"Give us a chance": recommendations from Black women living with HIV multimorbidity.

Abstract

Black women with HIV Multimorbidity (i.e., living with HIV and two or more chronic health conditions) face unique barriers to care management. However, their perspectives are lacking in terms of medical and psychosocial intervention design, implementation, and evaluation. This qualitative study used disaggregated data from a community-engaged research project to identify the unique needs and experiences of Black women living with HIV multimorbidity to provide better care management. In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 Black women living with HIV multimorbidity aged 29-65 years. Participants were recruited from a HIV Case Management agency, located in the southern United States, disproportionately impacted by broader health inequities. Participants were asked to respond to the question, "What should we consider when developing interventions to help Black women manage HIV and multiple chronic health conditions?" The team of three qualitative researchers used iterative, reflexive thematic analysis to analyze 29 individual interviews and found four themes: (1) Elevating Lived Experiences; (2) "Basic Human Support," (3) Culturally Congruent Care, and (4) Capacity Building. We conclude with suggestions for service providers, researchers, and policymakers to develop targeted and tailored interventions to meet the needs of this population.