This is a big deal.

Almost 400 people living with HIV told us about the services they use and the kinds of problems they had getting what they need. And lots of other things too. You’ll have to read the report to get all the details. But here’s a quick summary of what we learned and how we use this information.

Good news and bad news (mostly good news)

The region’s Ryan White clients are retained in care and virally suppressed. Almost everyone is getting the HIV medical care they need and are satisfied with the services they receive. Most people have insurance and a regular place for HIV care. They like and trust their doctors and case managers.

But

Life is hard for many people living with HIV who are living in poverty. Inadequate and unreliable transportation, unaffordable co-pays and deductibles, a history of incarceration, and homelessness and lack of affordable housing are the most common challenges people reported. These challenges prevent them from getting the medical care and other services that they need. But more importantly, the challenge of living in poverty with complex health conditions is really stressful. People need help and support to live healthy and happy lives.

Why the survey is important

We asked a lot of questions, which is why we have a 45+ page report. The report describes how we designed the survey, who responded, and what people told us. We also did advanced statistical analysis to see what kinds of patterns we could see from what people told us. We included other research and data about people living with HIV and their access to services in our EMA and in the United States to give us a better picture of how our EMA compares to other places.

The Planning Council and AACO use the information from the survey to improve services and to better understand PLWH’s experiences and challenges. The Planning Council uses this information when they decide the EMA’s service priorities and how the EMA’s funds will be budgeted. AACO uses this information in the HRSA grant applications and in other reports. We have heard that HIV service providers use this information when they write grant proposals and in planning their programs. 

We couldn’t have done it without you

This survey would not be possible without the support of Ryan White service providers. We send them our appreciation. But our biggest thanks are reserved for the individuals who shared their personal information and sometimes painful stories with us. We are grateful for your trust and vulnerability. We will use this information as best we can to continue to provide quality services to the people living with HIV in our EMA.

The full report is available here.