Interruption of Biomedical Interventions Among LGBTQ Individuals in the United States at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted healthcare access in the United States. This study sought to explore LGBTQ adults’ changes in access and adherence to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and contraception. This study employs data from a cross-sectional internet survey conducted between May and July 2020. The analysis was stratified by medications: PrEP (n = 147), HIV treatment (n = 78), HRT (n = 86), and contraception (n = 185). For people using PrEP, those between the ages of 18–29 and 30–39 and those with insurance did not report having difficulty accessing their medications; however, people between the ages of 30 and 39 did report that they had missed doses of this medication. For people using antiretroviral therapy (ART), cisgender (cis) gay men did not report trouble accessing medications, whereas lesbian cis women, respondents between the ages of 18–29 and 30–39, did report trouble accessing medications. For those using HRT, white non-Hispanic, black, and Latinx individuals did not have trouble accessing medication; however, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern participants did experience trouble accessing medication. Finally, contraceptive users with insurance did not experience difficulty in accessing medication and did not miss doses of this medication. Changes to medication access and adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used to develop new protocols to help meet the needs of vulnerable populations such as the LGBTQ community. New protocols that may ensure access, as well as privacy around access to medications, are insurance coverage for telehealth.