OBJECTIVE: To elucidate some of the manifestations of structural racism as a root cause of racialized inequities in HIV in the context of COVID-19, centered through the lens of community members with lived experiences.
METHODS: We partnered with eight community-based organizations to conduct focus group discussions structured around COVID-19 and HIV-related experiences. We utilized inductive coding and thematic analysis.
RESULTS: We conducted 10 focus group discussions (98 participants) across the United States between February and May 2023; 65% were ages 18–39, over 90% identified as Black, 39% were female, and 66% were cisgender. First, participants emphasized that structural racism intersects with other systems of oppression. Second, three main themes emerged as manifestations of structural racism: (1) lack of representation in state and federal decision-making levels, (2) differential access to resources, and (3) intergenerational mistrust and trauma.
CONCLUSION: The intersecting impact of the HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic underscores the pervasive effects of structural racism that manifests in the United States.
HEALTH EQUITY IMPLICATIONS: More than ever, researchers must champion the experiences and needs of racial and ethnic minority communities to affect structural change.
Manifestations and lived experiences of structural racism for racial and ethnic minority communities affected by HIV across the United States
Health Equity, 9 (1), 474-490. doi: 10.1177/24731242251375878.