I Can’t Afford it Right Now, So it Doesn’t Matter” Structural Drivers of Viral Suppression Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Longitudinal Qualitative Approach

Abstract

Abstract Background Racial disparities in outcomes across the HIV care continuum, including in viral suppression, have been observed among sexual minority men (SMM) living with HIV. Structural factors are drivers of these disparities, yet data is lacking at the individual level on how day-to-day experiences of these structural factors contribute to losing viral suppression, and what happens to SMM after loss of viral suppression, including whether they achieve viral suppression again over time. Method We conducted longitudinal semi-structured interviews with a subsample of men living with HIV drawn from a larger cohort study. Three Black and 2 White SMM participated in a series of three interviews after they lost viral suppression, and then again at 6- and 12-months follow-up. The focus of the interviews was on experiences with structural issues (e.g., housing, transportation, employment, insurance) and their impact on HIV care. Results Content analysis showed that multiple structural issues disrupted HIV care, particularly insurance, housing stability, transportation, and employment. Black SMM described experiencing multiple compounding structural barriers, and they struggled to achieve viral suppression again. Conclusions These data show how SMM living with HIV are impacted by structural barriers to HIV care over time. Black SMM experienced multiple, compounding barriers, and these negatively impacted HIV care outcomes over time. Efforts to address long-standing HIV care-related disparities need to address the mechanisms of structural racism.