Improving Delivery and Use of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in the US: A Systematic Review of Implementation Strategies and Adjunctive Interventions.

Implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV transmission is suboptimal in the United States. To date, the literature has focused on identifying determinants of PrEP use, with a lesser focus on developing and testing change methods to improve PrEP implementation. Moreover, the change methods available for improving the uptake and sustained use of PrEP have not been systematically categorized. To summarize the state of the literature, we conducted a systematic review of the implementation strategies used to improve PrEP implementation among delivery systems and providers, as well as the adjunctive interventions used to improve the uptake and persistent adherence to PrEP among patients. Between November 2020 and January 2021, we searched Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for peer reviewed articles. We identified 44 change methods (18 implementation strategies and 26 adjunctive interventions) across a variety of clinical and community-based service settings. We coded implementation strategies and adjunctive interventions in accordance with established taxonomies and reporting guidelines. Most studies focused on improving patient adherence to PrEP and most conducted pilot trials. Just over one-third of included studies demonstrated a positive effect on outcomes. In order to end the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the U.S., future, large scale HIV prevention research is needed that develops and evaluates implementation strategies and adjunctive interventions for target populations disproportionately affected by HIV.

"Your Package Could Not Be Delivered": The State of Digital HIV Intervention Implementation in the US.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite continuous innovations and federal investment to create digital interventions addressing the HIV prevention and care continua, these interventions have not reached people in the U.S. at scale. This article reviews what is known about U.S. implementation of digital HIV interventions and presents a strategy to cross the research-to-practice chasm for these types of interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: We conducted a narrative review of U.S.-based original research on implementation of digital HIV interventions and identified few studies reporting on implementation determinants, strategies, processes, or outcomes, particularly outside the context of effectiveness trials. To supplement the literature, in 2023, we surveyed 47 investigators representing 64 unique interventions about their experiences with implementation after their research trials. Respondents placed high importance on intervention implementation, but major barriers included lack of funding and clear implementation models, technology costs, and difficulty identifying partners equipped to deliver digital interventions. They felt that responsibility for implementation should be shared between intervention developers, deliverers (e.g., clinics), and a government entity. If an implementation center were to exist, most respondents wanted to be available for guidance or technical assistance but largely wanted less involvement. Numerous evidence-based, effective digital interventions exist to address HIV prevention and care. However, they remain "on the shelf" absent a concrete and sustainable model for real-world dissemination and implementation. Based on our findings, we call for the creation of national implementation centers, analogous to those in other health systems, to facilitate digital HIV intervention delivery and accelerate progress toward ending the U.S. epidemic.

Adjunctive interventions: change methods directed at recipients that support uptake and use of health innovations.

BACKGROUND: Implementation science groups change methods into two categories: (1) clinical, behavioral, or biomedical intervention targeting recipient's health outcomes and (2) implementation strategies targeting the delivery system. Differentiating interventions from strategies based on their intended functions is critical to accurately attributing their effects to health or implementation outcomes. However, in coordinating 200+ HIV implementation research projects and conducting systematic reviews, we identified change methods that had characteristics of both interventions and strategies that were inconsistently categorized. To alleviate confusion and improve change method specification, we propose that implementation science should adopt an extant but rarely used term-adjunctive interventions-to classify change methods that are distinct from the common intervention/strategy taxonomy. MAIN TEXT: Adjunctive interventions as change methods that target recipients (e.g., patients, participants) of a health intervention but are designed to increase recipients' motivation, self-efficacy, or capacity for initiating, adhering to, complying with, or engaging with the health intervention over time. In two of our published reviews on implementation of HIV interventions, 25 out of 45 coded change methods fell into this gray area between strategy and intervention. We also noted instances in which the same change method was labelled as the intervention ("the thing"), as an adjunctive intervention, or an implementation strategy in different studies-further muddying the waters. Adjunctive interventions are distinguished from other change methods by their intended targets, desired outcomes, and theory of action and causal processes. Whereas health interventions target recipients and have a direct, causal effect on the health outcome, adjunctive interventions enhance recipients' attitudes and behaviors to engage with the intervention and have an indirect causal link to the health outcome via increasing the probability of recipients' utilization and adherence to the intervention. Adjunctive interventions are incapable of directly producing the health outcome and will themselves require implementation strategies to effectively impact sustained uptake, utilization, and adherence. Case examples, logic modeling, and considerations (e.g., relationship to consumer engagement strategies) for adjunctive intervention research are provided. CONCLUSION: Conceptualizing adjunctive interventions as a separate type of change method will advance implementation research by improving tests of effectiveness, and the specification of mechanisms and outcomes.

The "D&I Bridge": introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why.

Interest in learning dissemination and implementation (D&I) science is at an all-time high. As founding faculty and fellows of a new center focused on D&I science, we have found that non-specialist researchers and newcomers to D&I science often express confusion around the difference between the D and the I. Relatedly, they struggle to identify what their specific D&I projects target to impact public health within the amorphous "black box" that is the singular, loosely defined "research-to-practice gap." To improve conceptual clarity and enhance engagement with D&I science, we developed a graphic-the D&I Bridge-and an accompanying glossary of terms to use as a teaching and framing tool. The D&I Bridge depicts D&I science as bridging what we know from public health knowledge to what we do in public health practice with intention and equity, and it spans over four distinct, inter-related gaps: the public health supply gap, the public health demand gap, the methodological/scientific gap, and the expertise capacity gap. The public health supply gap is addressed by implementation strategies, whereas the public health demand gap is addressed by dissemination strategies. The methodological/scientific gap is addressed by producing generalizable knowledge about D&I, and the expertise capacity gap is addressed by developing the multi-disciplinary workforce needed to advance D&I. Initial practice feedback about the D&I Bridge has been positive, and this conceptualization of D&I science has helped inform our center's D&I training, D&I project consultations, and strategic planning. We believe the D&I Bridge provides a useful heuristic for helping non-specialists understand the differential scopes of various D&I science projects as well as specific gaps that may be addressed by D&I methods.

A Systematic Review of Implementation Research on Determinants and Strategies of Effective HIV Interventions for Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for two-thirds of HIV cases in the United States despite representing ∼5% of the adult population. Delivery and use of existing and highly effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies remain suboptimal among MSM. To summarize the state of the science, we systematically review implementation determinants and strategies of HIV-related health interventions using implementation science frameworks. Research on implementation barriers has focused predominantly on characteristics of individual recipients (e.g., ethnicity, age, drug use) and less so on deliverers (e.g., nurses, physicians), with little focus on system-level factors. Similarly, most strategies target recipients to influence their uptake and adherence, rather than improving and supporting implementation systems. HIV implementation research is burgeoning; future research is needed to broaden the examination of barriers at the provider and system levels, as well as expand knowledge on how to match strategies to barriers-particularly to address stigma. Collaboration and coordination among federal, state, and local public health agencies; community-based organizations; health care providers; and scientists are important for successful implementation of HIV-related health innovations.

Acceptability of 'Humpr': An Online Tool to Educate Adolescent Sexual Minority Males About Sexual Networking Applications.

We examined the acceptability of Humpr - an interactive, online tool developed to educate adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM) about how to safely navigate sexual networking applications (SNA). We developed Humpr as part of a larger HIV intervention trial in the U.S. In Humpr, 218 ASMM aged 14-20 (Mage = 17.18) created a mock dating profile, explored simulated user profiles, learned health-related information (e.g. slang indicating HIV/STI risks and/or drug use intentions), and then gave feedback regarding acceptability of the tool. Results showed that Humpr was very well-received, with 94% overall approval rates. Reasons for liking Humpr were evenly split between liking it for educational and entertaining reasons. Participants praised Humpr for its realistic design and interactive interface that allowed them to engage and connect with the tool. The majority (61%) had used SNAs in the past, but many still reported learning something new from Humpr. Participants also appreciated the acknowledgment of SNA use in ASMM and how the education was implemented in an open and judgment-free way. Topics learned from Humpr included how to be safe on SNAs and warning signs for HIV/STI risks. Suggested areas of improvement included having an opt-out option for those who do not wish to participate for any reason (e.g. discomfort) and additional educational content (e.g. consequences of being a minor on SNAs). Taken together, the findings offer preliminary evidence for the potential educational benefits of digital tools like Humpr for ASMM with and without prior SNA exposure.

Keep It Up! 3.0: Study protocol for a type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness cluster-randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that eHealth approaches can be effective in reducing HIV risk, their implementation requirements for public health scale up are not well established, and effective strategies to bring these programs into practice are still unknown. Keep It Up! (KIU!) is an online program proven to reduce HIV risk among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and ideal candidate to develop and evaluate novel strategies for implementing eHealth HIV prevention programs. KIU! 3.0 is a Type III Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation cluster randomized trial designed to 1) compare two strategies for implementing KIU!: community-based organizations (CBO) versus centralized direct-to-consumer (DTC) recruitment; 2) examine the effect of strategies and determinants on variability in implementation success; and 3) develop materials for sustainment of KIU! after the trial concludes. In this article, we describe the approaches used to achieve these aims. METHODS: Using county-level population estimates of YMSM, 66 counties were selected and randomized 2:1 to the CBO and DTC approaches. The RE-AIM model was used to drive outcome measurements, which were collected from CBO staff, YMSM, and technology providers. Mixed-methods research mapped onto the domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research will examine determinants and their relationship with implementation outcomes. DISCUSSION: In comparing our implementation recruitment models, we are examining two strategies which have shown effectiveness in delivering health technology interventions in the past, yet little is known about their comparative advantages and disadvantages in implementation. The results of the trial will further the understanding of eHealth prevention intervention implementation.

Determinants of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Implementation in Transgender Populations: A Qualitative Scoping Review.

We conducted a scoping review of contextual factors impeding uptake and adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis in transgender communities as an in-depth analysis of the transgender population within a previously published systematic review. Using a machine learning screening process, title and abstract screening, and full-text review, the initial systematic review identified 353 articles for analysis. These articles were peer-reviewed, implementation-related studies of PrEP in the U.S. published after 2000. Twenty-two articles were identified in this search as transgender related. An additional eleven articles were identified through citations of these twenty-two articles, resulting in thirty-three articles in the current analysis. These thirty-three articles were qualitatively coded in NVivo using adapted constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research as individual codes. Codes were thematically assessed. We point to barriers of implementing PrEP, including lack of intentional dissemination efforts and patience assistance, structural factors, including sex work, racism, and access to gender affirming health care, and lack of provider training. Finally, over 60% of articles lumped cisgender men who have sex with men with trans women. Such articles included sub-samples of transgender individuals that were not representative. We point to areas of growth for the field in this regard.

RESUMEN: En este revisión de alcance, examinamos los factores contextuales que impiden la adopción y el cumplimiento de la profilaxis previa a la exposición en las comunidades transgénero. Este revisión sistemática se formó a partir de una revisión sistemática más grande. Utilizando un proceso de selección de aprendizaje automático, filtración de los titulus y examines, y revision del texto complete, el primer revisión sistemática identificó 353 artículos por el analisis. Estes artículos fueron estudios revisados por pares, relacionados con la implementación de la PrEP en los EE.UU. publicados despues de 2000. Veintidós artículos se identificaron en esta b?squeda como relacionados con personas transgénero. Se identificaron once artículos adicionales a través de citas de estos veintidós artículos, lo que resultó en treinta y tres artículos en el análisis actual. Estos treinta y tres artículos fueron codificados cualitativamente en NVivo utilizando construcciones adaptadas del Marco Consolidado para la Investigación de Implementación (CFIR) como códigos individuales. Los códigos fueron evaluados temáticamente. Señalamos las barreras de la implementación de la PrEP, como la falta de esfuerzos intencionales de difusión y asistencia al paciente, las barreras estructurales como el trabajo sexual, el racism, y el acceso a la salud de afirmación de género, y la falta del entrenamiento de los doctores. Finalmente, más de sesenta por ciento de los artículos tuvieron submuestras de personas transgénero que no eran representativas. Se?alamos áreas de crecimiento para el campo en este sentido.

Supporting the Growth of Domestic HIV Implementation Research in the United States Through Coordination, Consultation, and Collaboration: How We Got Here and Where We Are Headed.

BACKGROUND: The Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative sets a goal to virtually eliminate new HIV infections in the United States by 2030. The plan is predicated on the fact that tools exist for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, and the current scientific challenge is how to implement them effectively and with equity. Implementation research (IR) can help identify strategies that support effective implementation of HIV services. SETTING: NIH funded the Implementation Science Coordination Initiative (ISCI) to support rigorous and actionable IR by providing technical assistance to NIH-funded projects and supporting local implementation knowledge becoming generalizable knowledge. METHODS: We describe the formation of ISCI, the services it provided to the HIV field, and data it collected from 147 NIH-funded studies. We also provide an overview of this supplement issue as a dissemination strategy for HIV IR. CONCLUSION: Our ability to reach EHE 2030 goals is strengthened by the knowledge compiled in this supplement, the services of ISCI and connected hubs, and a myriad of investigators and implementation partners collaborating to better understand what is needed to effectively implement the many evidence-based HIV interventions at our disposal.

Profile of the Portfolio of NIH-Funded HIV Implementation Research Projects to Inform Ending the HIV Epidemic Strategies.

BACKGROUND: The US government created an initiative to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by the year 2030 (EHE). This multiagency initiative was structured around four pillars: Prevent, Diagnose, Treat, and Respond to improve HIV programs, resources, and service delivery infrastructure. In support of its research mission, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has funded implementation research (IR) projects by addressing the four pillars and encouraging investigators to collaborate with local partners and Health and Human Services (HHS) grantees in 57 priority jurisdictions. METHODS: This paper analyzed data from the NIH funded CFAR/ARC supplement projects from 2019 to 2021. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework was used to characterize projects by stage of implementation. RESULTS: The Prevent pillar was most frequently studied, with Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) being the most studied intervention. The most common partners were health departments, community-based organizations (CBOs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework was the most utilized to investigate implementation determinants, followed by the RE-AIM framework and Proctor model to assess implementation outcomes. CONCLUSION: Monitoring the projects resulting from NIH investments is fundamental to understanding the response to EHE, and achieving these results requires systematic and continuous effort that can support the generalizable implementation knowledge emerging from individual studies. There are some remaining gaps in the project portfolio, including geographical coverage, range of implementation outcomes being measured, and interventions still requiring further research to ensure equitable scale-up of evidence based interventions and achieve EHE goals.

Determinants of Implementation for HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Based on an Updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Delivery and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are suboptimal in the United States. Previous reviews of barriers and facilitators have not used an implementation science lens, limiting comprehensiveness and the link to implementation strategies. To summarize the state of the science, we systematically reviewed determinants of PrEP implementation using the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR 2.0). SETTING: PrEP-eligible communities and delivery settings in the United States. METHODS: In January 2021, we searched Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles related to HIV/AIDS, interventions, implementation, and determinants or strategies. We identified 286 primary research articles published after 1999 about US-based PrEP implementation. Team members extracted discrete "mentioned" and "measured" determinants, coding each by setting, population, valence, measurement, and CFIR 2.0 construct. RESULTS: We identified 1776 mentioned and 1952 measured determinants from 254 to 239 articles, respectively. Two-thirds of measured determinants were of PrEP use by patients as opposed to delivery by providers. Articles contained few determinants in the inner setting or process domains (ie, related to the delivery context), even among studies of specific settings. Determinants across priority populations also focused on individual patients and providers rather than structural or logistical factors. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest substantial knowledge in the literature about general patient-level barriers to PrEP use and thus limited need for additional universal studies. Instead, future research should prioritize identifying determinants, especially facilitators, unique to understudied populations and focus on structural and logistical features within current and promising settings (eg, pharmacies) that support integration of PrEP into clinical practice.

The Implementation Research Logic Model: a method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects.

BACKGROUND: Numerous models, frameworks, and theories exist for specific aspects of implementation research, including for determinants, strategies, and outcomes. However, implementation research projects often fail to provide a coherent rationale or justification for how these aspects are selected and tested in relation to one another. Despite this need to better specify the conceptual linkages between the core elements involved in projects, few tools or methods have been developed to aid in this task. The Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) was created for this purpose and to enhance the rigor and transparency of describing the often-complex processes of improving the adoption of evidence-based interventions in healthcare delivery systems. METHODS: The IRLM structure and guiding principles were developed through a series of preliminary activities with multiple investigators representing diverse implementation research projects in terms of contexts, research designs, and implementation strategies being evaluated. The utility of the IRLM was evaluated in the course of a 2-day training to over 130 implementation researchers and healthcare delivery system partners. RESULTS: Preliminary work with the IRLM produced a core structure and multiple variations for common implementation research designs and situations, as well as guiding principles and suggestions for use. Results of the survey indicated a high utility of the IRLM for multiple purposes, such as improving rigor and reproducibility of projects; serving as a "roadmap" for how the project is to be carried out; clearly reporting and specifying how the project is to be conducted; and understanding the connections between determinants, strategies, mechanisms, and outcomes for their project. CONCLUSIONS: The IRLM is a semi-structured, principle-guided tool designed to improve the specification, rigor, reproducibility, and testable causal pathways involved in implementation research projects. The IRLM can also aid implementation researchers and implementation partners in the planning and execution of practice change initiatives. Adaptation and refinement of the IRLM are ongoing, as is the development of resources for use and applications to diverse projects, to address the challenges of this complex scientific field.

Exploring potential implementation barriers and facilitators of the SMART Program, a stepped-care package of eHealth HIV prevention interventions for adolescent men who have sex with men.

Little is known about how to best implement eHealth HIV interventions for adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) in real-world settings. In response, our current study describes formative implementation research with community-based organizations (CBOs) in preparation for future implementation of the SMART Program, a stepped-care package of three interventions adapted for AMSM. In-depth interviews focusing on eHealth implementation were conducted with a convenience sample of 12 stakeholders from nine CBOs that actively implemented sexual-minority-focused HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Qualitative analysis was conducted using Dedoose to identify salient themes. Most programs implemented at the CBOs engaged adult MSM for HIV prevention, but CBOs reported less experience with outreach of AMSM for HIV prevention. While comfortable with and skilled at implementing traditional in-person HIV prevention programs, interviewees reported that eHealth programs fell outside of their organizations' technical capacities. They suggested specific strategies to facilitate successful implementation of SMART and other eHealth programs, including technical-capacity-building at CBOs, better training of staff, and partnering with a national coordinating center that provides support for the technology. Overall, the CBOs reported enthusiasm for the SMART Program and thought it an efficient way to bridge their current gaps in online programming and lack of AMSM HIV prevention strategies.

Using Intervention Mapping to Developmentally Adapt an Online HIV Risk Reduction Program for Adolescent Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) experience a dramatic health disparity in HIV, accounting for over 80% of new diagnoses among youth. Current evidence-based HIV prevention programs, however, focus primarily on adults and heterosexual youth, thereby missing the unique experiences and socio-environmental contexts of AMSM aged 13-18. To address these gaps, we used the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol to developmentally adapt an existing evidence-based online HIV risk reduction program (i.e., Keep it Up!/KIU!), originally designed for young adult MSM aged 18-29, into a new intervention called SMART Squad. Using a hybrid of IM creation and adaptation tasks, we specified three behavioral outcomes and identified corresponding performance objectives for SMART Squad based on the original goals of KIU!. We constructed matrices of change objectives using determinants from the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model, modifying them for the younger population with additional theoretical and empirical evidence and expert review. SMART Squad activities were operationalized from theory-based behavior change methods matched to the change objectives and guided by program themes, components, and scope imported from KIU!. The final SMART Squad intervention comprises 6 episodes/modules delivered in 2 sessions plus 2 booster episodes occurring 1 and 3 months after the main program. It is currently being evaluated nationally as part of a stepped-care package of 3 programs, in which the receipt and sequencing of interventions is tailored to individual AMSM development and needs. Despite substantial changes to KIU!, IM was a useful method for retaining the hypothesized essential elements of the eHealth HIV risk reduction program. Challenges and recommendations for future researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Evaluation of a Stepped-Care eHealth HIV Prevention Program for Diverse Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness Implementation Trial of SMART.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM), aged 13 to 18 years, account for more than 80% of teen HIV occurrences. Despite this disproportionate burden, there is a conspicuous lack of evidence-based HIV prevention programs. Implementation issues are critical as traditional HIV prevention delivery channels (eg, community-based organizations, schools) have significant access limitations for AMSM. As such, eHealth interventions, such as our proposed SMART program, represent an excellent modality for delivering AMSM-specific intervention material where youth are. OBJECTIVE: This randomized trial aimed to test the effectiveness of the SMART program in reducing condom-less anal sex and increasing condom self-efficacy, condom use intentions, and HIV testing for AMSM. We also plan to test whether SMART has differential effectiveness across important subgroups of AMSM based on race and ethnicity, urban versus rural residence, age, socioeconomic status, and participation in an English versus a Spanish version of SMART. METHODS: Using a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial design, we will evaluate the impact of a stepped-care package of increasingly intensive eHealth interventions (ie, the universal, information-based SMART Sex Ed; the more intensive, selective SMART Squad; and a higher cost, indicated SMART Sessions). All intervention content is available in English and Spanish. Participants are recruited primarily from social media sources using paid and unpaid advertisements. RESULTS: The trial has enrolled 1285 AMSM aged 13 to 18 years, with a target enrollment of 1878. Recruitment concluded in June 2020. Participants were recruited from 49 US states as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Assessments of intervention outcomes at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months are ongoing. CONCLUSIONS: SMART is the first web-based program for AMSM to take a stepped-care approach to sexual education and HIV prevention. This design indicates that SMART delivers resources to all adolescents, but more costly treatments (eg, video chat counseling in SMART Sessions) are conserved for individuals who need them the most. SMART has the potential to reach AMSM to provide them with a sex-positive curriculum that empowers them with the information, motivation, and skills to make better health choices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03511131; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03511131. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/19701.

The CAN-DO-IT Model: a Process for Developing and Refining Online Recruitment in HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Research.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: HIV/AIDS and sexual health research has increasingly relied on online recruitment in recent years. However, as potential online recruitment avenues (e.g., dating and sexual networking applications, websites, social media) have proliferated, navigating this process has become increasingly complex. This paper presents a practical model to guide researchers through online recruitment irrespective of platform. RECENT FINDINGS: The CAN-DO-IT model reflects 7 iterative steps based on work by the authors and other investigators: conceptualize scope of recruitment campaign, acquire necessary expertise, navigate online platforms, develop advertisements, optimize recruitment-to-enrollment workflow, implement advertising campaign, and track performance of campaigns and respond accordingly. Online recruitment can accelerate HIV/AIDS research, yet relatively limited guidance exists to facilitate this process across platforms. The CAN-DO-IT model presents one approach to demystify online recruitment and reduce enrollment barriers.

Collective Avoidance of Social and Health Venues and HIV Racial Inequities: Network Modeling of Venue Avoidance on Venue Affiliation, Social Networks, and HIV Risk.

Many younger Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are exposed to homonegativity, societal stigma, and racial discrimination in their social environment. This study uses a social network modeling methodology to identify aspects of the social environment that are not often described, that is, the places and spaces or "venues" where YBMSM socialize or where they receive HIV prevention services. In particular, we identify the structural features of avoidance of these venues as an indicator of negative experiences, using bipartite exponential random graph models. Our study theorizes that YBMSM avoid certain venues en masse through information diffusion among social network members. We specify two social mechanisms of collective venue avoidance-(1) homophily (i.e., ego-alter similarity in venue avoidance) and (2) popular opinion leaders (as early adopters)-and test the corresponding hypotheses that (Hypothesis 1) socially connected individuals avoid venues together and that (Hypothesis 2) popular individuals would be more likely to avoid venues. Based on data collected from YBMSM aged 16 to 29 years between 2014 and 2016 in Houston, Texas (N = 227) and Chicago, Illinois (N = 241), results indicate that Hypothesis 1 was supported in both cities but that Hypothesis 2 was supported only in Chicago. The findings suggest that the structural patterns of venue avoidance are different between cities and may inform dissemination of prevention messages and delivery of venue- and social influence-based HIV interventions.

Condom-Associated Erectile Function, But Not Other Domains of Sexual Functioning, Predicts Condomless Insertive Anal Sex Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Condoms effectively prevent against HIV, especially when used in conjunction with biomedical strategies such as PrEP and viral suppression. However, consistent use of condoms in the real world has been a continual health promotion challenge, even among populations at highest risk, such as young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Inconsistent condom use may be related to poor sexual functioning, but limited research exists. The analytic sample comprised 688 racially diverse YMSM aged 16-29 (M = 22.9 years) living in Chicago, IL (19.2% living with HIV). Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined longitudinal associations between condom-associated sexual functioning (erectile function, orgasm satisfaction, global satisfaction, and anal discomfort) and condomless insertive anal sex (CIAS) and condomless receptive anal sex (CRAS) 6 months later. CIAS at Time 2 was associated with condom-associated erectile function at the bivariate and multivariable levels, even after controlling for CIAS at Time 1 (p < .05). Condom-associated erectile function, orgasm satisfaction, and global satisfaction predicted Time 2 CRAS in bivariate models, but none remained significant in the multivariable models. Age, having had a serious partner in the past 6 months, and HIV/PrEP status at Time 2 were significant predictors of CIAS/CRAS in some but not all models. Future interventions to improve consistent condom use should specifically highlight information and skills on how to use condoms within real-world contexts rather than from a clinical perspective. Our results also support the importance of biomedical strategies for those who have continued problems with sexual functioning when using condoms.

Landscape of HIV Implementation Research Funded by the National Institutes of Health: A Mapping Review of Project Abstracts.

In 2019, the requisite biomedical and behavioral interventions to eliminate new HIV infections exist. "Ending the HIV Epidemic" now becomes primarily a challenge of will and implementation. This review maps the extent to which implementation research (IR) has been integrated into HIV research by reviewing the recent funding portfolio of the NIH. We searched NIH RePORTER for HIV and IR-related research projects funded from January 2013 to March 2018. The 4629 unique studies identified were screened using machine learning and manual methods. 216 abstracts met the eligibility criteria of HIV and IR. Key study characteristics were then abstracted. NIH currently funds HIV studies that are either formally IR (n = 109) or preparatory for IR (n = 107). Few (13%) projects mentioned a guiding implementation model, theory, or framework, and only 56% of all studies explicitly mentioned measuring an implementation outcome. Considering the study aims along an IR continuum, 18 (8%) studies examined barriers and facilitators, 43 (20%) developed implementation strategies, 46 (21%) piloted strategies, 73 (34%) tested a single strategy, and 35 (16%) compared strategies. A higher proportion of formal IR projects involved established interventions (e.g., integrated services) compared to newer interventions (e.g., pre-exposure prophylaxis). Prioritizing HIV-related IR in NIH and other federal funding opportunity announcements and expanded training in implementation science could have a substantial impact on ending the HIV pandemic. This review serves as a baseline by which to compare funding patterns and the sophistication of IR in HIV research over time.

Demographic, Regional, and Political Influences on the Sexual Health Care Experiences of Adolescent Sexual Minority Men.

Purpose: Adolescent sexual minority men (ASMM) are affected disproportionately by HIV, and little is known about their utilization of sexual health care services. We aimed to examine demographic, regional, and political influences on the sexual health care experiences of a unique sample of racially diverse ASMM from across the United States. Methods: Data were collected between April 2018 and February 2019 as part of the baseline survey of an ongoing pragmatic trial of a suite of HIV prevention interventions for ASMM. At the time of analysis, 699 participants had completed baseline and were included in multivariable analyses examining demographic, regional, and political differences in perceived access to and experiences of sexual health care. Results: The majority of ASMM reported not having had various sexual health care experiences in the past 12 months (70.8%-85.7%, respectively), and a large proportion reported low-to-moderate perceived access to such services where they live (37.8%-64.1%, respectively). Some groups were significantly less likely to report perceived access to, or having had, certain sexual health care experiences, including ASMM in their early- to mid-teens and those who lived in rural areas, the South, and Republican state-level political climates. Conclusion: These analyses indicate that ASMM underutilize sexual health care and point to specific groups with the lowest rates of engagement. To address the sexual health needs of ASMM, structural changes need to be made in the sociopolitical arena (e.g., federal nondiscrimination legislation) and medical system (e.g., mandated training in LGBTQ care) that will reduce LGBTQ-related stigma and increase access to needed care.