Breaking the Cycle of Invisibility: Pilot Study of Barriers and Facilitators for People Living with Disabilities to Access HIV Prevention Services

Juliana Soares Linn: Breaking the Cycle of Invisibility: Pilot Study of Barriers and Facilitators for People Living with Disabilities to Access HIV Prevention Services(Under the direction of Sandra B. Greene)Despite the advancements in HIV prevention and treatment, people living with disabilities (PLWD) remain an underserved population within the HIV response. With an estimated 1.2 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and new infections affecting marginalized communities, the U.S. government has introduced initiatives such as Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America to curb transmission rates. However, the experiences of PLWD have been overlooked, leading to gaps in data collection, policy development, and healthcare provision. The invisibility of PLWD within HIV prevention strategies has resulted in limited funding, inadequate inclusion in public health campaigns, and a lack of disability-informed approaches to HIV care. This study sought to investigate these gaps by investigating the barriers and facilitators that shape PLWD’s access to HIV prevention services, drawing on key informant interviews and survey data from both PLWD and healthcare providers. Findings from this study highlight a critical lack of HIV prevention integration into routine healthcare for PLWD. 83.9% of respondents reported that their healthcare provider did not discuss HIV prevention methods during their most recent medical visit, while 59% had never received HIV prevention information. 83.9% had never been offered an HIV test during a medical visit, and 54.8% had never been offered an HIV test at any time in their lives. A key factor contributing to this gap is the widespread assumption among healthcare providers that PLWD are at low risk for HIV, leading to missed opportunities for prevention, testing, and early intervention. The study’s findings underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to improve HIV prevention access for PLWD. These include integrating HIV prevention into routine healthcare for PLWD, expanding provider education to challenge biases and enhance disability-inclusive training. Without focused efforts to address these gaps, PLWD will remain disproportionately vulnerable to HIV infection due to systemic neglect and exclusion.