Pandemic expertise: qualitative findings on the experiences of living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explored the experiences of people living with HIV (PLWH) in the San Francisco Bay Area, United States, during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent public health restrictions at a safety net HIV clinic. Patients (N = 30) were recruited for Spanish/English language semi-structured interviews (n = 30), translated when necessary, and analyzed thematically. The recurring theme of “pandemic expertise” emerged from the data: skills and attitudes developed through living with HIV helped PLWH cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, including effective strategies for dealing with anxiety and depression; appreciation for life; and practical experience of changing behavior to protect their health. A subset did not consider living with HIV helped them adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some describing their lives as chaotic due to housing issues and/or ongoing substance use. Overall, interviewees reported finding trustworthy health information that helped them follow COVID-19 prevention strategies. Although living with HIV is associated with a higher prevalence of mental health concerns, substance use, and stigma, these challenges can also contribute to increased self-efficacy, adaptation, and resilience. Addressing structural issues such as housing appears to be key to responding to both pandemics.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• COVID-19
• resilience
• housing
• mental health

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the interviewees, our UCSF colleagues on the study Katerina Christopoulos MD MPH, Sheri Weiser MD and Judy Hahn PhD MA, and our generous funders, the University of California Office of the President, grant number R00RG3129 (PI: Monica Gandhi) and the National Institutes of Health, grant number R01AI158013 (PIs: Monica Gandhi and Matthew Spinelli).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The interview transcripts are not available due to the sensitive nature of their content.

Conflicts of interest/Competing interests

Dr. Santiago is currently receiving Grant #U01PS005213 from the CDC.

Ethics approval

UCSF Institutional Review Board and San Francisco General Hospital have approved the research study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by University of California Office of the President, grant number R00RG3129 (PI: Monica Gandhi) and National Institutes of Health, grant number R01AI158013 (PIs: Monica Gandhi and Matthew Spinelli)