BACKGROUND: Persons aged 13-24 years are a priority population in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Young adults with HIV have poorer health outcomes-including not being retained in care, antiretroviral nonadherence, and not being virally suppressed-than other persons with HIV. SETTING: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Medical Monitoring Project data collected June 2018 through May 2022. METHODS: We compared demographic characteristics, social determinants of health (SDOH), and mental health between persons aged 18-24 years with HIV versus persons aged ≥25 years with HIV. Among those aged 18-24 years, we analyzed total and unmet needs for ancillary services, defined as those that support care engagement, viral suppression, and overall health and well-being among people with HIV. RESULTS: Persons aged 18-24 years were more likely to have a household income <100% of the federal poverty level (48% vs. 39%), and experience unstable housing or homelessness (37% vs. 18%) or hunger/food insecurity (29% vs. 18%) than those aged ≥25 years. Persons aged 18-24 years had higher median HIV stigma scores (40 vs. 29) and were more likely to experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (21% vs. 15%) than those aged ≥25 years. Of persons aged 18-24 years, 96% had a need for ≥1 ancillary service, of whom 56% had ≥1 unmet need; unmet needs were highest for subsistence services (53%) and non-HIV medical services (41%). CONCLUSIONS: Addressing unmet needs for subsistence and non-HIV medical services could help reduce disparities in SDOH and mental health that drive inequities in health outcomes among persons with HIV aged 18-24 years.

Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV. We analyzed data from two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV surveillance systems to better understand HIV prevention strategies used by Black women at risk for and with HIV to help inform efforts to end HIV. Among sexually active Black women, we analyzed 2019 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance data on women without HIV (n = 4,033) and 2018-2020 Medical Monitoring Project data on women with HIV (n = 967). We reported percentages of HIV prevention strategies and services used and assessed differences between groups using Rao-Scott chi-square tests. Among Black women without HIV, 39% were aware of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); of these, 7% discussed PrEP with a healthcare provider, and 1% used PrEP in the past 12 months. Approximately 16% used a condom with their last sex partner; 36% reported that their last sex partner did not have HIV. Among Black women with HIV, 58% had condom-protected sex, 56% reported having sex while having sustained viral suppression, 3% had condomless sex with a partner on PrEP, and 24% had sex with a partner with HIV; 12% engaged in sex without using any HIV prevention strategy. HIV prevention strategies and services differed by selected demographic characteristics and social determinants of health. Although many sexually active Black women reported using HIV prevention strategies, there is room for improvement among those at risk for or with HIV. Tailoring prevention efforts based on individual needs and circumstances is essential for ending the HIV epidemic.

BACKGROUND: Unmet needs for ancillary services are substantial among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH), and provider type could influence the prevalence of unmet needs for these services. METHODS: Data from a national probability sample of PWH were analyzed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Medical Monitoring Project. We analyzed 2019 data on people who had ≥1 encounter with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care provider (N = 3413) and their care facilities. We assessed the proportion of needs that were unmet for individual ancillary services, overall and by HIV care provider type, including infectious disease (ID) physicians, non-ID physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. We calculated prevalence differences (PDs) with predicted marginal means to assess differences between groups. RESULTS: An estimated 98.2% of patients reported ≥1 need for an ancillary service, and of those 46% had ≥1 unmet need. Compared with patients of ID physicians, needs for many ancillary services were higher among patients of other provider types. However, even after adjustment, patients of non-ID physicians had lower unmet needs for dental care (adjusted PD, -5.6 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -9.9 to -1.3]), and patients of nurse practitioners had lower unmet needs for HIV case management services (adjusted PD, -5.4 [95% CI, -9.4 to -1.4]), compared with patients of ID physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Although needs were greater among patients of providers other than ID physicians, many of these needs may be met by existing support systems at HIV care facilities. However, additional resources may be needed to address unmet needs for dental care and HIV case management among patients of ID physicians.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a public health priority in the United States because of its association with complex health needs, reduced life expectancy, lifelong disabilities, and high cost of care. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to calculate the crude and race-specific birth prevalence for SCD using state newborn screening program records during 2016-2020 from 11 Sickle Cell Data Collection program states. The percentage distribution of birth mother residence within Social Vulnerability Index quartiles was derived. Among 3,305 newborns with confirmed SCD (including 57% with homozygous hemoglobin S or sickle β-null thalassemia across 11 states, 90% of whom were Black or African American [Black], and 4% of whom were Hispanic or Latino), the crude SCD birth prevalence was 4.83 per 10,000 (one in every 2,070) live births and 28.54 per 10,000 (one in every 350) non-Hispanic Black newborns. Approximately two thirds (67%) of mothers of newborns with SCD lived in counties with high or very high levels of social vulnerability; most mothers lived in counties with high or very high levels of vulnerability for racial and ethnic minority status (89%) and housing type and transportation (64%) themes. These findings can guide public health, health care systems, and community program planning and implementation that address social determinants of health for infants with SCD. Implementation of tailored interventions, including increasing access to transportation, improving housing, and advancing equity in high vulnerability areas, could facilitate care and improve health outcomes for children with SCD.

BACKGROUND: We compared HIV care outcomes by HIV provider type to inform efforts to strengthen the HIV provider workforce. SETTING: U.S. METHODS: We analyzed data from CDC's Medical Monitoring Project collected during 6/2019-5/2021 from 6,323 adults receiving HIV medical care. Provider types were infectious disease physicians only (ID physicians), non-ID physicians only (non-ID physicians), nurse practitioners only (NPs), physician assistants only (PAs), and ID physicians plus NPs and/or PAs (mixed providers). We measured patient characteristics, social determinants of health (SDOH), and clinical outcomes including retention in care; antiretroviral therapy prescription; antiretroviral therapy adherence; viral suppression; gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis testing; satisfaction with HIV care; and HIV provider trust. RESULTS: Compared with patients of ID physicians, higher percentages of patients of other provider types had characteristics and SDOH associated with poor health outcomes and received HIV care at Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded facilities. After accounting for these differences, most outcomes were not meaningfully different, however higher percentages of patients of non-ID physicians, NPs, and mixed providers were retained in care (6.5, 5.6, and 12.7 percentage points, respectively) and had STI testing in the past 12 months, if sexually active (6.9, 7.4, and 13.5 percentage points, respectively). CONCLUSION: Most HIV outcomes were equivalent across provider types. However, patients of non-ID physicians, NPs, and mixed providers were more likely to be retained in care and have recommended STI testing. Increasing delivery of comprehensive primary care by ID physicians and including primary care providers in ID practices could improve HIV primary care outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: The sexual and reproductive health of cisgender women with HIV is essential for overall health and well-being. Nationally representative estimates of sexual and reproductive health outcomes among women with HIV were assessed in this study. METHODS: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Medical Monitoring Project-including data on sexual and reproductive health-were collected during June 2018-May 2021 through interviews and medical record abstraction among women with HIV and analyzed in 2023. Among women with HIV aged 18-44 years (n=855), weighted percentages were reported, and absolute differences were assessed between groups, highlighting differences ≥|5%| with CIs that did not cross the null. RESULTS: Overall, 86.4% of women with HIV reported receiving a cervical Pap smear in the past 3 years; 38.5% of sexually active women with HIV had documented gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis testing in the past year; 88.9% of women with HIV who had vaginal sex used ≥1 form of contraception in the past year; and 53.4% had ≥1 pregnancy since their HIV diagnosis-of whom 81.5% had ≥1 unintended pregnancy, 24.6% had ≥1 miscarriage or stillbirth, and 9.8% had ≥1 induced abortion. Some sexual and reproductive health outcomes were worse among women with certain social determinants of health, including women with HIV living in households <100% of the federal poverty level compared with women with HIV in households ≥139% of the federal poverty level. CONCLUSIONS: Many women with HIV did not receive important sexual and reproductive health services, and many experienced unintended pregnancies, miscarriages/stillbirths, or induced abortions. Disparities in some sexual and reproductive health outcomes were observed by certain social determinants of health. Improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes and reducing disparities among women with HIV could be addressed through a multipronged approach that includes expansion of safety net programs that provide sexual and reproductive health service coverage.

We assessed tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic delays among patients with TB and COVID-19 in California, USA. Among 58 persons, 43% experienced TB diagnostic delays, and a high proportion (83%) required hospitalization for TB. Even when viral respiratory pathogens circulate widely, timely TB diagnostic workup for at-risk persons remains critical for reducing TB-related illness.

INTRODUCTION: Wisconsin experienced overlapping and accelerating epidemics of opioid use and COVID-19 after March 2020. We hypothesized that Wisconsin neonatal abstinence syndrome rates increased after March 2020 alongside other markers of opioid burden. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis examined deidentified Wisconsin census, birth certificate, death certificate, hospital discharge, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, emergency medical service run, and COVID-19 diagnosis records spanning January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2021. January 2019 through March 2020 was considered before the onset of COVID-19 (pre); April 2020 through December 2021 was considered post-onset of COVID-19 (post). Wisconsin Department of Health Services guidelines defined 5 Wisconsin regions. Rates pre- to post-onset were compared with P values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of 1362 patients, 83.3% completed a COVID-19 vaccination series. Younger patients had increased odds of not completing a COVID-19 vaccination series (mean [SD] 46.7 [14.7] vs 54.3 [15.8]; OR 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02-1.04; P < 0.001). Those who identified as non-White (1.88; 95% CI, 1.16-3.04; P = 0.010) or current smoker (1.85, 95% CI, 1.85-2.79; P = 0.004) had increased odds of not completing a COVID-19 vaccination series. Those who resided in rural ZIP codes (1.81; 95% CI, 1.35-2.43; P < 0.001), had not received a 2019-2020 influenza vaccine (5.13; 95% CI, 3.79-6.96; P < 0.001), or had lower comorbidity scores (2.95; 95% CI, 1.98-4.41; P < 0.001) had higher odds of not completing a COVID-19 vaccination series. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid-associated morbidity and mortality increased in Wisconsin during the study period, including among females age 15 to 44 years. Despite increased opioid burden, neonatal abstinence syndrome incidence decreased in the Southeastern Region. Ongoing neonatal abstinence syndrome and opioid analysis may benefit from region-based contextualization.

BACKGROUND: Approximately two in five persons with HIV (PWH) in the United States are aged ≥55 years. HIV ancillary services, such as case management and transportation services, can help older PWH remain engaged in care. We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) to describe the prevalence of unmet needs for ancillary services among persons with diagnosed HIV aged ≥55 years. SETTING: Medical Monitoring Project is an annual cross-sectional study that reports representative estimates on adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We used MMP data collected during 6/2019-5/2021 to calculate weighted percentages of cisgender men and cisgender women with HIV aged ≥55 years with unmet needs for ancillary services, overall and by selected characteristics (N=3,200). Unmet need was defined as needing but not receiving a given ancillary service. We assessed differences between groups using prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with predicted marginal means. RESULTS: Overall, 37.7% of cisgender men and women with HIV aged ≥55 years had ≥1 unmet need for ancillary services. Overall, 16.6% had ≥1 unmet need for HIV support services, 26.9% for non-HIV medical services, and 26.7% for subsistence services. There were no statistically significant differences in unmet needs for services by gender. The prevalence of ≥1 unmet need was higher among non-White persons (PR range: 1.35-1.63), persons who experienced housing instability (PR=1.70), and those without any private insurance (PR range: 1.49-1.83). CONCLUSION: A large percentage of older PWH have unmet needs for ancillary services. Given the challenges that older PWH face related to the interaction of HIV and aging-associated factors, deficits in the provision of ancillary services should be addressed.

An all-oral, 6-month regimen of bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid (BPaL) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA for the treatment of some forms of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in 2019.1 The USA has a low incidence of tuberculosis, with 2·5 cases diagnosed per 100 000 population and 90 cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis reported in 2022. In February, 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published initial guidance for the use of BPaL. In December, 2022, based on results from a subsequent international randomised trial,2 WHO recommended an alternative regimen—bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid, and moxifloxacin (BPaLM)—for all patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis without fluoroquinolone resistance.3 Here we present data from all patients reported to the CDC as initiating the BPaLM regimen in the USA between Aug 14, 2019, and Dec 31, 2022, and from patients receiving BPaL, a regimen previously documented to have uptake in US tuberculosis programmes,4, 5 as a complement to the randomised TB-PRACTECAL study.6 | | US public health jurisdictions were invited to submit standardised, de-identified data for each patient receiving BPaL or BPaLM. Between Aug 14, 2019, and Dec 31, 2022, 116 patients started treatment with BPaL and 36 with BPaLM in 19 US states and territories (table). The majority of patients for whom data were available (103 [90%] of 114) started with linezolid 600 mg daily; 42 (37%) of these 114 patients had their doses of linezolid adjusted during treatment. Of the 113 (74%) of 152 patients who were reported to have completed treatment, none had their therapy terminated. The most common side-effect in both regimens was peripheral neuropathy, which could have occurred as a result of linezolid or previous tuberculosis medications received by the patient. As of June 30, 2023—26 weeks after the end of the monitoring period—one patient required additional medication in a prolonged regimen after BPaL treatment failure, three had their baseline treatment extended owing to delayed culture clearance, three had a relapse of tuberculosis, and four patients died. 84 (72%) of 116 patients who received BPaL and 29 (81%) of 36 patients who received BPaLM reported treatment completion.

Purpose: Access to ancillary services-including HIV support services, non-HIV clinical services, and subsistence services-can support care engagement and viral suppression and reduce disparities among people with HIV (PWH). We used representative U.S. data to assess differences in unmet needs for ancillary services between transgender women with HIV and other PWH. In addition, we examined associations between unmet needs and clinical outcomes among transgender women. Methods: We analyzed 2015-2020 Medical Monitoring Project data among transgender women (N = 362), cisgender men (N = 17,319), and cisgender women (N = 6016) with HIV. We reported weighted percentages for characteristics, and reported adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) controlling for race/ethnicity and age, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using logistic regression with predicted marginal means to assess differences between groups. Results: Among transgender women, unmet needs were highest for dental care (24.9%), shelter or housing (13.9%), and transportation assistance (12.6%). Transgender women were more likely than cisgender men to have unmet subsistence needs. Among transgender women, unmet needs for ancillary services were negatively associated with many clinical outcomes after adjusting for age and race/ethnicity. Unmet needs for subsistence services were associated with higher levels of antiretroviral therapy nonadherence (aPR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13-1.70) and detectable viral loads (aPR: 1.47; 1.09-1.98), emergency room visits (aPR: 1.42; 1.06-1.90), and depression (aPR: 2.74; 1.83-4.10) or anxiety (aPR: 3.20; 2.05-5.00) symptoms. Conclusions: Transgender women with HIV were more likely than cisgender men with HIV to experience unmet needs for subsistence services-likely a reflection of substantial socioeconomic disadvantage. Addressing unmet needs is an essential step for improving care outcomes among transgender women with HIV.

INTRODUCTION: Quantifying disparities in social determinants of health between people with HIV and the total population could help address health inequities, and ensure health and well-being among people with HIV in the U.S., but estimates are lacking. METHODS: Several representative data sources were used to assess differences in social determinants of health between adults with diagnosed HIV (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Monitoring Project) and the total adult population (U.S. Census Bureau's decennial census, American Community Survey, Household Pulse Survey, the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements; the Department of Housing and Urban Development's point-in-time estimates of homelessness; and the Bureau of Justice Statistics). The differences were quantified using standardized prevalence differences and standardized prevalence ratios, adjusting for differences in age, race/ethnicity, and birth sex between people with HIV and the total U.S. population. RESULTS: Overall, 35.6% of people with HIV were living in a household with an income at or below the federal poverty level, and 8.1% recently experienced homelessness. Additionally, 42.9% had Medicaid and 27.6% had Medicare; 39.7% were living with a disability. Over half (52.3%) lived in large central metropolitan counties and 20.6% spoke English less than very well based on survey responses. After adjustment, poverty (standardized prevalence difference=25.1%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.5), homelessness (standardized prevalence difference=8.5%, standardized prevalence ratio=43.5), coverage through Medicaid (standardized prevalence difference=29.5%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.0) or Medicare (standardized prevalence difference=7.8%), and disability (standardized prevalence difference=30.3%, standardized prevalence ratio=3.0) were higher among people with HIV than the total U.S. population. The percentage of people with HIV living in large central metropolitan counties (standardized prevalence difference=13.4%) or who were recently incarcerated (standardized prevalence ratio=5.9) was higher than the total U.S. population. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide a baseline for assessing national-level disparities in social determinants of health between people with HIV and the total U.S. population, and it can be used as a model to assess local disparities. Addressing social determinants of health is essential for achieving health equity, requiring a multipronged approach with interventions at the provider, facility, and policy levels.

Problems paying medical bills may affect HIV outcomes among people with HIV (PWH), thus limiting progress toward achieving national HIV prevention goals. We analyzed nationally representative data from CDC's Medical Monitoring Project collected during 6/2018-5/2020. Among 8,108 PWH, we reported weighted percentages of characteristics and examined associations between problems paying medical bills and clinical outcomes using prevalence ratios with predicted marginal means, adjusting for potential confounding. Nineteen percent of PWH reported problems paying medical bills. Problems paying medical bills were more prevalent among persons who experienced homelessness (26.9% vs. 18.3%). People with problems paying medical bills were more likely to have adverse HIV outcomes and were more likely to have ≥1 emergency room visit (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.59; 95% CI [1.51-1.68]) or hospitalization (PR: 1.72; 95% CI [1.55-1.91]) in the past year. Identifying PWH experiencing financial barriers and expanding access to safety net programs could improve access to care and outcomes.

Failure to maintain viral suppression may be attributed to suboptimal care engagement. Using data collected during 2015-2018, we describe nationally representative estimates of engagement in care among US adults with diagnosed HIV, overall and by viral suppression. Of those who felt they did not receive enough care, we described detailed information on barriers to care by viral suppression. We reported weighted percentages and evaluated differences between groups using Rao-Scott chi-square tests (p < .05). Persons who were not virally suppressed were less likely to be retained in care (57.3 vs. 90.8%). Common barriers to care included life circumstances that impeded receipt of care (50.0%), financial barriers (34.5%), and not feeling sick enough to take medicine (32.0%). Barriers to care varied by viral suppression status, and people who were not virally suppressed were more likely to report more than one barrier to care. These findings demonstrate that barriers can be multifaceted; addressing barriers to care by expanding comprehensive care models in HIV care settings could improve clinical outcomes among people with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Hispanic/Latino people with HIV (PWH) experience disparities in health outcomes compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Disaggregated data based on race for Hispanic/Latino PWH in the United States are rarely reported, potentially masking inequities. METHODS: The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of adults with diagnosed HIV. We used weighted interview and medical record data collected from June 2015-May 2021 to examine differences in social determinants of health (SDH) and health outcomes by self-reported race among Hispanic/Latino adults with diagnosed HIV. RESULTS: Compared with White Hispanic/Latino PWH, Black Hispanic/Latino PWH were more likely to be unemployed (PR, 1.4; CI, 1.2-1.8), have a disability (PR, 1.3; CI, 1.2-1.5), have experienced homelessness (PR, 1.8; CI, 1.2-2.6), and have been incarcerated (PR, 2.6; CI, 1.5-4.5). American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) (PR, 1.8; CI, 1.1-2.7) and multiracial (PR, 2.0; CI, 1.4-2.9) Hispanic/Latino PWH were more likely to have experienced homelessness than White Hispanic/Latino PWH. Black (PR, 1.3; CI, 1.2-1.5) and multiracial (PR, 1.2; CI, 1.1-1.5) Hispanic/Latino PWH were more likely to be virally unsuppressed than White Hispanic/Latino PWH. CONCLUSION: Black, multiracial, and AI/AN Hispanic/Latino PWH experience disparities in SDH and HIV outcomes. Lumping Hispanic/Latino people into one racial and ethnic category obscures health disparities, which might limit our progress towards reaching national HIV goals. Future studies should consider disaggregating by other factors such as Hispanic origin, place of birth, immigration status, and primary language. Doing so recognizes the diversity of the Hispanic/Latino population.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the landscape of needs for housing assistance among people with HIV (PWH) and availability of Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) funding with respect to housing service needs, nationally and for 17 US jurisdictions. DESIGN: The CDC Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is an annual, cross-sectional survey designed to report nationally and locally representative estimates of characteristics and outcomes among adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We analyzed 2015-2020 data from MMP and 2019 funding data from HOPWA. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for national and jurisdiction-level estimates were reported. RESULTS: Nationally, 1 in 4 (27.7%) PWH had shelter or housing service needs. Among those who needed housing services, 2 in 5 (40.4%) did not receive them (range: 21.3% in New York to 62.3% in Georgia). Reasons for unmet needs were multifactorial and varied by jurisdiction. Available 2019 HOPWA funding per person in need would cover up to 1.24 months of rent per person nationally (range: 0.53 months in Virginia to 9.54 months in Puerto Rico), and may not have matched housing assistance needs among PWH in certain jurisdictions. CONCLUSION: Addressing housing service needs necessitates a multipronged approach at the provider, jurisdiction, and national level. Locally, jurisdictions should work with their partners to understand and address housing service needs among PWH. Nationally, distribution of HOPWA funding for housing services should be aligned according to local needs; the funding formula could be modified to improve access to housing services among PWH.

INTRODUCTION: Despite universal newborn screening, there is no comprehensive surveillance system to understand the sickle cell disease population in Wisconsin. METHODS: We initiated the development of a sickle cell disease surveillance system by linking newborn screening data and electronic health records from 2 large tertiary health care institutions in Wisconsin: Children's Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital. RESULTS: There were 1478 individuals within the 3 data sources. One hundred thirty-two (82%) of 159 identified by newborn screening from 2013 through 2019 received care at Children's Wisconsin. The majority of individuals with sickle cell disease at Children's Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital resided in Milwaukee County. DISCUSSION: The new surveillance program will increase our understanding of the sickle cell disease population in Wisconsin and help improve quality of care and health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate HIV care continuum trends over time among women with HIV (WWH). DESIGN: The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We used 2015-2019 MMP data collected from 5139 adults with diagnosed HIV infection who identified as cisgender women. We calculated weighted percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all characteristics and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and the associated 95% CI to assess trends. EAPCs were considered meaningful from a public health perspective if at least 1% with P values less than 0.05. RESULTS: Among cisgender women with diagnosed HIV infection during 2015-2019, 58.8% were Black or African American (95% CI 54.4-63.3), 19% were Hispanic/Latina (95% CI 14.7-23.2), and 16% were Non-Hispanic White (95% CI 14.1-17.9) persons. There was a meaningful increase in the percentage who ever had stage 3 HIV disease from 55.8% (95% CI 51.0-60.5) in 2015 to 61.5% (95% CI 58.1-64.8) in 2019 (EAPC 1.7%; CI 1.5-1.9; P < 0.001). There were no meaningful changes over time among women, overall, in retention in care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription, ART adherence, missed appointments, or recent or sustained viral suppression. CONCLUSION: The HIV care continuum outcomes among WWH did not meaningfully improve from 2015 to 2019, raising a concern that Ending the HIV Epidemic in the US (EHE) initiative goals will not be met. To improve health and reduce transmission of HIV among WWH, multifaceted interventions to retain women in care, increase ART adherence, and address social determinants of health are urgently needed.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate trends in the proportion of sexually active U.S. adults with HIV (PWH) reporting an HIV-discordant sexual partner taking preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and proportion of partners taking PrEP. DESIGN: The Medical Monitoring Project is a complex sample survey of U.S. adults with diagnosed HIV. METHODS: We used annual cross-sectional data collected during June 2015-May 2020 to estimate the annual percentage change (EAPC), overall and by selected characteristics, in reported partner PrEP use among PWH with HIV-discordant partners (N = 8707) and reported PrEP use among these partners (N = 15 844). RESULTS: The proportion of PWH reporting PrEP use by one or more HIV-discordant sex partner rose 19.5% annually (11.3 to 24.4%). The prevalence rose from 6.0 to 17.4% (EAPC, 25.8%) among Black PWH, 10.1 to 26.0% (EAPC, 19.5%) among Hispanic/Latino PWH, and 20.8 to 34.6% (EAPC, 16.3%) among White PWH. Among MSM with HIV, the prevalence increased from 9.6 to 32.6% (EAPC, 28.2%) among Black MSM, 16.6 to 36.0% (EAPC, 15.6%) among Hispanic/Latino MSM, and 24.9 to 44.1% (EAPC, 17.9%) among White MSM. Among HIV-discordant sex partners, the proportion reported to be taking PrEP increased 21.1% annually (7.8 to 18.8%). Reported PrEP use rose from 4.9 to 14.2% (EAPC, 29.9%) among Black partners, 6.5 to 16.8% (EAPC, 20.3%) among Hispanic/Latino partners, and 12.7 to 26.1% (EAPC, 17.0%) among White partners. CONCLUSIONS: One in five HIV-discordant sexual partners of PWH was reported to be taking PrEP. PrEP use rose among all examined populations, although the increases did not eliminate disparities in PrEP use.

Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) persons with HIV experience disparities in HIV health outcomes compared with some other racial and ethnic groups. A previous report found that the percentages of Hispanic persons who received HIV care, were retained in care, and were virally suppressed were lower than those among non-Hispanic White persons with HIV (1). HIV stigma and discrimination are human rights issues associated with adverse HIV outcomes; eliminating stigma and discrimination among persons with HIV is a national priority*(,)(†)(,)(§) (2,3). CDC analyzed data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), an annual, cross-sectional study designed to report nationally representative estimates of experiences and outcomes among adults with diagnosed HIV. Data from the 2018-2020 cycles were analyzed to assess self-reported stigma and health care discrimination using adapted versions of validated multi-component scales among 2,690 adult Hispanic persons with HIV in the United States overall and by six characteristics.(¶) The median HIV stigma score on a scale of 0-100 was 31.7, with women (35.6) and American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons (38.9) reporting the highest scores among Hispanic persons with HIV. HIV stigma was primarily attributed to disclosure concerns (e.g., fearing others will disclose one's HIV status and being careful about who one tells about one's HIV status). Nearly one in four (23%) Hispanic persons with HIV experienced health care discrimination. Health care discrimination was experienced more frequently by Hispanic men (23%) than by Hispanic women (18%) and by Black or African American (Black) Hispanic persons (28%) than by White Hispanic persons (21%). Understanding disparities in experiences of stigma and discrimination is important when designing culturally appropriate interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination.

OBJECTIVE: Transgender women with diagnosed HIV experience social and structural factors that could negatively affect their overall health and HIV-related health outcomes. We describe estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) of sociodemographic characteristics, HIV stigma, discrimination, and mental health outcomes among transgender women with diagnosed HIV. METHODS: We analyzed pooled data of all transgender women with diagnosed HIV (N = 217) from the 2015 through 2018 MMP cycles. We reported unweighted frequencies, weighted percentages, and 95% CIs for all characteristics. We post-stratified data to known population totals by age, race and ethnicity, and sex at birth from the National HIV Surveillance System. RESULTS: Approximately 46% of transgender women with diagnosed HIV identified as Black or African American, 67% lived at or below the federal poverty level, 18% had experienced homelessness in the past year, 26% experienced mild to severe symptoms of depression, 30% experienced mild to severe anxiety symptoms, 32% reported physical violence by an intimate partner, and 30% reported forced sex during their lifetime. Despite 80% being very satisfied with their current HIV care, 94% experienced current HIV stigma and 20% experienced health care-related discrimination since being diagnosed with HIV. Among transgender women with diagnosed HIV who experienced discrimination, 46% and 51% experienced health care discrimination attributed to their gender and sexual orientation or sexual practices, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore a need to address unmet ancillary services, such as housing, intimate partner violence, and mental health needs, and the need for strategies to reduce experiences with HIV stigma and discrimination in care for transgender women with diagnosed HIV in the United States.

Unstably housed sexually active people with HIV (PWH) experience both a high incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and barriers to annual STI screening recommended by CDC guidelines. We used Medical Monitoring Project data to describe STI testing among unstably housed PWH by attendance at Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded facilities.

Objectives. To assess geographic differences in reaching national targets for viral suppression, homelessness, and HIV-related stigma among people with HIV and key factors associated with these targets. Methods. We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (2017-2020) and the National HIV Surveillance System (2019) to report estimates nationally and for 17 US jurisdictions. Results. Viral suppression (range = 55.3%-74.7%) and estimates for homelessness (range = 3.6%-11.9%) and HIV-related stigma (range for median score = 27.5-34.4) varied widely by jurisdiction. No jurisdiction met any of the national 2025 targets, except for Puerto Rico, which exceeded the target for homelessness (3.6% vs 4.6%). Viral suppression and antiretroviral therapy dose adherence were lowest, and certain social determinants of health (i.e., housing instability, HIV-related stigma, and HIV health care discrimination) were highest in Midwestern states. Conclusions. Jurisdictions have room for improvement in reaching the national 2025 targets for ending the HIV epidemic and in addressing other measures associated with adverse HIV outcomes-especially in the Midwest. Working with local partners will help jurisdictions determine a tailored approach for addressing barriers to meeting national targets. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 2, 2022: e1-e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306843).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services by health care coverage type and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) assistance among adults with HIV. DESIGN: We analyzed data using the 2017-2019 cycles of the CDC Medical Monitoring Project, an annual, cross-sectional study designed to produce nationally representative estimates of characteristics among adults with diagnosed HIV. METHODS: Unmet need was defined as needing, but not receiving, ≥1 HIV ancillary care service. We estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using predicted marginal means to examine associations between health care coverage type and unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services, adjusting for age. Associations were stratified by receipt of RWHAP assistance. RESULTS: Unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services were highest among uninsured persons (58.7%) and lowest among those with private insurance living ≥400% of the federal poverty level (FPL; 21.7%). Uninsured persons who received RWHAP assistance were less likely than those who did not receive RWHAP assistance to have unmet needs for HIV clinical support services (aPR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.16-0.28) and other medical services (aPR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.59-0.96), but not subsistence services (aPR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.74-1.27). Unmet needs for other medical services and subsistence services did not differ by RWHAP assistance among those with Medicaid, Medicare, or other health care coverage. CONCLUSIONS: RWHAP helped reduce some needs for uninsured persons. However, with growing socioeconomic inequities following the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding access to needed services for all people with HIV could improve key outcomes.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a medical record review for healthcare utilization, risk factors, and clinical data among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Massachusetts to aid HIV outbreak response decision-making and strengthen public health practice. SETTING: Two large community health centers (CHCs) that provide HIV and related services in northeastern Massachusetts. METHODS: Between May and July 2018, we reviewed medical records for 88 people with HIV (PWH) connected to the outbreak. The review period included care received from May 1, 2016, through the date of review. Surveillance data were used to establish date of HIV diagnosis and assess viral suppression. RESULTS: Sixty-nine (78%) people had HIV infection diagnosed during the review period, including 10 acute infections. Persons had a median of 3 primary care visits after HIV diagnosis and zero before diagnosis. During the review period, 72% reported active drug or alcohol use, 62% were prescribed medication assisted treatment, and 41% were prescribed antidepressants. The majority (68, 77%) had a documented ART prescription. HIV viral suppression at < 200 copies/mL was more frequent (73%) than the overall across the State (65%); it did not correlate with any of the sociodemographic characteristics studied in our population. Over half (57%) had been hospitalized at least once during the review period, and 36% had a bacterial infection at hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Medical record review with a field investigation of an outbreak provided data about patterns of health care utilization and comorbidities not available from routine HIV surveillance or case interviews. Integration of HIV screening with treatment for HIV and SUD can strengthen prevention and care services for PWID in northeastern Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether reported prevalence of unemployment, subsistence needs, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults with diagnosed HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic were higher than expected. DESIGN: The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of adults with diagnosed HIV in the United States. METHODS: We analyzed 2015-2019 MMP data using linear regression models to calculate expected prevalence, along with corresponding prediction intervals (PI), for unemployment, subsistence needs, depression, and anxiety for June-November 2020. We then assessed whether observed estimates fell within the expected prediction interval for each characteristic, overall and among specific groups. RESULTS: Overall, the observed estimate for unemployment was higher than expected (17% vs 12%) and exceeded the upper limit of the PI. Those living in households with incomes > = 400% of FPL were the only group where the observed prevalence of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 period was higher than the PIs; in this group, the prevalence of depression was 9% compared with a predicted value of 5% (75% higher) and the prevalence of anxiety was 11% compared with a predicted value 5% (137% higher). We did not see elevated levels of subsistence needs, although needs were higher among Black and Hispanic compared with White persons. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to deliver enhanced employment assistance to persons with HIV and provide screening and access to mental health services among higher income persons may be needed to mitigate the negative effects of the US COVID-19 pandemic.

People living with HIV (PLWH) who experience homelessness have poorer clinical outcomes than people with HIV who are not homeless; however, there is limited information on PLWH who experience other forms of housing instability. We used interviews and medical record abstraction data from the Medical Monitoring Project, collected 2018-2019 (N = 4,050), to describe sociodemographic characteristics and clinical outcomes of adults with HIV by whether people experienced unstable housing in the past 12 months. Overall, 21% were unstably housed, of which 55.2% were unstably housed but not homeless. People who were unstably housed were more likely to be younger, have lower educational attainment, be previously incarcerated, live at or below the poverty level, and have poorer mental health and clinical outcomes, independent of homelessness. Interventions to address housing instability, integrated with clinical care, could benefit not just PLWH who are homeless but also those who are unstably housed.

BACKGROUND: In the USA, COVID-19 vaccines became available in mid-December, 2020, with adults aged 65 years and older among the first groups prioritised for vaccination. We estimated the national-level impact of the initial phases of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme on COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and deaths among adults aged 65 years and older. METHODS: We analysed population-based data reported to US federal agencies on COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and deaths among adults aged 50 years and older during the period Nov 1, 2020, to April 10, 2021. We calculated the relative change in incidence among older age groups compared with a younger reference group for pre-vaccination and post-vaccination periods, defined by the week when vaccination coverage in a given age group first exceeded coverage in the reference age group by at least 1%; time lags for immune response and time to outcome were incorporated. We assessed whether the ratio of these relative changes differed when comparing the pre-vaccination and post-vaccination periods. FINDINGS: The ratio of relative changes comparing the change in the COVID-19 case incidence ratio over the post-vaccine versus pre-vaccine periods showed relative decreases of 53% (95% CI 50 to 55) and 62% (59 to 64) among adults aged 65 to 74 years and 75 years and older, respectively, compared with those aged 50 to 64 years. We found similar results for emergency department visits with relative decreases of 61% (52 to 68) for adults aged 65 to 74 years and 77% (71 to 78) for those aged 75 years and older compared with adults aged 50 to 64 years. Hospital admissions declined by 39% (29 to 48) among those aged 60 to 69 years, 60% (54 to 66) among those aged 70 to 79 years, and 68% (62 to 73), among those aged 80 years and older, compared with adults aged 50 to 59 years. COVID-19 deaths also declined (by 41%, 95% CI -14 to 69 among adults aged 65-74 years and by 30%, -47 to 66 among those aged ≥75 years, compared with adults aged 50 to 64 years), but the magnitude of the impact of vaccination roll-out on deaths was unclear. INTERPRETATION: The initial roll-out of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme was associated with reductions in COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions among older adults. FUNDING: None.

Understanding behavioral characteristics and health outcomes of people with HIV (PWH) who inject drugs and PWH who use drugs, but do not inject, can help inform public health interventions and improve HIV clinical outcomes. However, recent, nationally representative estimates are lacking. We used 2015-2018 Medical Monitoring Project data to examine health outcome differences among adults with diagnosed HIV who injected drugs or who only used non-injection drugs in the past year. Data were obtained from participant interviews and medical record abstraction. We reported weighted percentages and prevalence ratios with predicted marginal means to assess differences between groups (P < 0.05). PWH who injected drugs were more likely to engage in high-risk sex; experience depression and anxiety symptoms, homelessness, and incarceration; and have lower levels of care retention, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and viral suppression. Tailored, comprehensive interventions are critical for improving outcomes among PWH who use drugs, particularly among those who inject drugs.

Data on use of and barriers to HIV ancillary care services among people who inject drugs (PWID) with HIV can inform interventions intended to improve access to care, but national estimates are lacking. We analyzed data on PWID with HIV from the CDC Medical Monitoring Project. Overall, 79% had an unmet need for ≥1 service. Services with the highest unmet need included: dental care (38%), drug/alcohol treatment (20%), transportation assistance (20%), and HIV peer group support (20%). Unmet needs for mental health services (13% vs. 23%) and HIV peer group support (15% vs. 29%) were lower among persons attending Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP)-funded facilities for HIV care. Barriers to care services varied by service type. Modeling components of the RWHAP structure in non-RWHAP funded facilities, including integration of support services and use of patient navigation services in the HIV medical care setting, may improve outcomes among PWID with HIV. ©, This work was authored as part of the Contributor's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.