2020 HIV Surveillance Report Now Digitally Available from the CDC!
In 2021, Southern AIDS Coalition in partnership with the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at Duke University & Gilead COMPASS Initiative® conducted a survey to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stability and functioning of southern community-based organizations that provide services for people living with HIV and to help devise solutions to address COVID-19 related challenges.
Fast Facts:
We interviewed the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at Duke University team which provided a quick overview of the report.
- 96% of HIV-focused organizations impacted by pandemic
- 38% of HIV-focused organizations had difficulty switching to virtual programs
- 90% of HIV-focused organizations had clients who expressed a greater need for mental health services
What we know from this Report:
Organizations will need to be supported as they navigate the exacerbated mental health challenges of not only their clients but also of their staff. Further, funding that allows organizations to address the economic disparities that have been intensified during the pandemic will be crucial. Future studies may use the information acquired from this study to identify the effects of COVID-19 on additional organizations offering services to PLWH and gender and sexual minorities in the South/Deep South, investigate the ongoing challenges of organizations post-COVID-19, and develop strategies to address the widened gaps in health inequities related to COVID-19.
