June 7, 2016
Black AIDS Institute Report Examines PrEP in Black Communities
READ TIME: 6 MIN.
By Eric Brus
The latest Black AIDS Institute (BAI) annual report, "Black Lives Matter: What's PrEP Got to Do with It?" provides an in-depth review of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in black communities. The 84-page report draws on information gathered during a dozen PrEP summits conducted by BAI and partnering agencies at sites across the U.S. during 2015.
"The report examines where black communities are in familiarity, understanding, knowledge, beliefs, access, and utilization of PrEP," according to Phill Wilson, BAI's president and CEO. In his introduction to the report, Wilson notes that, "What we've learned has been both exciting and sobering. When made aware of PrEP, black communities all across the country are enthusiastic about getting more information about PrEP and committed to taking action to make sure it is available and accessible in our communities. Already, many black communities are mobilizing to educate their constituents about PrEP and developing innovative strategies for promoting and delivering PrEP to those who need it most."
"But these summits and the other research we conducted in the preparation of this report have also highlighted the many challenges we face in making PrEP available in black communities," Wilson continues. "Far too many black Americans at high risk of HIV infection don't even know about PrEP. And when they learn about PrEP, they don't have a primary care physician and are uncertain about how to find a physician who can prescribe it. Too many health care providers who care for black patients are unaware of PrEP, resist assessing their patients' sexual risk or have moral judgments that hinder their ability or willingness to recommend or prescribe PrEP to their patients."
To address these challenges, the report provides resources to help educate black communities about PrEP and help community members access and finance PrEP. Several report sections focus on strategies for scaling up PrEP -- what BAI calls "making PrEP real in Black America" -- with input from healthcare providers, public health officials, and community members knowledgeable about PrEP.
The report concludes with a discussion of the following BAI recommendations for scaling up PrEP in black communities:
Kaiser Tracks HIV+ People's Experiences with the Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided expanded health insurance coverage and options for millions of persons, including individuals living with HIV. To track the experiences of HIV-positive persons with ACA, researchers from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and colleagues conducted a series of focus groups during 2014 and again in early 2016 with HIV-positive persons living in the five states. The focus groups included persons who gained insurance coverage through either ACA health insurance marketplaces or Medicaid expansion in California and New York, as well as persons who remained uninsured -- largely because they fell into insurance coverage gaps -- in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. The results of these focus groups are summarized in a 22-page KFF issue brief, "The ACA and People with HIV: An Update."
The researchers found that, between 2014 and 2016, the HIV-positive focus group participants who gained insurance coverage under ACA became more familiar with and comfortable using their coverage and now used it regularly to meet their HIV care and treatment needs.
"They reported that their health is easier to manage as a result of gaining coverage and appear better able to navigate using insurance than their 2014 counterparts," according to the brief. "They have found relief and security in becoming covered." Nevertheless some participants remained unsure about how to assess their plan options fully and relied on case managers to help them make enrollment decisions.
The 2016 focus group participants who live in non-Medicaid expansion states and remain uninsured reported that, although they can rely on the Ryan White Program to meet their HIV care and treatment needs, they have many other health needs that are unaddressed. Many said that they face substantial medical debt and struggle to make ends meet.
As in 2014, many of the 2016 focus group participants reported having close relationships with their HIV providers, and that maintaining these relationships is a key consideration when reviewing new insurance options. They also said that being able to choose which pharmacies provide their medications was important to them.
"The Ryan White Program continues to provide a crucial role in the lives of almost all the participants, especially the uninsured," according to the brief. "Ryan White clients were enormously grateful for the program but like Medicaid enrollees, faced challenges around recertification time."
"Taken together, these findings suggest that insurance coverage is becoming more of the 'new normal' for those who are able to get coverage, though challenges remain in understanding how coverage works and meeting all of their care needs. For those who remain uninsured, it is clear that Ryan White functions as their lifeline."
CDC Launches Online HIV Risk Reduction Tool
CDC's recently launched HIV Risk Reduction Tool is an online resource designed to bring together all of the agency's HIV prevention messages for different populations. With this interactive tool, users can compare the risks of different sexual activities and see how particular prevention methods -- such as the use of condoms, PrEP, or antiretroviral treatment -- and risk factors can affect the risk of HIV transmission.
The tool also allows users to:
"The tool is especially timely given CDC's recent data release that noted one in six gay and bisexual men, one in two black gay and bisexual men, and one in four Latino gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime if current trends continue," noted David Purcell of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. "By enabling people to understand and reduce their risk of acquiring HIV, the tool has great promise, made more so by the plan to systematically update it."
Eric Brus is the Director of Health Information at AIDS Action Committee. This report is produced by the Health Library of the AIDS Action Committee in collaboration with the New England AIDS Education and Training Center Minority AIDS Initiative Project. The full version is available here.
