Objectives: To explore the health impacts of Hurricane Maria (HM) on HIV care outcomes among people living with HIV who use drugs.
Methods: Using data from an ongoing cohort study in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Proyecto PACTo), we measured differences in HIV care outcomes (viral load, viral suppression, and CD4 counts) before and after HM using assessments conducted at 6-month intervals. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess factors associated with HIV care outcomes.
Results: All HIV care outcomes showed a deterioration from pre-HM values to post-HM values (mean viral load increased, CD4 counts decreased, and rate of viral suppression decreased) after controlling for pre-HM sociodemographic and health characteristics. In addition to HM, age (aIRR = 1·01), being homeless (aIRR = 0·78) and having health insurance (aIRR = 1·6) were independently associated with viral suppression.
Participants: 219 participants completed follow-up visits between April 2017 and January 2018, before and after HM.
Conclusions: People living with HIV who use drugs in Puerto Rico experienced poorer HIV outcomes following HM. Socio-environmental factors contributing to these outcomes is discussed in the context of disaster response, recovery, and program planning.
Keywords: HIV care outcomes; Hurricane Maria; Puerto Rico; extreme weather; substance use; vulnerable populations.