<p><b>ABSTRACT: </b>Disruptions in STI testing infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to impact STI service delivery for adolescents. Within a large pediatric primary care network, we compared STI testing encounters between the pandemic period and an analogous pre-pandemic period. STI test counts decreased and test positivity increased during the pandemic period.</p>

<p>The effects of mental health comorbidities and social support on the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care continuum are unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study of men and transgender individuals, ≥ 18&nbsp;years-old, with ≥ 2 male or transgender partners, or recent condomless anal intercourse. Surveys assessed demographics, mental health treatment, depressive symptomatology, social support, and PrEP-related social contacts. Logistic regression assessed associations between these factors and PrEP uptake and persistence. Participants (n = 247) were 89% cis-male and 46% African-American. Median age was 27 (IQR:23-33). Thirty-seven percent had ever used PrEP, of whom 18% discontinued use. High depressive symptomology was identified in 11% and 9% were receiving mental health treatment. There were no significant associations between depressive symptoms or mental health treatment on the odds of PrEP uptake or discontinuation. Each additional PrEP contact conferred a greater odds of uptake (aOR:1.24, 95% CI: 1.09-1.42). Network-level targets may produce fruitful interventions to increase PrEP uptake.</p>

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>To describe the first 30 days of rapid adolescent telehealth scale-up in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic at a single academic medical center and assess for disparities in visit completion rates by patient characteristics.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Visit outcome and patient demographic data were obtained via electronic health record (EHR) reports. Telehealth visit completion rates were compared by patient characteristics using the chi-square test and t-test. We used zip code data to generate latitude- and longitude-based maps of the range and density of service delivery. Patient cases highlighting challenges and opportunities for adolescent telehealth were summarized.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Between March 16 and April 15, 2020, 392 telehealth visits were scheduled in 331 unique patients, with an 82% appointment completion rate. Video visits were conducted for eating disorders (39%), contraception/menstrual disorders (22%), gender-affirming care (17%), general adolescent medicine (15%), HIV treatment (6%), and substance abuse (1%). The majority of telehealth patients were female Caucasian minors with private insurance. There were no significant differences in telehealth visit completion rates by age, sex, gender, or insurance. Patients coded as non-white (African-American, Asian, or other) in the EHR had lower visit completion rates than white patients (p&nbsp;= .003). Telehealth patients were distributed across five states, with the highest concentration in the zip codes nearest to the clinic.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Rapid scale-up of telehealth for Adolescent Medicine was achieved at this large academic medical center. Future implementation research is needed to assure telehealth reaches adolescents without widening health disparities.</p>

<p>While emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) is marked by increased independence from parents, parental support remains a strong correlate of positive sexual health outcomes for heterosexual youth. With the emergence of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), few studies have examined the potential for parent-child sex communication and PrEP adoption among emerging adult men who have sex with men (MSM). We aimed to describe the extent to which parents/family characteristics play supportive roles in emerging adult MSM's current PrEP use. PrEP-indicated participants (N = 222) were recruited via social media to complete an online survey. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between emerging adult MSM's current PrEP use and comfort with parent-child sex communication, family social support, family outness, and family prioritization, adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Thirty percent of participants reported current PrEP use. Only 20% reported moderate/high comfort with parent sex communication, 80% reported any family sexual identity disclosure, 70% reported moderate/high family social support, and 70% ranked family as a high/very high priority. Our multivariable model demonstrated an association between comfort with parent-child sex communication with current PrEP use only (AOR= 1.55, 95% CI 1.04-2.32). Our findings support that parents of emerging adult MSM possess a critical potential to reduce their sons' risk of HIV and promote PrEP uptake. Interventions that facilitate parents' efficacy to foster affirming, non-judgmental environments and discussions about their child's sexual behaviors, attractions/relationships, and health (e.g., PrEP) may be impactful in reducing the high HIV incidence rate that burdens emerging adult MSM.</p>

<p>Young people living with HIV (YLWH) have some of the lowest rates of retention in HIV care, putting them at risk for negative health outcomes. To better understand retention in care in this age group, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of YLWH initiating care at a multidisciplinary, adolescent-focused HIV clinic (N = 344). Retention was calculated using a variety of definitions, and relationships between different definitions were assessed. During the 1-year study period, on average YLWH missed two scheduled appointments, and attended 80% of appointments, usually at least once every 3&nbsp;months. About one-quarter experienced a 6-month gap in care and about two-thirds met the Health Resources and Services Administration's retention criteria. Although most retention definitions were significantly correlated, not all were. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers should consider the impact of varying definitions of retention, in order to optimally measure this outcome in YLWH, a key vulnerable population.</p>

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>Routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening reduces HIV progression and transmission. Our aims were to determine prevalence and factors associated with prior HIV screening among a cohort of youth living with HIV.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Retrospective chart review of youth living with HIV aged 14-26 at an HIV clinic comparing characteristics between those with and without HIV screening within the year prior to diagnosis RESULTS: Subjects (n = 301) were male (85%), African-American (87%), and men who have sex with men (84%). Subjects seen 1 year prior to diagnosis (n = 58) contributed 179 visits for missed opportunities with 59% having a documented sexual history in the electronic health record and 48% tested for HIV. Subjects with symptoms suggesting acute HIV infection (51%) were more likely to be tested (p = .04). In the adjusted model, documentation of sexual history and demographic factors was not associated with prior testing.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>We identified high rates of missed opportunities for HIV testing and sexual history documentation in the year prior to diagnosis, underscoring the need for routine HIV screening in adolescents.</p>

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>We aimed to estimate group-based trajectories of body mass index (BMI) in a longitudinal cohort of young women and determine the association between sexual identity and BMI trajectory group, adjusting for obesity risk factors.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We analyzed data from females in waves I-IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Sexual identity was categorized as heterosexual, mostly heterosexual, bisexual, or lesbian (homosexual/mostly homosexual). We conducted group-based trajectory modeling of BMI with a censored normal distribution and a cubic relationship with age to identify three BMI trajectory groups. Multinomial logit regressions predicted the risk of trajectory membership associated with sexual identity, adjusting for background characteristics.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>At wave I, the mean (n&nbsp;= 7,801) age was 15.9&nbsp;years (95% confidence interval: 15.6-16.1). Subjects were 16.3% African-American; and 80.0% heterosexual, 15.9% mostly heterosexual, 2.5% bisexual, and 1.7% lesbian. Group-based trajectory modeling identified three BMI trajectory groups characterized as (1) minimal obesity (62.2%), (2) developing obesity (29.9%), and (3) progressive obesity (8.0%). In multinomial logit regressions adjusted for age, race, parental obesity and education, sexual abuse, household income, screen time, depressive symptoms, and rural residence, lesbian women had a nearly two-fold higher relative risk of being in the developing obesity trajectory group (relative risk ratio&nbsp;= 1.91, 95% confidence interval: 1.10-3.32) relative to the minimal obesity group, compared with heterosexual women.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Lesbian women were at increased risk of membership in the developing obesity trajectory group compared with heterosexual women. Adjusting for obesity risk factors had minimal impact on the point estimates for this association.</p>

<p>Youth living with HIV (YLWH) are less likely than older adults to achieve and sustain viral suppression. While treatment guidelines recommend decreased viral load (VL) monitoring in individuals with well-controlled HIV, the appropriateness of this strategy for adolescents is unknown. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to describe longitudinal viral suppression and identify incidence of, and risk factors for, virologic failure among YLWH at a US adolescent HIV clinic from 2002 to 2015. We utilized Cox proportional hazards modeling to compare hazard ratios (HRs) for virologic failure stratified by baseline characteristics. Study participants (n = 365) were predominately African American (87%) and cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (80%) and the majority (79%) entered care from 2002 to 2012. Of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated participants (n = 201), 88% achieved viral suppression, with 29% subsequently developing virologic failure at a median 12.0 months [interquartile range (IQR) 6.9-22.4] after suppression. The cohort incidence rate of virologic failure was 200 (confidence interval [95% CI]: 151-264) per 1000 person years (PY), with a rate after ≥2 years sustained suppression of 113 (95% CI: 57-227) per 1000 PY. After adjusting for time to ART initiation, initial regimen class, and year of cohort entry, cisgender women had increased hazards of virologic failure (HR 3.2 95% CI: 1.3-7.9, p = 0.01). In conclusion, youth remained at high risk of virologic failure throughout their treatment course, with higher hazards of virologic failure among cisgender women compared with other youth. Maintaining frequent VL monitoring in YLWH may be warranted, even after prolonged viral suppression.</p>

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>Our primary aim was to explore themes regarding attitudes toward HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among young transgender women (YTW), in order to develop a theoretical model of PrEP uptake in this population disproportionally affected by HIV.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Qualitative study nested within a mixed-method study characterizing barriers and facilitators to health services for YTW. Participants completed an in-depth interview exploring awareness of and attitudes toward PrEP. Key themes were identified using a grounded theory approach.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Participants (n&nbsp;= 25) had a mean age of 21.2&nbsp;years (standard deviation 2.2, range 17-24) and were predominately multiracial (36%) and of HIV-negative or unknown status (68%). Most&nbsp;participants (64%) reported prior knowledge of PrEP, and 28% reported current use or intent to use PrEP. Three major content themes that emerged were variability of PrEP awareness, barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake, and emotional benefits of PrEP. Among participants without prior PrEP knowledge, participants reported frustration that PrEP information has not&nbsp;been widely disseminated to YTW, particularly by health care providers. Attitudes toward PrEP were overwhelmingly positive; however, concerns were raised regarding barriers including cost, stigma, and adherence challenges. Both HIV-positive and negative participants discussed emotional and relationship benefits of PrEP, which were felt to extend beyond HIV prevention alone.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>A high proportion of YTW in this study had prior knowledge of PrEP, and attitudes toward PrEP were positive among participants. Our findings suggest several domains to be further explored in PrEP implementation research, including methods of facilitating PrEP dissemination and emotional motivation for PrEP uptake.</p>

<p>Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and questioning youth represent a diverse population who are affected by many sexual health inequities, including increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To provide comprehensive sexual health care for LGBT youth, providers should set the stage with a nonjudgmental, respectful tone. Providers should be competent in recognizing symptoms of STIs and HIV and aware of the most up-to-date screening guidelines for LGBT youth. Sexual health visits should also focus on prevention, including safer sex practices, HIV pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis, family planning, and immunization for hepatitis and human papillomavirus.</p>