Telehealth and Access to HIV Care for Youth: A National Mixed-Methods Study of U.S. HIV Healthcare Provider Practices and Perspectives

BackgroundYouth living with HIV (YWH) face persistent barriers to care engagement and viral suppression. Telehealth expanded post-COVID-19 emergence, offering new possibilities for access, but provider perspectives on its use with YWH are underexplored.MethodsA national mixed-methods survey captured experiences of 156 HIV care providers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsMost providers (88.5%) believed telehealth would continue to play a role in HIV care. Reported benefits included improved access (80.7%) and workflow efficiency (64.7%). However, providers were significantly less likely to discuss sensitive topics "often" via telehealth compared to in-person care, including mental health (81.4% vs. 92.9%, p = 0.0008) and sexual health (77.9% vs. 93.6%, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsWhile telehealth improves access for YWH, hybrid care models and targeted provider training are needed to address privacy, communication, and trust when discussing sensitive health concerns.