Policy Brief

Policy Brief The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and mental health care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in California. October 30, 2021 This qualitative study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and access to mental health services from the perspectives of patients living with HIV and providers […]

Policy Brief Telehealth and HIV Care Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in California October 20, 2021 Our research center conducted a qualitative study to understand patient, provider and other key stakeholder experiences as clinics rapidly shifted to telehealth care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief report outlines the major findings and recommendations from […]

Policy Brief Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on Organizations Providing HIV-Related Services in California July 31, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly shifted how routine medical care was delivered and disrupted all aspects of everyday life, including HIV social and medical services. Our Policy Center conducted a qualitative study to understand how organizations serving people living […]

Policy Brief Lens: HIV Prevalence and COVID-19 Vulnerabilities A Data-Mapping Tool July 1, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed concerns about social and structural factors related to health disparities, including those related to HIV. The Lens tool is a partial response to an urgent need to understand whether elevated risk of COVID-19 disease and mortality […]

Policy Brief The FDA is Considering a Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars: Four Essential Points that Our Communities Need to Know Now June 30, 2021 As many of you know, the FDA is considering a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The briefing document, written by Dr. Sabrina L. Smiley (We The […]

Policy Brief Expanding PrEP Access for Immigrant Latino Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM) in California May 31, 2021 HIV rates among Latino men who have sex with men are not decreasing at the same rate as they are decreasing among white MSM. This is a matter of concern as Latinx people are the […]

Policy Brief Health Outcomes Associated with Criminalization and Regulation of Sex Trade March 3, 2021 On this International Sex Worker Rights Day, we examine the criminalization of commercial sex trade and frameworks seeking to regulate it across the globe. Preventing the spread of disease, including sexually transmitted infections and HIV, are powerful levers for justifying […]

Policy Brief The Implementation of Culturally Appropriate Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Cisgender Women of Color in California February 8, 2021 Approximately a third of all women in the U.S. 16 years or older identify as Black and Latina; they are at increased risk for poorer sexual and reproductive health outcomes compared to their […]

Policy Brief Using Microsimulation Modeling to Inform County EHE Efforts in California December 21, 2020 Eight California Counties have been prioritized in the Ending the Epidemics: A Plan for America–Alameda, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, and San Francisco. Additional federal funding in the hardest hit areas is intended to address barriers […]

Policy Brief Gaps in COVID-19 Race/Ethnicity Data in California December 20, 2020 The spread of SARS-CoV-2 has been accompanied by troubling disparities in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. This issue brief underscores lessons from the HIV/AIDS epidemic, outlining the need for comprehensive data to design and carry out appropriate mitigation measures. It draws comparisons to the […]