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“Everything…Fell Apart Once COVID-19 Hit”—Leveraging the COVID-19 Response to Strengthen Public Health Activities toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Qualitative Study

Author

Listed:
  • Samantha A. Devlin

    (Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, Chicago, IL 60637, USA)

  • Moctezuma Garcia

    (School of Social Work, San José State University, San Jose, CA 95112, USA)

  • Kayo Fujimoto

    (Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA)

  • Camden Hallmark

    (Division of Disease Prevention and Control, Houston Health Department, Houston, TX 77054, USA)

  • Marlene McNeese

    (Division of Disease Prevention and Control, Houston Health Department, Houston, TX 77054, USA)

  • John Schneider

    (Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, Chicago, IL 60637, USA)

  • Moira C. McNulty

    (Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, Chicago, IL 60637, USA)

Abstract

COVID-19 caused widespread disruption of activities for Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE). In this study we assessed public health perspectives on leveraging the COVID-19 response to advance the goals of EHE. We conducted a qualitative study with 33 public health partners in the Midwestern and Southern United States from October 2020 to February 2022. Participants were asked how the strategies developed for COVID-19 could be applied to the HIV epidemic. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and examined using rapid qualitative analysis. Four themes emerged: (1) Rebuilding teams and adapting culture for success in EHE activities; (2) Recognizing and modernizing the role of disease intervention specialists (DIS); (3) Enhanced community awareness of the public health role in disease response and prevention; and (4) Leveraging COVID-19 data systems and infrastructure for EHE activities. The COVID-19 pandemic called attention to the dearth of public health funding and outdated information technology (IT) infrastructure used for HIV activities. It also led to greater public health knowledge, including increased familiarity with partner services and molecular epidemiology of HIV, and opportunities to develop new data systems for surveillance that can be applied to efforts for EHE.

Suggested Citation

  • Samantha A. Devlin & Moctezuma Garcia & Kayo Fujimoto & Camden Hallmark & Marlene McNeese & John Schneider & Moira C. McNulty, 2022. "“Everything…Fell Apart Once COVID-19 Hit”—Leveraging the COVID-19 Response to Strengthen Public Health Activities toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:15247-:d:976864
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sylvester Reuben Okeke, 2022. "“Compared to COVID, HIV Is Nothing”: Exploring How Onshore East Asian and Sub-Saharan African International Students in Sydney Navigate COVID-19 versus BBVs/STIs Risk Spectrum," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-15, May.
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