Living with HIV/AIDS & Diabetes during COVID-19

The current ANS featured article is titled “Self-management of the Dual Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and Diabetes During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study” by Julie A. Zuñiga, PhD; Heather E. Cuevas, PhD; Kristian Jones, PhD; Kristine Adiele; Lauren Cebulske; Livia Frost; Siddhaparna Sannigrahi, BS; Alexandra A. García, PhD, RN, FAAN; and Elizabeth M. Heitkemper, PhD, RN. The article is free to download while it is featured and we welcome your comments and responses here! Dr. Zuñiga sent this message about her work for ANS readers:

My area of research is HIV self-management and HIV prevention in under-represented communities. I recently completed an NIH-funded mixed methods study of people with the dual diagnosis of HIV and diabetes to explore self-management barriers and facilitators for both conditions.  From the findings, we extrapolated that social determinants of health were more influential in this population than in people living with HIV only. In the context of Covid, it became easier for some people to engage in some diabetes management behaviors during the lock down period. With the stigma of blood and HIV, it can be uncomfortable for people with the dual diagnosis of HIV and diabetes to test blood sugar outside of their homes or around others. My current study continues the stigma and discrimination research umbrella with a focus on barriers, facilitators, and preferences for HIV prevention in the transgender and gender expansive community.