Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:To compare clinical characteristics and examine in-hospital length of stay (LOS) differences for COVID-19 patients who received remdesivir, by race or ethnicity. DESIGN/UNASSIGNED:Retrospective descriptive analysis comparing cumulative LOS as a proxy of recovery time. SETTING/UNASSIGNED:A large academic medical center serving a minoritized community in Northern Manhattan, New York City. PARTICIPANTS/UNASSIGNED:Inpatients (N=1024) who received remdesivir from March 30, 2020-April 20, 2021. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:We conducted descriptive analyses among patients who received remdesivir. Patients were described by proxies of social determinants of health (SDOH): race and ethnicity, residence, insurance coverage, and clinical characteristics. We calculated median hospital LOS as the cumulative incidence of hospitalized patients who were discharged alive, and tested differences between groups by using the Gray test. Patients who died or were discharged to hospice were censored at 29 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/UNASSIGNED:The primary outcome was hospital LOS. The secondary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Median LOS was 11.9 days (95% CI, 10.8-13.2) overall, with Black patients having the shortest (10.0 days, 95% CI, 8.0-13.2) and Asian patients having the longest (16.2 days, 95% CI, 8.3-27.2) LOS. A total of 214 patients (21%) died or were discharged to hospice, ranging from 16.5% to 23.7% of patients who identified as Black and Other (multiracial, biracial, declined), respectively. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:COVID-19 has disproportionately burdened communities of color. We observed no difference in median LOS between racial or ethnic groups, which supports the notion that the heterogeneous effect of remdesivir in the literature may be explained in part by underrecruitment or participation of Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients in clinical trials.

BACKGROUND:Long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (LAI-PrEP) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2021. This initial phase of implementation represents a prime opportunity to ensure equitable LAI-PrEP provision to communities often underrepresented in PrEP care before disparities in access and uptake emerge. Herein, we describe the EquiPrEP Project which utilizes an equity-oriented implementation science framework to optimize LAI-PrEP rollout in an urban safety-net clinic in New York City. METHODS:The primary objectives of this project are to: (1) increase LAI-PrEP initiation overall; (2) increase uptake among groups disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic; (3) preserve high PrEP retention while expanding use; and (4) identify barriers and facilitators to LAI-PrEP use. EquiPrEP will enroll 210 PrEP-eligible participants into LAI-PrEP care with planned follow-up for one year. We will recruit from the following priority populations: Black and/or Latine men who have sex with men, Black and/or Latine cisgender women, and transgender women and nonbinary individuals. To evaluate implementation of LAI-PrEP, we will utilize equity-focused iterations of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), in addition to longitudinal surveys and qualitative interviews. DISCUSSION:Novel LAI-PrEP formulations carry tremendous potential to revolutionize the field of HIV prevention. Implementation strategies rooted in equity are needed to ensure that marginalized populations have access to LAI-PrEP and to address the structural factors that hinder initiation and retention in care.

During the 2022 mpox outbreak, tecovirimat was accessed through an expanded access investigational new drug (EA-IND) protocol. We leveraged a unique public/private hospital partnership in New York City to create a novel infrastructure to navigate the EA-IND's regulatory requirements and rapidly provide tecovirimat to patients.

Similar to the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City was the national epicenter of the ongoing 2022 mpox (formerly monkeypox) outbreak. Cases quickly began to rise in July 2022, primarily in gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men. Tools in the form of a reliable diagnostic test, an effective vaccine, and a viable treatment option have been available from the onset, although logistically complex to roll out. The special pathogens program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, the flagship facility for the largest public hospital system in the United States, collaborated with multiple departments within Bellevue, the hospital system, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, to swiftly establish ambulatory testing, immunizations, patient-centered inpatient care, and outpatient therapeutics. With the ongoing mpox outbreak, hospitals and local health departments must prepare a systemwide response to identify and isolate patients and provide high-quality care. Findings from our experience can help guide institutions in developing a multipronged, comprehensive response to the ongoing mpox outbreak.

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) effectively reduces new HIV diagnoses. High rates of incident bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been observed in patients eligible for and adherent to PrEP. Observational studies generally report low long-term retention in PrEP care. Limited data exist on the rates of bacterial STI diagnosis upon re-engagement with PrEP services. We conducted a retrospective chart review within the HIV prevention program of an urban academic medical center in New York City. Eligible patients started PrEP from 2015 to 2019, then resumed PrEP services after a gap in care of at least 180 days. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were used to characterize the patient population and rates of bacterial STI diagnosis at re-engagement. In total, 286 patients were identified, with 316 qualifying re-engagement visits. Twenty-nine percent of patients had continued PrEP during the care gap, and 30% reported discontinuing medication due to a perceived change in risk. A new STI was diagnosed at 19% of re-engagement visits. There was no statistically significant difference in rates of new STI between individuals returning on or off PrEP, nor between those with perceived lower risk and those without. Individuals who fall out of PrEP services and subsequently re-engage remain at high risk of bacterial STI during the gap in care, regardless of whether PrEP medication is continued or the patient perceives themselves to be at lower HIV acquisition risk. Providers should strongly encourage patients discontinuing PrEP to remain engaged in sexual health services. Alternatives to clinic-based PrEP care must still include regular bacterial STI screening.

Despite advances in antiretroviral treatment (ART), the HIV epidemic persists in the United States (U.S.), with inadequate adherence to treatment and care a major barrier to ending the epidemic. Health literacy is a critical factor in maximizing ART adherence and healthcare utilization, especially among vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minorities. This U.S-based systematic review examines psychosocial variables influencing health literacy among persons with HIV (PWH), with a focus on racial and ethnic minorities. Although findings are limited, some studies showed that HIV-related stigma, self-efficacy, and patient trust in providers mediate the relationship between health literacy and both ART adherence and HIV care retention. To inform effective, equitable health literacy interventions to promote adherence to HIV treatment and care, further research is needed to understand the factors driving the relationship between health literacy and HIV outcomes. Such work may broaden our understanding of health literacy in the context of racial equity.

Immediate antiretroviral therapy (iART), defined as same-day initiation of ART or as soon as possible after diagnosis, has recently been recommended by global and national clinical care guidelines for patients newly diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Based on San Francisco's Rapid ART Program Initiative for HIV Diagnoses (RAPID) model, most iART programs in the US condense ART initiation, insurance acquisition, housing assessment, and mental health and substance use evaluation into an initial visit. However, the RAPID model does not explicitly address structural racism and homophobia, HIV-related stigma, medical mistrust, and other important factors at the time of diagnosis experienced more poignantly by African American, Latinx, men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender patient populations. These factors negatively impact initial and subsequent HIV care engagement and exacerbate significant health disparities along the HIV care continuum. While iART has improved time to viral suppression and linkage to care rates, its association with retention in care and viral suppression, particularly in vulnerable populations, remains controversial. Considering that in the US the HIV epidemic is sharply defined by healthcare disparities, we argue that incorporating an explicit health equity approach into the RAPID model is vital to ensure those who disproportionately bear the burden of HIV are not left behind.