan areas in 2014. During the study period, the numbers of women prescribed PrEP were low. Conclusions. Our analytic method provides the only feasible means to monitor PrEP uptake in the United States. Although a marked increasing trend in uptake was observed for men, the number of women who used PrEP remained very low during the study period. Interventions are needed to increase PrEP use by women at substantial risk of acquiring HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend at least annual rectal screening of men who have receptive anal intercourse for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). Only limited national data are available on the prevalence of rectal GC and CT infection among US men. Methods. In collaboration with a large US commercial laboratory, we estimated positivity of the first rectal GC and CT test ("index" test) in men aged 15-60 years tested between January 2013 and May 2015. We estimated the frequency and positivity of pharyngeal or urine specimens tested for GC and CT on the index date, and the frequency and positivity of repeat rectal testing or any follow-up testing at any anatomic site after the index date. Results. Of 52 063 tested men aged 15-60 years, approximately 6.1% were positive for GC only, 8.3% for CT only, and 2.7% for both GC and CT on their index date. On that date, 86.5% had either urine or pharyngeal specimens collected, and 56.1% had both specimens collected. Pharyngeal GC infection was highly associated with rectal GC infection. Follow-up testing after 12 months ranged from 42.4% among uninfected men to 56.7% among infected men on the index date. Positivity was at least 5.7% in rectal GC, rectal CT, or pharyngeal GC at their last test. Conclusions. This analysis of a large number of male rectal specimens tested for GC and CT suggest that routine testing and timely repeat rectal GC and CT testing should be prioritized among men who report receptive rectal sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A report is presented on the use of health care and the HIV testing of males in the U.S. from 2009-2012. Topics discussed include the average visits of males aged 15-39 years to the office of physicians, the significance of undiagnosed infection identification, and the implications of the report for public health practice.

A report on the evaluation of the U.S. National HIV Testing Day's (NHTD) impact on public health from 2011-2014 is presented. The report provides an overview of the event, it indicates the increased number of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded HIV testing events and identified infections, and the implications of NHTD on public health practice.

The article presents an analysis of 1999-2010 data from several data sources to determine the prevalence of chlamydia screening among young women in the U.S. Among the data sources used are National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS). It shows that young women who were uninsured or had Medicaid insurance higher rates of testing.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience disparities in access to healthcare and have specific healthcare needs. Methods: We analysed data from the 2006-10 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to examine differences in access to healthcare and HIV and sexually transmissible infection (STI) related health services by MSM and non-MSM among men in the United States aged 15-44 years who have ever had sex. MSM and sexually active MSM were identified in the NSFG as men who had ever had oral or anal sex with another man, or who had sex in the past 12 months with another man, respectively. Access was measured by the type of health insurance, having a usual place for receiving healthcare and type of usual place. Results: Of men aged 15-44 years who have ever had sex, there were no significant differences between MSM and non-MSM in the three access measures. MSM were more likely than non-MSM to receive HIV counselling (22.5%v. 8.3%) and STI testing (26.2%v. 15.6%) in the past 12 months, or to ever have had HIV testing (67.8% v. 44.6%). STI testing in the past 12 months was reported by 38.7% of sexually active MSM. Conclusion: Our findings show no significant differences in access to healthcare between MSM and non-MSM. MSM were more likely to receive HIV- and STI-related preventive services than non-MSM. However, the low STI testing rate among MSM highlights the need for interventions to increase STI testing, and HIV and STI counselling for MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the medical cost of care for patients with primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis in the U.S. in 2003-2007. The study uses the international classification of diseases ninth revision (ICD-9) to determine the claims of outpatient, current procedural terminology for syphilis examination, and healthcare common procedure coding system (HCPCS) for treatment cost. The study revealed that 194 dollars is the total average cost of outpatient in both male and female.

This article discusses a study which estimated the potential effects of new cervical cancer screening guidelines on annual chlamydia screening rate. Researchers compared annual chlamydia screening rates of sexually active teenage girls and young women aged 15 to 25 years in 2007 among those who underwent cervical cancer screening and those who were not screened for cervical cancer. They discovered that rates were significantly higher among participants who underwent cervical cancer screening compared with those who did not.

The article presents a study which assesses the compliance of HIV clinics in the U.S. to prescribed guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia in men who have sex with men (MSM). It states that the study evaluated compliance by considering medical records of U.S. HIV clinics on STI screening. Results reveal that there are barriers regarding compliance for gonorrhea and Chlamydia screening guidelines.

This study examines the prescribing trends of 3 oral preexposure prophylaxis medications and a long-acting injectable option from 2013 to 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) are disproportionately affected by HIV in the U.S. This study evaluated HIV prevention services and outcomes among Hispanic/Latino MSM and TGW in the Targeted Highly Effective Interventions to Reduce the HIV Epidemic (THRIVE) demonstration project and consider lessons learned. The authors described the THRIVE demonstration project services provided to Hispanic/Latino MSM and TGW in 7 U.S. jurisdictions from 2015 to 2020. HIV prevention service outcomes were compared between 1 site with (2,147 total participants) and 6 sites without (1,129 total participants) Hispanic/Latino-oriented pre-exposure prophylaxis clinical services, and Poisson regression was used to estimate the adjusted RR between sites and pre-exposure prophylaxis outcomes. Analyses were conducted from 2021 to 2022. The THRIVE demonstration project served 2,898 and 378 Hispanic/Latino MSM and TGW, respectively, with 2,519 MSM (87%) and 320 TGW (85%) receiving ≥1 HIV screening test. Among 2,002 MSM and 178 TGW eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis, 1,011 (50%) MSM and 98 (55%) TGW received pre-exposure prophylaxis prescriptions, respectively. MSM and TGW were each 2.0 times more likely to be linked to pre-exposure prophylaxis (95% CI=1.4, 2.9 and 95% CI=1.2, 3.6, respectively) and 1.6 and 2.1 times more likely to be prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis (95% CI=1.1, 2.2 and 95% CI=1.1, 4.1), respectively, at the site providing Hispanic/Latino-oriented pre-exposure prophylaxis clinical services than at other sites and adjusted for age group. The THRIVE demonstration project delivered comprehensive HIV prevention services to Hispanic/Latino MSM and TGW. Hispanic/Latino-oriented clinical settings may improve HIV prevention service delivery to persons in Hispanic/Latino communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background: The number and characteristics of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) health care providers in the United States have not been reported. Methods: We analyzed a national pharmacy database that included >90% of all prescriptions dispensed by retail pharmacies and 60%–86% dispensed by mail-order outlets. We estimated the number of PrEP providers by year, provider type, physician specialty, and geographic location. We also measured the Gini coefficients for the distribution of PrEP patients among providers. Results: The number of PrEP providers increased from 9621 in 2014 to 65,822 in 2019. In 2019, 68.1% of PrEP providers were physicians. The proportion of nurse practitioners or physician assistants increased from 18.0% in 2014 to 29.7% in 2019. Among all the US health care providers, those who prescribed PrEP increased from 0.7% in 2014 to 4.3% in 2019. Among all general practice/family medicine physicians, the percentage of who prescribed PrEP increased from 1.8% in 2014 to 13.6% in 2019 and from 14.2% to 34.2% among infectious disease physicians. The ratio of PrEP providers to 100 persons with PrEP indications was lowest in the South with 4.4. The Gini coefficient for the distribution of PrEP patients among providers was 0.75 in 2019, with 50% of the PrEP patients prescribed PrEP by 2.2% of PrEP providers. Conclusions: An increasing number of providers prescribed PrEP during 2014–2019. The South had the largest number of new HIV diagnoses and greatest need for HIV prevention but had less PrEP service capacity compared with other regions. Expanded access to PrEP services is needed in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) greatly reduces the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition, but its optimal delivery strategy remains uncertain. Clinics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can provide an efficient venue for PrEP delivery.Methods: To quantify the added value of STI clinic-based PrEP delivery, we used an agent-based simulation of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM). We simulated the impact of PrEP delivery through STI clinics compared with PrEP delivery in other community-based settings. Our primary outcome was the projected 20-year reduction in HIV incidence among MSM.Results: Assuming PrEP uptake and adherence of 60% each, evaluating STI clinic attendees and delivering PrEP to eligible MSM reduced HIV incidence by 16% [95% uncertainty range, 14%-18%] over 20 years, an impact that was 1.8 (1.7-2.0) times as great as that achieved by evaluating an equal number of MSM recruited from the community. Comparing strategies where an equal number of MSM received PrEP in each strategy (ie, evaluating more individuals for PrEP in the community-based strategy, because MSM attending STI clinics are more likely to be PrEP eligible), the reduction in HIV incidence under the STI clinic-based strategy was 1.3 (1.3-1.4) times as great as that of community-based delivery.Conclusions: Delivering PrEP to MSM who attend STI clinics can improve efficiency and effectiveness. If high levels of adherence can be achieved in this population, STI clinics may be an important venue for PrEP implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus; PWH) have higher rates of cardiovascular disease than people without HIV. However, limited information exists about hypertension prevalence and associated risk factors in PWH., Methods: This cross-sectional study included adult patients in the 2022 IQVIATM Ambulatory Electronic Medical Record-US data. HIV was identified based on ≥2 HIV diagnosis codes or a positive HIV test. Hypertension was identified by diagnosis codes, ≥2 blood pressure (BP) readings ≥130/80 mm Hg, or an antihypertensive medication prescription. Among those with hypertension, control was defined as the most recent BP < 130/80 mm Hg. Logistic models using the marginal standardization method were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of hypertension and hypertension control among all patients and PWH specifically, controlling for covariates., Results: Of 7,533,379 patients, 19,102 (0.3%) had HIV. PWH had higher hypertension prevalence (66% vs. 54%, aPR:1.14, 95% CI: 1.13-1.15) compared with people without HIV. Among persons with hypertension, PWH were more likely to have controlled hypertension (aPR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13) compared with people without HIV. Among PWH, those from the South were more likely to have hypertension (aPR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.12) than PWH from the Northeast, while Black PWH were less likely to have controlled hypertension (aPR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.67-0.77) than White PWH., Conclusions: PWH were more likely to have hypertension than people without HIV. Geographic and racial disparities in hypertension prevalence and control were observed among PWH. Optimal care for PWH includes comprehensive strategies to screen for, prevent, and manage hypertension., (© Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Journal of Hypertension Ltd 2024.)

Background: Male-to-male sexual transmission continues to account for the greatest proportion of new HIV diagnoses in the United States. However, calculating population-specific surveillance metrics for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections requires regularly updated estimates of the number and proportion of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States, which are not collected by census surveys., Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to estimate the number and percentage of MSM in the United States from population-based surveys., Methods: We used data from 5 population-based surveys to calculate weighted estimates of the proportion of MSM in the United States and pooled these estimates using meta-analytic procedures. We estimated the proportion of MSM using sexual behavior-based questions (encompassing anal or oral sex) for 3 recall periods-past 12 months, past 5 years, and lifetime. In addition, we estimated the proportion of MSM using self-reported identity and attraction survey responses. The total number of MSM and non-MSM in the United States were calculated from estimates of the percentage of MSM who reported sex with another man in the past 12 months., Results: The percentage of MSM varied by recall period: 3.3% (95% CI 1.7%-4.9%) indicated sex with another male in the past 12 months, 4.7% (95% CI 0.0%-33.8%) in the past 5 years, and 6.2% (95% CI 2.9%-9.5%) in their lifetime. There were comparable percentages of men who identified as gay or bisexual (3.4%, 95% CI 2.2%-4.6%) or who indicated that they are attracted to other men (4.9%, 95% CI 3.1%-6.7%) based on pooled estimates. Our estimate of the total number of MSM in the United States is 4,230,000 (95% CI 2,179,000-6,281,000) based on the history of recent sexual behavior (sex with another man in the past 12 months)., Conclusions: We calculated the pooled percentage and number of MSM in the United States from a meta-analysis of population-based surveys collected from 2017 to 2021. These estimates update and expand upon those derived from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012 by including estimates of the percentage of MSM based on sexual identity and sexual attraction. The percentage and number of MSM in the United States is an important indicator for calculating population-specific disease rates and eligibility for preventive interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis., (©Brady W Bennett, Stephanie DuBose, Ya-Lin A Huang, Christopher H Johnson, Karen W Hoover, Jeffrey Wiener, David W Purcell, Patrick S Sullivan. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 11.06.2024.)

Background: Many underserved populations use Emergency Department (EDs) as primary sources of care, representing an important opportunity to provide infectious disease testing and linkage to care. We explored national ED testing trends and co-testing patterns for HIV, hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)., Methods: We used 2010-2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Emergency Department Sample data to estimate ED visit testing rates for HIV, hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis infections, identified by Current Procedural Terminology codes. Trends and co-testing (visit with tests for > 1 infection) patterns were analyzed by sociodemographic, hospital, and visit characteristics. Trends were evaluated as the average annual percentage change (AAPC) using the Joinpoint Regression., Results: During 2010-2019, testing events per 1000 visits (AAPCs) increased for HIV from 1.3 to 4.2 (16.3 %), hepatitis C from 0.4 to 2.2 (25.1 %), chlamydia from 9.1 to 16.0 (6.6 %), gonorrhea from 8.4 to 15.7 (7.4 %), and syphilis from 0.7 to 2.0 (12.9 %). Rate increases varied by several characteristics across infections. The largest AAPC increases were among visits by groups with lower base rate testing in 2010, including persons aged ≥ 65 years (HIV: 36.4 %), with Medicaid (HIV: 43.8 %), in the lowest income quintile (hepatitis C: 36.9 %), living in the West (syphilis: 49.4 %) and with non-emergency diagnoses (hepatitis C: 44.1 %). Co-testing increased significantly for all infections except hepatitis C., Conclusions: HIV, hepatitis C, and STI testing increased in EDs during 2010-2019; however, co-testing patterns were inconsistent. Co-testing may improve diagnosis and linkage to care, especially in areas experiencing higher rates of infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: PrEP was approved for HIV prevention in the US in 2012; uptake has been slow. We describe relative equity with the PrEP Equity Ratio (PER), a ratio of PrEP-to-Need Ratios (PnRs)., Methods: We used commercial pharmacy data to enumerate PrEP users by race and ethnicity, sex, and US Census region from 2012 to 2021. We report annual race and ethnicity-, sex-, and region-specific rates of PrEP use and PnR, a metric of PrEP equity, to assess trends., Findings: PrEP use increased for Black, Hispanic and White Americans from 2012 to 2021. By 2021, the rate of PrEP use per population was similar in Black and White populations but slightly lower among Hispanic populations. PnR increased from 2012 to 2021 for all races and ethnicities and regions; levels of PrEP use were inconsistent across regions and highly inequitable by race, ethnicity, and sex. In all regions, PnR was highest for White and lowest for Black people. Inequity in PrEP use by race and ethnicity, as measured by the PER, grew early after availability of PrEP and persisted at a level substantially below equitable PrEP use., Interpretation: From 2012 to 2021, PrEP use increased among Americans, but PrEP equity for Black and Hispanic Americans decreased. The US South lagged all regions in equitable PrEP use. Improved equity in PrEP use will be not only just, but also impactful on the US HIV epidemic; persons most at-risk of acquiring HIV should have the highest levels of access to PrEP. Prevention programs should be guided by PrEP equity, not PrEP equality., Funding: National Institutes of Health, Gilead Sciences., Competing Interests: Staff funding for Sullivan was provided, in part, by the Center for AIDS Research at Emory University (P30 AI050409). Sullivan, DuBose, Juhasz and Le are supported by a grant from Gilead Sciences to Emory University., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) has high efficacy against HIV-1 acquisition. Seventy-two prospective studies of daily oral F/TDF PrEP were conducted to evaluate HIV-1 incidence, drug resistance, adherence, and bone and renal safety in diverse settings., Methods: HIV-1 incidence was calculated from incident HIV-1 diagnoses after PrEP initiation and within 60 days of discontinuation. Tenofovir concentration in dried blood spots (DBS), drug resistance, and bone/renal safety indicators were evaluated in a subset of studies., Results: Among 17,274 participants, there were 101 cases with new HIV-1 diagnosis (0.77 per 100 person-years; 95% CI 0.63-0.94). In 78 cases with resistance data, 18 (23%) had M184I or V, one (1.3%) had K65R, and three (3.8%) had both mutations. In 54 cases with tenofovir concentration data from DBS, 45 (83.3%), 2 (3.7%), 6 (11.1%), and 1 (1.9%) had average adherence of <2, 2-3, 4-6, and ≥7 doses/week, respectively, and the corresponding incidence was 3.9 (95% CI 2.9-5.3), 0.24 (0.060-0.95), 0.27 (0.12-0.60), and 0.054 (0.008-0.38) per 100 person-years. Adherence was low in younger participants, Hispanic/Latinx and Black participants, cisgender women, and transgender women. Bone and renal adverse event incidence rates were 0.69 and 11.8 per 100 person-years, respectively, consistent with previous reports., Conclusions: Leveraging the largest pooled analysis of global PrEP studies to date, we demonstrate that F/TDF is safe and highly effective, even with less than daily dosing, in diverse clinical settings, geographies, populations, and routes of HIV-1 exposure., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Objectives: Emergency department-based HIV testing rates are historically low, but recent testing trends surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and launch of the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative are unknown. The objective of the study is to estimate recent trends in the proportion of emergency department visits that included HIV testing., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a weighted nationally representative survey of US emergency departments, from 2014 to 2020. Given EHE's focus on several rural Southern jurisdictions as well as populations disproportionately affected by HIV, we stratified by characteristics including US region and visit-listed race and ethnicity., Results: The proportion of emergency department visits that included HIV testing increased from 2014 (0.6%) to 2018 (1.1%) but was lower in 2019 and 2020 (0.8%). Compared with other regions, the South had the lowest rates of testing in both 2019 (0.6%) and 2020 (0.5%); testing rates in the nonmetropolitan South remained 0.1% or less across all years. Testing rates for emergency department visits by persons who identified as Hispanic/Latino were highest in 2018 (2.2%) but were sharply lower in 2019 and 2020 (0.8%)., Conclusion: After a small but insufficient increase in emergency department-based HIV testing since 2014, rates decreased between 2018 and 2019 and were stable between 2019 and 2020. Overall, very few emergency department visits during our entire study period included an HIV test, and there were persistently low rates of HIV testing for populations prioritized in national efforts and during visits in rural jurisdictions in the South., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A study from Botswana identified an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) in infants of mothers with HIV who were treated with dolutegravir around the time of conception. We aimed to examine associations of dolutegravir use with NTDs and pregnancy loss using large health-care claims databases from the USA, a country with folic acid fortification of food., Methods: In this cohort study, we analysed health-care claims data, recorded in the Merative MarketScan commercial database (MarketScan data) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicaid database (Medicaid data) from Jan 1, 2008, to Dec 31, 2020. We identified pregnancies with enrolment during their entire duration among women aged 15-49 years and we estimated time of conception. For each pregnancy, we determined HIV status and periconceptional exposure to dolutegravir or other antiretroviral agents. We estimated and compared the incidence rate of NTDs, stillbirths, and pregnancy loss (ie, spontaneous or induced abortions) by type of periconceptional antiretroviral exposure. We calculated adjusted risk ratios of the adverse outcomes using Poisson models adjusting for demographic and clinical factors., Findings: Of 4 489 315 pregnancies in MarketScan data and 14 405 861 pregnancies in Medicaid data that had full enrolment, we identified 69 pregnancies in MarketScan data and 993 pregnancies in Medicaid data that were associated with HIV and periconceptional dolutegravir exposure. For women without HIV, the NTD rate was 4·1 per 10 000 live births (95% CI 3·9-4·3) in MarketScan and 5·7 per 10 000 live births (5·6-5·8) in Medicaid. No NTD cases were found among those with dolutegravir or non- dolutegravir antiretroviral drug exposure in the MarketScan data; only one NTD case was identified among women with dolutegravir, and three among women with non-dolutegravir antiretroviral exposure in Medicaid. After adjusting for covariates, there were no significant differences in risk ratios of NTD between groups with periconceptional dolutegravir or non-dolutegravir antiretroviral exposure and the group without HIV. However, compared with women without HIV, the risk of pregnancy loss was higher among women exposed to antiretroviral therapy: for dolutegravir exposure the adjusted risk ratio was 1·73 (95% CI 1·20-2·49) in MarketScan data and 1·41 (1·30-1·54) in Medicaid data; for non-dolutegravir antiretroviral exposure the adjusted risk ratio was 1·23 (1·10-1·37) in MarketScan data and 1·11 (1·07-1·15) in Medicaid data., Interpretation: We studied the largest US cohort of women with periconceptional or early-pregnancy dolutegravir exposure. Our results do not show an increased risk of NTDs in exposed infants in the USA. Administrative databases can be used, with rigorous methodology, to study correlates of rare outcomes, such as NTDs, and to monitor for adverse pregnancy outcomes in women who receive antiretrovirals., Funding: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Our objective is to evaluate the effect of navigation on linkage to a PrEP provider among PrEP-eligible men who have sex with men (MSM) in THRIVE, a demonstration project in seven U.S. public health jurisdictions during 2015-2020. We describe PrEP linkage and navigation use among MSM in THRIVE. We performed multivariable probit regression modeling, controlling for demographic covariates, to estimate the association between navigation and linkage to a PrEP provider among MSM and to assess for disparities in linkage to PrEP among MSM who used navigation. Among 9538 PrEP-eligible MSM, 51.3% used navigation and 53.8% were linked to PrEP. From the three sites where navigation was optional and the main form of PrEP support, MSM who used navigation were 16.69 times (95% CI 13.07-21.32) more likely to link to PrEP compared with MSM who did not use navigation. Among 4895 MSM who used navigation from all seven sites, Black MSM were 21% less likely to link to PrEP compared with White MSM (aRR 0.79; 95% CI 0.74-0.83). Navigation is a promising strategy for improving uptake of PrEP among U.S. MSM, but disparities persist. Addressing the underlying causes of inequities will be important to end the HIV epidemic., (© 2022. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Introduction: Antiretroviral medication coverage remains sub-optimal in much of the United States, particularly the Sothern region, and Non-Hispanic Black or African American persons (NHB) continue to be disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic. The "Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S." (EHE) initiative seeks to reduce HIV incidence nationally by focusing resources towards the most highly impacted localities and populations. This study evaluates the impact of hypothetical improvements in ART and PrEP coverage to estimate the levels of coverage needed to achieve EHE goals in the South., Methods: We developed a stochastic, agent-based network model of 500,000 individuals to simulate the HIV epidemic and hypothetical improvements in ART and PrEP coverage., Results: New infections declined by 78.6% at 90%/40% ART/PrEP and 94.3% at 100%/50% ART/PrEP. Declines in annual incidence rates surpassed 75% by 2025 with 90%/40% ART/PrEP and 90% by 2030 with 100%/50% ART/PrEP coverage. Increased ART coverage among NHB MSM was associated with a linear decline in incidence among all MSM. Declines in incidence among Hispanic/Latino and White/Other MSM were similar regardless of which MSM race group increased their ART coverage, while the benefit to NHB MSM was greatest when their own ART coverage increased. The incidence rate among NHB women declined by over a third when either NHB heterosexual men or NHB MSM increased their ART use respectively. Increased use of PrEP was associated with a decline in incidence for the groups using PrEP. MSM experienced the largest absolute declines in incidence with increasing PrEP coverage, followed by NHB women., Conclusions: Our analysis indicates that it is possible to reach EHE goals. The largest reductions in HIV incidence can be achieved by increasing ART coverage among MSM and all race groups benefit regardless of differences in ART initiation by race. Improving ART coverage to > 90% should be prioritized with a particular emphasis on reaching NHB MSM. Such a focus will reduce the largest number of incident cases, reduce racial HIV incidence disparities among both MSM and women, and reduce racial health disparities among persons with HIV. NHB women should also be prioritized for PrEP outreach., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Increasing HIV testing, preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and antiretroviral therapy (ART) are pillars of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative, with a goal of decreasing new HIV infections by 90% by 2030.* In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a national emergency was declared in the United States on March 13, 2020, resulting in the closure of nonessential businesses and most nonemergency health care venues; stay-at-home orders also limited movement within communities (1). As unemployment increased during the pandemic (2), many persons lost employer-sponsored health insurance (3). HIV testing and PrEP prescriptions declined early in the COVID-19 pandemic (4-6); however, the full impact of the pandemic on use of HIV prevention and care services and HIV outcomes is not known. To assess changes in these measures during 2019-2021, quarterly data from two large U.S. commercial laboratories, the IQVIA Real World Data - Longitudinal Prescription Database (IQVIA), † and the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) § were analyzed. During quarter 1 (Q1) ¶ 2020, a total of 2,471,614 HIV tests were performed, 190,955 persons were prescribed PrEP, and 8,438 persons received a diagnosis of HIV infection. Decreases were observed during quarter 2 (Q2), with 1,682,578 HIV tests performed (32% decrease), 179,280 persons prescribed PrEP (6% decrease), and 6,228 persons receiving an HIV diagnosis (26% decrease). Partial rebounds were observed during quarter 3 (Q3), with 2,325,554 HIV tests performed, 184,320 persons prescribed PrEP, and 7,905 persons receiving an HIV diagnosis. The proportion of persons linked to HIV care, the number who were prescribed ART, and proportion with a suppressed viral load test (<200 copies of HIV RNA per mL) among those tested were stable during the study period. During public health emergencies, delivery of HIV services outside of traditional clinical settings or that use nonclinical delivery models are needed to facilitate access to HIV testing, ART, and PrEP, as well as to support adherence to ART and PrEP medications., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Objective: To assess disruption in healthcare services for HIV treatment by national emergency in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States., Design: Time-series analysis., Methods: We analyzed the IQVIA Real World Data-Longitudinal Prescriptions Database and calculated time trends in the weekly number of persons with active antiretroviral prescriptions for HIV treatment, and of persons who obtained antiretroviral prescriptions during January 2017-March 2021. We used interrupted time-series models to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antiretroviral therapy (ART) use between March 2020 and March 2021., Results: We found that the weekly number of persons with active antiretroviral prescriptions decreased by an average 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.8% to -1.1%), compared to predicted use, during March 2020 through March 2021. The weekly number of persons who obtained antiretroviral prescriptions decreased 4.5% (95% CI: -6.0% to -3.0%), compared to the predicted number. Men, persons aged ≤34 years, privately insured persons, and persons in medication assistance programs had greater decreases than other groups., Conclusions: We demonstrated a decrease in the number of persons with active antiretroviral prescriptions during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number did not return to levels expected in the absence of the pandemic. Disruptions in HIV care and decreased ART may lead to lower levels of viral suppression and immunologic control, and increased HIV transmission in the community., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)