Organizational Characteristics of Medical-Legal Partnerships in HIV Care: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities through a Mixed Methods Study

People with HIV (PWH) often encounter health-harming legal needs that impede their access to care, including structural issues such as racism, discrimination, unstable housing, and stigma. Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) have emerged as a promising strategy to address these challenges within HIV care settings. This study aimed to identify the characteristics and strategies of MLPs that are most effective in improving HIV care continuum outcomes. A mixed-methods analysis was conducted utilizing data from a cross-sectional survey of 60 providers in MLPs. Categorical features of MLPs, such as the personnel responsible for screening for health-harming legal needs (HHLN), the organizational structure (community-based vs. institutional), and the delivery of legal services, were examined. A multiple, variable linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between these variables and outcomes. Community health organizations were found to be associated with a greater number of patients achieving suppressed HIV viral load. Additionally, a higher number of on-site services were positively correlated with a greater percentage of PWH achieving decreased viral load and completing follow-up appointments. Findings underscore the significance of comprehensive care approaches within MLPs for enhancing positive patient outcomes in HIV care settings.