Commentary: Policy Challenges and Resiliency Related to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the Southern and Rural United States: A Call to Action

Marik Moen; Nina Sublette; Justin Alves; Crystal Martin Walker

doi:10.1097/JNC.0000000000000454

Commentary: Policy Challenges and Resiliency Related to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the Southern and Rural United States: A Call to Action

J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2024 Feb 2. doi: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000454. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Marik Moen^{1

2

3

4}, Nina Sublette^{1

2

3

4}, Justin Alves^{1

2

3

4}, Crystal Martin Walker^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Marik Moen, PhD, MPH, RN, is an Assistant Professor, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
² Nina Sublette, PhD, APRN-FNP, AACRN, SANE-P, is an Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Nursing, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
³ Justin Alves, MSN, FNP-BC, ACRN, CARN, CNE, is a Clinical Nurse Educator with Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction Training and Technical Assistance, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁴ Crystal Martin Walker, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, is an Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Nursing, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

PMID: 38306307
DOI: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000454

Abstract

In this commentary, we describe current policy trends and their implications for the health of populations in the Southern and rural United States. We outline policy changes that threaten the prevention, care, and treatment of people at risk for HIV or with HIV and sociopolitical factors contributing to these policy trends. We also issue a call-to-action for individuals with Southern and rural US policy expertise and lived or living experience to collaboratively engage on a systematic policy analysis to thoroughly document relevant policies and deepen our understanding of the influences behind these policies. Finally, we provide examples of individual, community, and national level resiliency and courage-strategies that inspire advocacy and hope in the face of policy setbacks.