Men Who Have Sex with Men

The prevalence of mental health conditions among people living with HIV (PLWH) is high (23% among Medicare and 28% among Medicaid enrollees).  Based on data from Medicare and Medicaid insurance claims from 2010, PLWH with mental health conditions had significantly higher treatment costs for both mental health and non-mental health conditions.  These data support further […]

Approval in mid-2012 of a consumer-controlled OTC HIV test by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for drug and medical device approval for sales to the public, has made real the possibility of learning one’s HIV status in the privacy of one’s home. Now, people who are concerned about the potential embarrassment […]

In the ongoing mpox (monkeypox) outbreak of 2022, California is the state with the highest number of cases and Los Angeles County (LAC) has the highest number of reported cases in the state. As of December 9, 2022, 2,245 confirmed mpox cases have been reported in LAC (LAC Department ofPublic Health, 2022). Most were among […]

A decade after the FDA approved PrEP for HIV prevention, PrEP is still not accessible to all Americans who might benefit from this HIV prevention strategy. In this policy brief, we describe opportunities for expanded PrEP access.

Natural disasters related to climate change are on the rise in California, but the impacts of climate-related events on healthcare delivery and client engagement in care are not well understood. The critical care needs of those receiving HIV, STI, and harm reduction services are of particular importance; disruptions to services pose an immediate threat to […]

In response to the 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, collaborators from the Southern California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center and the University of Southern California  adapted a validated microsimulation model to understand the dynamics of mpox disease transmission. Results estimate the impact of vaccination, treatment, and risk reduction strategies on Los Angeles County’s communities of gay, bisexual, and […]

Disparities in uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) exist along racial, ethnic, and gender lines. The use of telehealth to provide PrEP and associated services (“tele-PrEP”) is a trend that began before the COVID-19 pandemic, but we find it has increased for some providers along with the growing use of telehealth generally. However, little is known […]

On November 10, 2021, the California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers (CHPRC) and the statewide End the Epidemics coalition (ETE) convened a community meeting to discuss these challenges and to identify policy and research priorities for improving HIV, viral hepatitis, STI, and harm reduction services. The event brought together over a hundred advocates, researchers, public health […]

This fact sheet provides an overview of recently released state and federal guidance implementing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Grade A recommendation for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Senate Bill (SB) 159. The fact sheet also outlines the complaint process if a health plan is not in compliance with the new requirements.

This policy brief is intended to help health care providers and patients better understand how the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Grade A recommendation for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Senate Bill (SB) 159 impact PrEP access in California. The policy brief also outlines the complaint process if a health plan is not in compliance with the […]