Variation in local Ryan White HIV/AIDS program service use and impacts on viral suppression: informing quality improvement efforts

Abstract

ABSTRACT The U.S. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funds comprehensive services for people living with HIV to support viral suppression (VS). We analyzed five years of RWHAP data from the Minneapolis-St. Paul region to (1) assess variation and (2) evaluate the causal effect of each RWHAP service on sustained VS by race/ethnicity. Sixteen medical and support services were included. Descriptive analyses assessed service use and trends over time. Causal analyses used generalized estimating equations and propensity scores to adjust for the probability of service use. Receipt of AIDS Drug Assistance Program and financial aid consistently showed higher probabilities of sustained VS, while food aid and transportation aid had positive impacts on VS at higher levels of service encounters; however, the impact of services could vary by race/ethnicity. For example, financial aid increased the probability of sustained VS by at least 3 percentage points for white, Hispanic and Black/African American clients, but only 1.6 points for Black/African-born clients. This study found that services addressing socioeconomic needs typically had positive impacts on viral suppression, yet service use and impact of services often varied by race/ethnicity. This highlights a need to ensure these services are designed and delivered in ways that equitably serve all clients.