One-fourth of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) clients are female. Minority women, particularly African Americans, are the most heavily impacted. Many women living with HIV disease face socioeconomic and other barriers, like intimate partner violence and responsibility for child and family care. Women who receive care from the RWHAP are far more likely to be retained in care and have viral suppression than those not receiving RWHAP services.
Best Practices
- Center for Innovation and EngagementCollection of implementation guides on evidence-informed best practices in HIV care delivery.
- AIDS Action Foundation
Workbooks describing ways to help connect people living with HIV/AIDS to medical care. Estos cuadernos describen la manera de asistir a conectar personas que viven con VIH/SIDA con el sistema médico.
- IHIPProject to enhance the provision of HIV care for Latina transgender women in Los Angeles County.
- SPNS Social Media Initiative
Social media tools developed by demonstration sites (e.g., text messaging, apps).
- SPNS Transgender Women of Color Initiative
Innovative models for linking and retaining transgender women of color in HIV care.
- IHIP
Implementation guide for HIV providers on addressing the unique needs of women of color living with HIV.
- HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB)
Pilot-test of an online meeting Using Web 2.0 tools vs. a traditional in-person meeting venue with women infected or affected by HIV infection.
- Best Practices CompilationThe Enhanced Patient Navigation for Women of Color with HIV intervention uses patient navigators, who are non-medical staff in clinical settings, to reduce barriers to health care and optimize care. The intervention was effective in improving linkage to and retention in care, as well as viral suppression.
- Dissemination of Evidence Informed-Interventions Project (DEII)Patient navigation intervention informed and adapted from the best practice findings of a past SPNS initiative that yielded successful HIV care continuum outcomes among client participants.
- Best Practices CompilationHealthy Divas focuses on empowering transgender women with HIV to achieve their personal health goals. Three sites implemented the intervention as part of the E2i initiative funded through the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017 through 2021. Both engagement in HIV care and having an antiretroviral therapy prescription improved significantly for clients 12 months after enrollment in Healthy Divas.
- Best Practices CompilationUniversity Health uses peers and patient navigators to provide support, reduce barriers, and improve linkage and retention to care for women and youth with HIV. Two peers with lived experience were hired as Outreach Specialists to spearhead the program, encourage medication adherence and use of services, and provide mentoring. The intervention was successful in moderately improving the numbers of clients linked to care, retained in care, and virally suppressed.
- Dissemination of Evidence Informed-Interventions Project (DEII)Peer linkage and re-engagement intervention, informed and adapted from the best practice findings of a past SPNS initiative.
- Best Practices CompilationFrom 2016 through 2019, three clinics—AIDS Care Group, Howard Brown Health, and Meharry Medical College—participated in a RWHAP Part F SPNS DEII initiative to implement peer linkage and re-engagement interventions for women of color with HIV. Integrating peers into HIV primary care teams has been effective in better engaging women of color in care.
- Best Practices CompilationThe University of Mississippi Medical Center implemented a Postpartum Retention and Engagement Quality Improvement Initiative in 2017 to improve linkage to care, retention in care, and viral suppression among postpartum women with HIV. This intervention uses a combination of care coordination, printed materials, case management services, and improved collaboration and coordination between the Adult Special Care Clinic, which provides comprehensive HIV medical care, and a Perinatal HIV Program. The comprehensive intervention significantly improved retention in HIV care and increased viral suppression at both six and 12 months postpartum.
- Best Practices CompilationThe Alexis Project used social network recruiting and engagement, peer navigation, and contingency management to reach and engage transgender women of color with HIV who were not engaged in HIV care. Participation in the 18-month intervention improved linkage to care and viral suppression.
Resources
- University of Washington
Online clinician training platform with evidence-based core competency training on HIV prevention, screening, diagnosis, care, and key populations.
- University of WashingtonOnline learning portal for clinicians on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of HIV.
- SPNS Improving Care and Treatment Coordination Black Women with HIVUse of participatory arts to generate dialogue and engage individuals in receiving health care and participating in community activities.
- SPNS Improving Care and Treatment Coordination Black Women with HIVHow consumer and community advisory boards can inform the development of evidence based interventions for Black women with HIV.
- SPNS Improving Care and Treatment Coordination Black Women with HIVInnovative strategies for delivery of bundled interventions for improving health outcomes for Black women with HIV during COVID-19.
- Dissemination of Evidence Informed-Interventions Project (DEII)Series of six brief, animated videos with HIV-specific patient education tailored for women of color with HIV.
- Dissemination of Evidence Informed-Interventions Project (DEII)Esta es una serie de seis videos animados breves que brinda educación específica sobre el VIH para pacientes y está destinada especialmente a mujeres de color que viven con el VIH.
- Howard Brown Health Center
Curriculum for nurses teaching cultural competency in the care of LGBT older adults.
- National Minority AETCGuide and promising practices that address cultural competency for specific racial/ethnic populations.
Training Modules
- IHIP
Tools to help health care providers adapt SPNS models within their existing operations in order to better engage hard-to-reach people with HIV into care.
- IHIP
Manual to help health care providers adapt SPNS models addressing how to engage hard-to-reach people with HIV (PWH) into care within their current operations.
Webinars
- IHIPWebinar series featuring HIV care innovations developed under HRSA SPNS projects.
- Technical Assistance Provider Innovation Network (TAP-in)Role of health centers in increasing PrEP access and use among women.
- SPNS Improving Care and Treatment Coordination Black Women with HIVHow to create a photovoice: participatory action research that engages people in the process of naming, capturing, and strengthening their community through photography.