Introduction

Through the BRIDGE survey, we can share important insights into how HIV prevention, treatment, and care are affecting communities most impacted by the epidemic. At a time of significant HIV funding cuts and new anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, the collective efforts of communities and organizations working to end the HIV epidemic face growing barriers. And while advances in science continue to expand our HIV prevention and treatment options, Latine communities still encounter significant challenges in accessing the services and tools they need. 

These challenges are rooted in deep-seated inequities that continue to shape experiences of HIV stigma and discrimination and create barriers to care. The BRIDGE survey underscores the urgency of addressing these barriers: 41% of respondents living with HIV said they expect it will be harder to access HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in the next 12 months.  Nearly 6 in 10 (58.9%) Latine people living with HIV reported that changes or limitations in social support systems, which include community-based organizations, peer programs, and public health outreach, had some impact on their access. 

41% of Latine respondents living with HIV said they expect it will be harder to access HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in the next 12 months

These findings are particularly concerning because it reflects not only the barriers people are experiencing today but also growing uncertainty about whether they will be able to access the services they need in the future. When people anticipate greater difficulty accessing HIV prevention, treatment, and care, it underscores the need to address the structural barriers that can deepen existing health disparities. Collectively, these findings reinforce that ending the HIV epidemic requires more than scientific progress alone. We must also address the social and structural conditions that determine whether people can benefit from that progress. Sustained investment in HIV services, along with efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination and remove barriers to care, will be essential to ensuring that the communities most impacted by the epidemic can access the prevention and treatment options they need. 

About the BRIDGE Survey 

The Barriers, Resources, and Inequities in Delivery of HIV Care and Engagement (BRIDGE) Survey is a national survey designed to help the HRC Foundation understand what keeps people from accessing HIV prevention, care, and treatment. It examines issues such as stigma, discrimination, policy and funding barriers, insurance, provider availability, and unmet service needs. This analysis focuses on Latine LGBTQ+ people living with HIV and those not living with who indicated that HIV prevention, care, or treatment was relevant to them based on their survey responses.

Out-of-pocket costs and fear of provider judgment are major barriers to PrEP and HIV treatment for Latine LGBTQ+ people

The barriers to accessing HIV prevention can also shape people’s experiences with HIV treatment and care. Nearly half (46%) of respondents indicated that out-of-pocket costs made it difficult to start PrEP when they wanted to do so, underscoring how financial barriers can stand between people and effective HIV prevention. 

These challenges extend beyond PrEP. Among Latine people living with HIV, 22% reported interruptions in HIV treatment over the past 12 months. Among those who experienced treatment interruptions, 33% cited stigma and fear of being judged, while 29% cited pharmacy or medication access as contributing factors. These findings point to a broader challenge: financial, structural, and social barriers continue to shape whether people can access and consistently benefit from HIV prevention and treatment. Effective prevention and treatment tools can only improve health outcomes when people can access and use them consistently, in environments where they feel supported and free from stigma and discrimination. 

Addressing Barriers, Advancing Solutions

Latine respondents identified clear policy and practice solutions for improving access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment. Top priorities included increasing funding for HIV clinics and community health centers and expanding Medicaid and other health insurance coverage. These priorities offer a roadmap for policymakers and health care leaders to reduce financial and structural barriers and ensure more people can access the HIV services they need.

What This Means for National Latino HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 

National Latino HIV/AIDS Awareness Day reminds us that knowing your HIV status is a good place to start—but it cannot be the only step. The BRIDGE survey shows that Latine communities continue to face financial, structural, and social barriers to accessing HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Knowing your status matters, but so does having access to the tools, services, and support needed to act on that knowledge. Removing these barriers is essential to ensuring that everyone can benefit from advances in HIV prevention and treatment.   

Methodology 

The BRIDGE Survey was fielded from April 6 to June 1, 2026, to better understand experiences with HIV prevention, care, and treatment. Responses were collected through the HRC Foundation’s Community Insights Panel and partner organization outreach, yielding 5,000 responses and a final analytical sample of 4,584 respondents after quality assurance and data cleaning. This analysis uses a subsample of Latine respondents living with HIV and those not living with HIV (n=448). Reported percentages are weighted using benchmark distributions from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey for age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, Census region, and sexual identity. Full methodology is available here.