Refining an implementation strategy to enhance the reach of HIV-prevention and behavioral health treatments to Latino men who have sex with men

Background: Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) experience HIV and behavioral health disparities. Yet, evidence-based interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and behavioral health treatments, have not been equitably scaled up to meet LMSM needs. To address quality of life and the public health importance of HIV prevention, implementation strategies to equitably scale-up these interventions to LMSM need to be developed. This study identifies themes for developing culturally grounded implementation strategies to increase the uptake of evidence-based HIV-prevention and behavioral health treatments among LMSM. Methods: Participants included 13 LMSM and 12 stakeholders in Miami, an HIV epicenter. Feedback regarding the content, design, and format of an implementation strategy to scale-up HIV-prevention and behavioral health services to LMSM were collected via focus groups (N = 3) and individual interviews (N = 3). Themes were inductively identified across the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF) domains. Results: Analyses revealed five higher order themes regarding the design, content, and format of the implementation strategy: cultural context, relationships and networks, navigation of health information and systems, resources and models of service delivery, and motivation to engage. Themes were applicable across HEIF domains, meaning that the same theme could have implications for both the development and implementation of the implementation strategy. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of addressing culturally specific factors, leveraging relational networks, facilitating navigation of health systems, tailoring to available resources, and building consumer and implementer motivation in order to refine an implementation strategy for reducing mental health burden and achieving HIV health equity among LMSM. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) are diagnosed with HIV and experience mental health and substance use problems more than their non-Latino/non-MSM peers. This means there is a disparity: one group is burdened by a disease more than another group. There are interventions, like pre-exposure prophylaxis and mental health/substance use treatment that can address this disparity. But, LMSM do not have enough access to these. This means there is a healthcare disparity: one group does not have as much access to healthcare as another group. The purpose of this study was to create a program to help LMSM get these services and consider how to implement it. LMSM and potential implementers talked about factors to consider in developing this program and implementation. They said the program and implementation need to (1) consider the cultural context in which LMSM are embedded, (2) leverage LMSM and implementers’ networks, (3) increase LMSM and implementers’ ability to navigate complex health systems, (4) be tailored to the resources available to consumers and implementers, and (5) build consumer and implementer motivation. These factors are important to address when developing and implementing programs to help LMSM get HIV-prevention and behavioral health treatments.