Symposia
Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine - Adult
Hyo Jin (jenny) Shin, B.S., M.P.H.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
Jacklyn D. Foley, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA
Aarti Madhu, B.S.
Research Associate
The Fenway Institute
Boston, Massachusetts
Abigail W. Batchelder, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
MGH/Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) who report substance use living with HIV likely experienced a range of negative consequences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the extent of the effects of COVID on access to health care, resources, and social interactions is not known. This preliminary descriptive data analysis aims to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted a sample of MSM who report substance use living with HIV to inform intervention development.
Methods: This descriptive analysis uses baseline pilot randomized controlled trial data from a sample of MSM who report substance use living with HIV living in Boston, Massachusetts. Trial participants answered online surveys, which assessed the effects of COVID-19, including limitations on access to health care, resources, and social interactions.
Results: Of the 36 participants who have completed the baseline assessment, 28% identified as Black or African American and 64% as White; 19% identified as Hispanic; 61% reported an annual income < $20,000; and 61% indicated they were single or never married. Only 22% reported never being tested for COVID. A subset of participants reported reduced access to health care due to COVID-19: 39% indicated canceled health care appointments, 31% reported health care providers canceled appointments, and 42% were unable to get the medicine they needed. Further, participants reported a decrease in access to resources due to COVID-19: 44% were unable to get the food they needed, 53% were told to not come to work or school, and 67% avoided public transportation since the pandemic started. Additionally, the majority of participants reported reduced social interactions with 64% reported staying away from others and 78% being asked by others to stay away to protect them from COVID-19. Similarly, 85% reported staying indoors to avoid public places and 69% canceled plans to avoid other people.
Conclusion: This descriptive data analysis shows that COVID-19 impacted the health of this sample of MSM living with HIV who use substances by limiting their access to health care and medications, resources such as food, and supportive social interactions. These findings highlight the vulnerability of this population to these losses and emphasize the importance of increased structural support, including improved access to care through the expansion of telehealth and virtual support groups, as well as medication via mailing/delivery services to mitigate future risk of abrupt losses.