CROI 2025 Abstract eBook

Abstract eBook

Poster Abstracts

Conclusions: US women reported strong interest in an MPT ring. When evaluating MPT ring attributes, effectiveness for pregnancy and HIV prevention– the focus of most MPT research– were most important, but STI and BV prevention were also valued. Preferences were heterogeneous, and nonhormonal and on-demand options were only preferred among subsets of women. Continued end-user research regarding varied preferences and tradeoffs is needed to optimize future MPT products.

Despite these glaring disparities, sexual reproductive health (SRH) services continue to be fragmented and challenging to access. This study examines the relationship between family planning service (FPS) use and engagement in STI/HIV testing among cisgender Black women in Maryland, an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) priority jurisdiction. Methods: The SHINE Black Women Study used a concurrent mixed methods approach, collecting data from Black cisgender women through an online survey. FPS use was measured by asking participants, “Have you accessed or used any family planning services (including birth control, abortion, fertility services) in the last three years?” PrEP eligibility was determined using CDC criteria, including condomless sex, partners, recent STI history, and substance use during sex. We ran crude and adjusted models to assess the associations between FPS use and the odds of receiving an HIV or STI test, while adjusting for other confounders. Results: Among 158 participants, 140(88.6%) of the sample met PrEP eligibility criteria, indicating HIV risk. Notably, 80(50.6%) reported sex under alcohol influence and 45(28.5%) under drug influence. Most, 103(65.2%) accessed FPS and they were more likely to have been screened for STIs(77.7% vs. 60.0%, p = 0.019) and HIV(67.9% vs. 50.9%, p = 0.035). Bivariate analysis showed a significant association between FPS use and STI screening(OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.14, 4.72, p=0.020) and HIV testing(OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.00, p=0.037). Factors significantly associated with increased STI screening were having private insurance coverage(OR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.60, 12.34, p=0.004) & HIV risk score(OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.11, p= 0.003). Factors significantly associated with HIV screening were having a college degree(OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.95, p= 0.039) & HIV risk score(OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.08, p= 0.030). Conclusions: Black women who use FPS are more likely to utilize STI and HIV testing, highlighting a potential intervention point for PrEP and STI/HIV prevention. While FPS are vital touchpoints, broader structural factors play a significant role in HIV/STI screening, understanding underlying factors that strengthen or weaken this relationship is vital. Integrating STI/HIV testing into FPS could reduce SRH disparities, support EHE goals, and ensure that Black women are not excluded from EHE efforts. The figure, table, or graphic for this abstract has been removed. 1256 Multipurpose Vaginal Rings: Preferences From a National Discrete Choice Survey With US Women Ann Gottert 1 , Sanyukta Mathur 1 , Timothy Abuya 2 , Irene Bruce 1 , Shakti Shetty 3 , Michelle Nguyen 3 , Jessica M. Sales 3 , Lisa B. Haddad 1 , Barbara A. Friedland 1 1 Population Council, New York, NY, USA, 2 Independent Consultant, Nairobi, Kenya, 3 Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA Background: Women worldwide need and want multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) to meet their varied sexual-reproductive health needs. Most MPTs in development are vaginal rings. We assessed US women’s preferences re: specific ring attributes, to optimize a nonhormonal MPT ring in development to prevent pregnancy, HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with sexually active US women ages 18-49 years currently/interested in using contraception, recruited via Prime Panels. The survey included a discrete choice experiment (DCE) comprising 7 attributes with varying levels, identified via qualitative research. We analyzed data using mixed multinomial logit models. Results: 2,105 women were surveyed Dec 2023-Jan 2024 (mean age 31 years) in all 50 states. 53% were married/cohabiting; 57% had ≥1 child; 43% ever had an unintended pregnancy; 9% were diagnosed with an STI in the last year; 49% ever had BV. Women strongly preferred an MPT ring with higher effectiveness to prevent pregnancy (Coefficient: 0.020), HIV (0.011), and STIs (0.006) (all p<0.001; stronger among women ages 18-29). BV prevention was also preferred (p<0.001). A nonhormonal ring was important to the 61% of women averse to hormonal contraception (including due to previous side effects), and an on-demand use option (vs. must use continuously) was important to the 26% with multiple sexual partners. There was a negative preference for a ring causing heavier/unpredictable periods (vs. no effect) (p<0.001). Women were willing to make tradeoffs in effectiveness for each indication, for other desired attributes, e.g., for a 10% increase in HIV and STI prevention effectiveness, they would give up 6% and 3% in pregnancy prevention effectiveness, respectively (both p<0.001). After the DCE, when asked to consider a nonhormonal MPT ring at moderate levels of protection (80% for pregnancy, 50% for HIV/STIs), 74% of women were interested/very interested in using it (69% within one year).

1257 WITHDRAWN

Poster Abstracts

1258 STAR: A Prospective Cohort of Women of Reproductive Age With and Without HIV in the Southern US Elizabeth F. Topper 1 , Danielle Johnson 2 , Jinbing Zhang 3 , Seble Kassaye 4 , Deborah L. Jones 5 , Deborah Konkle-Parker 6 , Aadia Rana 7 , Daniel Westreich 8 , Maria L. Alcaide 9 , Anandi N. Sheth 2 1 The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, 2 Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, 3 The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA, 4 Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA, 5 University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA, 6 University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA, 7 University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA, 8 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 9 University of Miami Miller, Miami, FL, USA Background: Nearly 25% of people living with HIV in the US are women, most of whom are racial/ethnic minorities living in the south. In 2022, people assigned female sex at birth accounted for 18% of the almost 38,000 incident HIV diagnoses. Of those, Black/African Americans age >=13 accounted for 50%, and 20% were Hispanic/Latina. Minority women and women with HIV (WWH) commonly face unplanned pregnancies, adverse pregnancy and long term clinical outcomes, poor retention in care and ART adherence, and higher mortality compared with men, white women, and older women. Understanding the effects of HIV among minority women of reproductive age is vital.

CROI 2025 415