Interventions for Integrating Behavioral Health Services Into HIV Clinical Care: A Narrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Medicine
• Infectious Disease Management

Background:

• Behavioral health conditions significantly impact people with HIV.
• Integrating behavioral health services (BHI) into HIV care can improve health outcomes.
• Previous research highlights the need for effective BHI strategies in HIV care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a narrative review of BHI interventions in US HIV care settings.
• To identify and categorize different BHI approaches used in HIV care.
• To assess the feasibility and outcomes of BHI interventions in HIV care.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of 19 intervention studies published between 2010 and 2021.
• Literature search funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's HIV/AIDS Bureau.
• Categorization of interventions into six distinct approaches.

Main Results:

• Six BHI approaches were identified: collaborative care, SBIRT, PROs, onsite consultation, addiction specialists, and buprenorphine/naloxone integration.
• All reviewed BHI approaches demonstrated feasibility across diverse HIV care settings.
• Most interventions showed improvements in behavioral health outcomes, but HIV outcome measurement was limited.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral health integration (BHI) is a feasible strategy to enhance care for people with HIV.
• Future research should focus on measuring the impact of BHI on HIV-specific outcomes.
• Identifying facilitators and barriers is crucial for successful BHI intervention uptake in HIV care.