People Living with HIV Who Smoke Face Barriers to Accessing Smoking Cessation Services in Southern California HIV Safety Nets

A new study from the California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers finds that less than 30% of safety net providers in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in Southern California offered smoking cessation services, and more than 50% do not offer smoking cessation services or referrals. Most providers’ (83%) websites did not list any smoking cessation information. Using a “secret shopper” study design, researchers identified and contacted 161 providers in Southern California listed in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s RWHAP Program Medical Provider Locator, distributed across 10 urban and suburban counties (i.e., Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Ventura).