Challenge
According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men who have sex with men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the U.S. population, but account for more than half of new HIV infections annually. Among all gay and bisexual men, African Americans, especially young African Americans, are the group most affected by HIV. In light of this concerning, disproportionate HIV burden and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy’s call to concentrate energies and resources on those populations and geographic areas that are most heavily impacted, there was a focus in recent years to improve efforts to address HIV prevention, care, and treatment among Black MSM.
Solution
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy (OHAIDP) contracted Atlas Research to create a comprehensive inventory and descriptive analysis of all recent federal HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis programs, initiatives, policies, research, and activities serving, targeting, or significantly impacting Black gay, bisexual, or other MSM in order to assess the scale and scope of federal responses. Atlas is designing and deploying both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools to identify a range of information, including federally-supported programs, activities, services, and/or research that is/was focused specifically on HIV or viral hepatitis prevention, care, or treatment for Black MSM; best or promising practices for averting new HIV or viral hepatitis infections, or improving treatment and care outcomes for Black MSM; gaps in federal activity; under-served age groups or regions; and examples of successful federal cross-agency collaboration.
Result
The Atlas Team developed innovative strategies and approaches to collect data and provide beneficial insight on future efforts/opportunities for addressing prevention, treatment and care needs of Black MSM. Findings from this inventory and cataloguing activities will guide OHAIDP in providing further insight on the investments on Black MSM, identifying interagency collaborations, and highlighting gaps and unmet needs that will assist future planning, development, and possible deployment of federal government activities for the prevention and control of HIV and viral hepatitis among Black MSM.