Evolution of HIV Health Care Workforce Needs in the U.S. Mountain West During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Study

• Published in: The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 78 - 90
• Main Authors: Amura, Claudia R, Thorne, Julia, Bean, Meagan, Avery, Lisa Krug, Sylla, Laurie N, Liss, Hillary K, Cook, Paul F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Coordination; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Female; Health care delivery; Health Personnel - education; Health Services Needs and Demand; Health Workforce; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Interruptions; Male; Medical personnel; Mental health; Mixed methods research; Needs Assessment; Pandemics; Patients; Polls & surveys; Public health; SARS-CoV-2; Social factors; Substance abuse; Surveys and Questionnaires; Telemedicine; Training; Training needs; United States - epidemiology; Vulnerability; Workforce; United States
• ISSN: 1055-3290; 1552-6917; 1552-6917
• DOI: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000448

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected health care delivery for vulnerable populations. Many facilities shifted services to telemedicine, and people with HIV or at risk of acquiring HIV experienced interruptions in care. Simultaneously, traditional training approaches to help providers adapt were disrupted. Using a mixed method approach to examine changes over time, we integrated data on trainee needs collected by the Mountain West AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC): a 10-state needs assessment survey in 2020; feedback from a 2020 community of practice; aggregate training data from 2000 to 2022; and a second survey in 2022. HIV care providers' training needs evolved from wanting support on telemedicine and COVID-19 patient care issues, to a later focus on mental health and substance use, social determinants of health, and care coordination. This integrative analysis demonstrates the vital role that AETCs can play in addressing evolving and emergent public health challenges for the HIV workforce.