Associations between interpersonal and community-level violence experiences and HIV outcomes: implications for violence screening in Ryan White Clinics.

Abstract

Violence experience, interpersonal and community-level, is commonly reported by people living with HIV (PLWH). Understanding the impact of the various forms of violence on HIV outcomes is critical for prioritizing violence screening and support resources in care settings. From February 2021 to December 2022, among 285 PLWH purposively sampled to attain diversity by gender, race/ethnicity, and HIV care retention status in Atlanta, Georgia, we examined interpersonal and community violence experiences and proxy measures of violence (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression) and their associations with HIV outcomes (engagement and retention in care and HIV viral suppression) using multivariable analysis. Participants commonly reported lifetime intimate partner violence (89%), non-partner violence (97%), hate crimes (93%), and moderate-to-severe adverse childhood events (59%). Lifetime violence experiences were not significantly linked to HIV care engagement, retention, nor durable viral suppression, but were each individually associated with PTSD, which in turn, was significantly associated lower odds of durable viral suppression (AOR 0.35, CI 0.14-0.86). Thus, the high prevalence and multiplicity of interpersonal and community-level violence experienced among PLWH in Atlanta underscores the need for universal trauma-informed approaches and supports implementation of PTSD screening to identify patients at greatest need for trauma support services.