Telehealth and Access to HIV Care for Youth: A National Mixed-Methods Study of U.S. HIV Healthcare Provider Practices and Perspectives

Résumé fourni par la source

BackgroundYouth living with HIV (YWH) face persistent barriers to care engagement and viral suppression. Telehealth expanded post-COVID-19 emergence, offering new possibilities for access, but provider perspectives on its use with YWH are underexplored.MethodsA national mixed-methods survey captured experiences of 156 HIV care providers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsMost providers (88.5%) believed telehealth would continue to play a role in HIV care. Reported benefits included improved access (80.7%) and workflow efficiency (64.7%). However, providers were significantly less likely to discuss sensitive topics "often" via telehealth compared to in-person care, including mental health (81.4% vs. 92.9%, p = 0.0008) and sexual health (77.9% vs. 93.6%, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsWhile telehealth improves access for YWH, hybrid care models and targeted provider training are needed to address privacy, communication, and trust when discussing sensitive health concerns.

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