Community Research Report: LGBTQ+ Affirming Care Can Improve Understanding of Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) and Other HIV Prevention Outcomes

This study analyzed data from the Vanderbilt University Social Networks, Aging, and Policy Study (VUSNAPS), a large survey of LGBTQ+ adults aged 50-76 living in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

We assessed “Undetectable equals Untransmittable” (U=U) awareness, belief, understanding, and impact on risk perception among middle-aged and older gay and bisexual men in the US south. The U=U message says that people living with HIV who are being treated and have an undetectable amount of HIV in the blood cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. Knowledge of U=U helps individuals better access their risk and decide
when to get tested for HIV. We also asked respondents if they had a LGBTQ+ affirming health care provider.

The health benefits for LGBTQ+ people who have access to LGBTQ+ affirming providers are not well understood. This study indicates that having a LGBTQ+ affirming care provider increases patient understanding of U=U. The study also suggests that men with an affirming provider are more likely to have been tested for HIV in their lifetime.