Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (Mar 2022)

HIV Care Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic as Perceived by Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups Served by the Ryan White Program, Miami-Dade County, Florida

  • Mary Jo Trepka MD, MSPH,
  • Melissa K. Ward PhD,
  • Robert A. Ladner PhD,
  • Diana M. Sheehan PhD, MPH,
  • Tan Li PhD,
  • Cynthia Ibarra MPH,
  • Semiu O. Gbadamosi MBBS, MPH,
  • Gladys E. Ibañez PhD,
  • Michele Jean-Gilles PhD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/23259582221084536
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21

Abstract

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The Ryan White Program (RWP) in Miami-Dade County, Florida made several modifications to keep HIV care accessible during the COVID-19 Pandemic, including expanding telehealth services, increasing access to HIV medications, and waiving required lab tests for service recertification. We assessed ease of access to medical providers, medical case managers, and antiretroviral medications during the COVID-19 Pandemic among 298 Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Haitian people with HIV (PWH) served by the RWP Part A, Miami-Dade County, Florida using a telephone-administered survey between October 2020 and January 2021. Overall, most clients reported similar or better access compared to before the Pandemic. Use of videocalls to communicate with HIV medical providers varied by race/ethnicity: Hispanics (49.6%), Non-Hispanic Blacks (37.7%), and Haitian clients (16.0%). Results suggest the modifications helped maintain access to care during an unprecedented health crisis. Permanently adopting many of these modifications should be considered to continue to facilitate access to care.