Federal budget cuts and restrictions have led to disruptions of services nationwide, imperiling the health and well-being of people living with HIV.

 

According to an October survey by the Emergency HIV Clinical Response Task Force, 70% of HIV providers reported service disruptions. What’s more, 72% anticipate moderate to severe disruptions over the next six to 12 months. The most heavily impacted service areas include gender-affirming care, housing, access to pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP), mental health care, case management, transportation, HIV testing and treatment, and routine monitoring and care. Services in the Midwest and South have been hit the hardest.

 

A shortage of HIV specialists is also a growing concern. A recent analysis found that the United States will need more than 1,500 additional experienced providers to meet UNAIDS targets for HIV testing and treatment. Shortages are most acute in the South, home to just over half of all people newly diagnosed with HIV in 2023. Of the approximately 21,000 HIV specialists identified, 98% practice in urban areas, leaving rural areas underserved. Only 4% practice in predominantly Black neighborhoods and 8% in mainly Latino neighborhoods, despite the fact that these communities have a higher HIV burden.

 

“Disruptions to testing, prevention, care and treatment services jeopardize the foundation of our efforts to end the U.S. HIV epidemic,” says José Zuniga, PhD, MPH, of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. “Every delayed test, every missed prevention or treatment opportunity risks lives.”