481 - Epidemic – Pandemic Impacts Inventory (EPII) Survey Results for Persons Living with HIV in Chicago’s West and Southwest Communities

Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 in recent months has caused local and regional governments to enact protective measures that have hindered economies and imposed demanding restrictions on daily life. Households may be experiencing physical, psychological, social, and economic challenges due to these preventative measures. Populations with fewer resources and/or pre-existing conditions may be at higher risk for these negative, life-altering effects. Therefore, we investigated COVID-19 impact on daily life among persons living with HIV (PLH) in Chicago’s under-resourced, largely minority, west and southwest side communities.

Methods: We modified the EPII, a survey designed to measure pandemic disease impact over nine domains of life, to assess how COVID-19 affected PLH receiving outpatient HIV care. From 5/11-29/2020, participants (n=49) completed the survey online or over the phone and received a $10 grocery gift card. We present the proportion of respondents who reported that they or any household member was impacted by select survey items.

Results: More than half of respondents reported a household member getting laid off and/or furloughed (63%), increased mental health (45%) or sleep problems (51%), less physical activity (61%), and increased screen time (82%); 45% were unable to pay important bills. Positive changes included eating healthier foods (53%), more time for enjoyable activities (63%), more quality time with friends or family (65%), and paying more attention to personal health (76%). We observed differences by gender, age, and race/ethnicity over all domains (Table 1). Finally, 80% of those who participated in telehealth services were satisfied with their experience.Table 1.


Conclusion: Overall, respondents struggled with employment, emotional and physical health effects of COVID-19, yet also experienced aspects of positive life change. In the future, these results should be compared with results from a general population to determine whether PLH are disproportionately burdened. Regardless, COVID-19 has negatively impacted daily life for everyone, including PLH, and these individuals may need additional resources compared to their less resource-challenged counterparts.