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Schnure MC, Kasaie P, Dowdy DW, Genberg BL, Kendall EA, Fojo AT. Forecasting the effect of HIV-targeted interventions on the age distribution of people with HIV in Kenya. AIDS 2024; 38:1375-1385. [PMID: 38537051 PMCID: PMC11211060 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To provide accurate forecasts of the age distribution of people with HIV (PWH) in Kenya from 2025 to 2040. DESIGN Development of a compartmental model of HIV in Kenya, calibrated to historical estimates of HIV epidemiology. METHODS We forecasted changes in population size and age distribution of new HIV infections and PWH under the status quo and under scale-up of HIV services. RESULTS Without scale-up, new HIV infections were forecasted to fall from 34 000 (28 000-41 000) in 2,025 to 29 000 (15 000-57 000) in 2,040; the percentage of new infections occurring among persons over 30 increased from 33% (20-50%) to 40% (24-62%). The median age of PWH increased from 39 years (38-40) in 2025 to 43 years (39-46) in 2040, and the percentage of PWH over age 50 increased from 26% (23-29%) to 34% (26-43%). Under the full intervention scenario, new infections were forecasted to fall to 6,000 (3,000-12 000) in 2,040. The percentage of new infections occurring in people over age 30 increased to 52% (34-71%) in 2,040, and there was an additional shift in the age structure of PWH [forecasted median age of 46 (43-48) and 40% (33-47%) over age 50]. CONCLUSION PWH in Kenya are forecasted to age over the next 15 years; improvements to the HIV care continuum are expected to contribute to the growing proportion of older PWH.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Parastu Kasaie
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David W. Dowdy
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Becky L. Genberg
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Schmalzle SA, Maroosis D, Masur H, Kottilil S, Mathur P. Use of a machine learning model to predict retention in care in an urban HIV clinic. AIDS 2024; 38:125-127. [PMID: 38061023 PMCID: PMC10783757 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Identifying barriers to retention in care (RIC) is critical to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States. Therefore, we developed a machine learning model (MLM) to identify predictive factors for RIC in an urban HIV clinic. Our MLM yielded a positive predictive value of 84%, higher than previously reported MLMs. We found that MLM can be used to develop interventional strategies to enhance RIC in HIV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Schmalzle
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
| | | | - Henry Masur
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Shyam Kottilil
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
| | - Poonam Mathur
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
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Kalinjuma AV, Glass TR, Masanja H, Weisser M, Msengwa AS, Vanobberghen F, Otwombe K. Statistical methods applied for the assessment of the HIV cascade and continuum of care: a systematic scoping review. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071392. [PMID: 37996221 PMCID: PMC10668296 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This scoping review aims to identify and synthesise existing statistical methods used to assess the progress of HIV treatment programmes in terms of the HIV cascade and continuum of care among people living with HIV (PLHIV). DESIGN Systematic scoping review. DATA SOURCES Published articles were retrieved from PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete and Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE) databases between April and July 2022. We also strategically search using the Google Scholar search engine and reference lists of published articles. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA This scoping review included original English articles that estimated and described the HIV cascade and continuum of care progress in PLHIV. The review considered quantitative articles that evaluated either HIV care cascade progress in terms of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS targets or the dynamics of engagement in HIV care. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS The first author and the librarian developed database search queries and screened the retrieved titles and abstracts. Two independent reviewers and the first author extracted data using a standardised data extraction tool. The data analysis was descriptive and the findings are presented in tables and visuals. RESULTS This review included 300 articles. Cross-sectional study design methods were the most commonly used to assess the HIV care cascade (n=279, 93%). In cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, the majority used proportions to describe individuals at each cascade stage (276/279 (99%) and 20/21 (95%), respectively). In longitudinal studies, the time spent in cascade stages, transition probabilities and cumulative incidence functions was estimated. The logistic regression model was common in both cross-sectional (101/279, 36%) and longitudinal studies (7/21, 33%). Of the 21 articles that used a longitudinal design, six articles used multistate models, which included non-parametric, parametric, continuous-time, time-homogeneous and discrete-time multistate Markov models. CONCLUSIONS Most literature on the HIV cascade and continuum of care arises from cross-sectional studies. The use of longitudinal study design methods in the HIV cascade is growing because such methods can provide additional information about transition dynamics along the cascade. Therefore, a methodological guide for applying different types of longitudinal design methods to the HIV continuum of care assessments is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneth Vedastus Kalinjuma
- Department of Interventions and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Tracy Renée Glass
- Medicines Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Honorati Masanja
- Department of Interventions and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Maja Weisser
- Department of Interventions and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
- Medicines Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amina Suleiman Msengwa
- Department of Statistics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Fiona Vanobberghen
- Medicines Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kennedy Otwombe
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Thomadakis C, Yiannoutsos CT, Pantazis N, Diero L, Mwangi A, Musick BS, Wools-Kaloustian K, Touloumi G. The Effect of HIV Treatment Interruption on Subsequent Immunological Response. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:1181-1191. [PMID: 37045803 PMCID: PMC10326612 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Recovery of CD4-positive T lymphocyte count after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been thoroughly examined among people with human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, immunological response after restart of ART following care interruption is less well studied. We compared CD4 cell-count trends before disengagement from care and after ART reinitiation. Data were obtained from the East Africa International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Collaboration (2001-2011; n = 62,534). CD4 cell-count trends before disengagement, during disengagement, and after ART reinitiation were simultaneously estimated through a linear mixed model with 2 subject-specific knots placed at the times of disengagement and treatment reinitiation. We also estimated CD4 trends conditional on the baseline CD4 value. A total of 10,961 patients returned to care after disengagement from care, with the median gap in care being 2.7 (interquartile range, 2.1-5.4) months. Our model showed that CD4 cell-count increases after ART reinitiation were much slower than those before disengagement. Assuming that disengagement from care occurred 12 months after ART initiation and a 3-month treatment gap, CD4 counts measured at 3 years since ART initiation would be lower by 36.5 cells/μL than those obtained under no disengagement. Given that poorer CD4 restoration is associated with increased mortality/morbidity, specific interventions targeted at better retention in care are urgently required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Thomadakis
- Correspondence to Dr. Christos Thomadakis, Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece (e-mail: )
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Beres LK, Mody A, Sikombe K, Nicholas LH, Schwartz S, Eshun-Wilson I, Somwe P, Simbeza S, Pry JM, Kaumba P, McGready J, Holmes CB, Bolton-Moore C, Sikazwe I, Denison JA, Geng EH. The effect of tracer contact on return to care among adult, "lost to follow-up" patients living with HIV in Zambia: an instrumental variable analysis. J Int AIDS Soc 2021; 24:e25853. [PMID: 34921515 PMCID: PMC8683971 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tracing patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) from HIV care is widely practiced, yet we have little knowledge of its causal effect on care engagement. In a prospective, Zambian cohort, we examined the effect of tracing on return to care within 2 years of LTFU. METHODS We traced a stratified, random sample of LTFU patients who had received HIV care between August 2013 and July 2015. LTFU was defined as a gap of >90 days from last scheduled appointment in the routine electronic medical record. Extracting 2 years of follow-up visit data through 2017, we identified patients who returned. Using random selection for tracing as an instrumental variable (IV), we used conditional two-stage least squares regression to estimate the local average treatment effect of tracer contact on return. We examined the observational association between tracer contact and return among patient sub-groups self-confirmed as disengaged from care. RESULTS Of the 24,164 LTFU patients enumerated, 4380 were randomly selected for tracing and 1158 were contacted by a tracer within a median of 14.8 months post-loss. IV analysis found that patients contacted by a tracer because they were randomized to tracing were no more likely to return than those not contacted (adjusted risk difference [aRD]: 3%, 95% CI: -2%, 8%, p = 0.23). Observational data showed that among contacted, disengaged patients, the rate of return was higher in the week following tracer contact (IR 5.74, 95% CI: 3.78-8.71) than in the 2 weeks to 1-month post-contact (IR 2.28, 95% CI: 1.40-3.72). There was a greater effect of tracing among patients lost for >6 months compared to those contacted within 3 months of loss. CONCLUSIONS Overall, tracer contact did not causally increase LTFU patient return to HIV care, demonstrating the limited impact of tracing in this program, where contact occurred months after patients were LTFU. However, observational data suggest that tracing may speed return among some LTFU patients genuinely out-of-care. Further studies may improve tracing effectiveness by examining the mechanisms underlying the impact of tracing on return to care, the effect of tracing at different times-since-loss and using more accurate identification of patients who are truly disengaged to target tracing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Beres
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Aaloke Mody
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Lauren Hersch Nicholas
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sheree Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Paul Somwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Sandra Simbeza
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Jake M Pry
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Paul Kaumba
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - John McGready
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles B Holmes
- Center for Innovation in Global Health, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.,Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carolyn Bolton-Moore
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.,Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Izukanji Sikazwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Julie A Denison
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Elvin H Geng
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Mody A, Tram KH, Glidden DV, Eshun-Wilson I, Sikombe K, Mehrotra M, Pry JM, Geng EH. Novel Longitudinal Methods for Assessing Retention in Care: a Synthetic Review. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2021; 18:299-308. [PMID: 33948789 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-021-00561-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Retention in care is both dynamic and longitudinal in nature, but current approaches to retention often reduce these complex histories into cross-sectional metrics that obscure the nuanced experiences of patients receiving HIV care. In this review, we discuss contemporary approaches to assessing retention in care that captures its dynamic nature and the methodological and data considerations to do so. RECENT FINDINGS Enhancing retention measurements either through patient tracing or "big data" approaches (including probabilistic matching) to link databases from different sources can be used to assess longitudinal retention from the perspective of the patient when they transition in and out of care and access care at different facilities. Novel longitudinal analytic approaches such as multi-state and group-based trajectory analyses are designed specifically for assessing metrics that can change over time such as retention in care. Multi-state analyses capture the transitions individuals make in between different retention states over time and provide a comprehensive depiction of longitudinal population-level outcomes. Group-based trajectory analyses can identify patient subgroups that follow distinctive retention trajectories over time and highlight the heterogeneity of retention patterns across the population. Emerging approaches to longitudinally measure retention in care provide nuanced assessments that reveal unique insights into different care gaps at different time points over an individuals' treatment. These methods help meet the needs of the current scientific agenda for retention and reveal important opportunities for developing more tailored interventions that target the varied care challenges patients may face over the course of lifelong treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaloke Mody
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8051, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA.
| | - Khai Hoan Tram
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8051, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
| | - David V Glidden
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8051, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
| | - Kombatende Sikombe
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Megha Mehrotra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jake M Pry
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8051, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Elvin H Geng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8051, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
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Beres LK, Schwartz S, Simbeza S, McGready J, Eshun-Wilson I, Mwamba C, Sikombe K, Topp SM, Somwe P, Mody A, Mukamba N, Ehrenkranz PD, Padian N, Pry J, Moore CB, Holmes CB, Sikazwe I, Denison JA, Geng E. Patterns and Predictors of Incident Return to HIV Care Among Traced, Disengaged Patients in Zambia: Analysis of a Prospective Cohort. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2021; 86:313-322. [PMID: 33149000 PMCID: PMC7878284 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic movement of patients in and out of HIV care is prevalent, but there is limited information on patterns of patient re-engagement or predictors of return to guide HIV programs to better support patient engagement. METHODS From a probability-based sample of lost to follow-up, adult patients traced by peer educators from 31 Zambian health facilities, we prospectively followed disengaged HIV patients for return clinic visits. We estimated the cumulative incidence of return and the time to return using Kaplan-Meier methods. We used univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to conduct a risk factor analysis identifying predictors of incident return across a social ecological framework. RESULTS Of the 556 disengaged patients, 73.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 61.0 to 83.8] returned to HIV care. The median follow-up time from disengagement was 32.3 months (interquartile range: 23.6-38.9). The rate of return decreased with time postdisengagement. Independent predictors of incident return included a previous gap in care [adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR): 1.95, 95% CI: 1.23 to 3.09] and confronting a stigmatizer once in the past year (aHR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.25 to 3.65). Compared with a rural facility, patients were less likely to return if they sought care from an urban facility (aHR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.96) or hospital (aHR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33 to 0.82). CONCLUSIONS Interventions are needed to hasten re-engagement in HIV care. Early and differential interventions by time since disengagement may improve intervention effectiveness. Patients in urban and tertiary care settings may need additional support. Improving patient resilience, outreach after a care gap, and community stigma reduction may facilitate return. Future re-engagement research should include causal evaluation of identified factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K. Beres
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD;
| | - Sheree Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Sandra Simbeza
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
| | - John McGready
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, University of Washington, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | - Chanda Mwamba
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
| | | | - Stephanie M. Topp
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia;
| | - Paul Somwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
| | - Aaloke Mody
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, University of Washington, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | - Njekwa Mukamba
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
| | | | - Nancy Padian
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA; and
| | - Jake Pry
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, University of Washington, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | - Carolyn Bolton Moore
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Charles B. Holmes
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD;
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Izukanji Sikazwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;
| | - Julie A. Denison
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD;
| | - Elvin Geng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, University of Washington, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
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8
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Mody A, Glidden DV, Eshun-Wilson I, Sikombe K, Simbeza S, Mukamba N, Somwe P, Beres LK, Pry J, Bolton-Moore C, Padian N, Holmes CB, Sikazwe I, Geng EH. Longitudinal Care Cascade Outcomes Among People Eligible for Antiretroviral Therapy Who Are Newly Linking to Care in Zambia: A Multistate Analysis. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 71:e561-e570. [PMID: 32173743 PMCID: PMC7744998 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retention in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is dynamic, with patients frequently transitioning in and out of care. Analytical approaches (eg, survival analyses) commonly used to assess HIV care cascade outcomes fail to capture such transitions and therefore incompletely represent care outcomes over time. METHODS We analyzed antiretroviral therapy (ART)-eligible adults newly linking to care at 64 clinics in Zambia between 1 April 2014 and 31 July 2015. We used electronic medical record data and supplemented these with updated care outcomes ascertained by tracing a multistage random sample of patients lost to follow-up (LTFU, >90 days late for last appointment). We performed multistate analyses, incorporating weights from sampling, to estimate the prevalence of 9 care states over time since linkage with respect to ART initiation, retention in care, transfers, and mortality. RESULTS In sum, 23 227 patients (58% female; median age 34 years [interquartile range 28-41]) were ART-eligible at enrollment. At 1 year, 75.2% had initiated ART and were in care: 61.8% were continuously retained, 6.1% had reengaged after LTFU, and 7.3% had transferred. Also, 10.1% were LTFU within 7 days of enrollment, and 15.2% were LTFU at 1 year (6.7% prior to ART). One year after LTFU, 51.6% of those LTFU prior to ART remained out of care compared to 30.2% of those LTFU after initiating ART. Overall, 6.9% of patients had died by 1 year with 3.0% dying prior to ART. CONCLUSION Multistate analyses provide more complete assessments of longitudinal HIV cascade outcomes and reveal treatment gaps at distinct timepoints in care that will still need to be addressed even with universal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaloke Mody
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David V Glidden
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Sandra Simbeza
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Njekwa Mukamba
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Paul Somwe
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Laura K Beres
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jake Pry
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Carolyn Bolton-Moore
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Nancy Padian
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Charles B Holmes
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Izukanji Sikazwe
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Elvin H Geng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Bakoyannis G, Diero L, Mwangi A, Wools-Kaloustian KK, Yiannoutsos CT. A semiparametric method for the analysis of outcomes during a gap in HIV care under incomplete outcome ascertainment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 12. [PMID: 34113423 DOI: 10.1515/scid-2019-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Estimation of the cascade of HIV care is essential for evaluating care and treatment programs, informing policy makers and assessing targets such as 90-90-90. A challenge to estimating the cascade based on electronic health record concerns patients "churning" in and out of care. Correctly estimating this dynamic phenomenon in resource-limited settings, such as those found in sub-Saharan Africa, is challenging because of the significant death under-reporting. An approach to partially recover information on the unobserved deaths is a double-sampling design, where a small subset of individuals with a missed clinic visit is intensively outreached in the community to actively ascertain their vital status. This approach has been adopted in several programs within the East Africa regional IeDEA consortium, the context of our motivating study. The objective of this paper is to propose a semiparametric method for the analysis of competing risks data with incomplete outcome ascertainment. Methods Based on data from double-sampling designs, we propose a semiparametric inverse probability weighted estimator of key outcomes during a gap in care, which are crucial pieces of the care cascade puzzle. Results Simulation studies suggest that the proposed estimators provide valid estimates in settings with incomplete outcome ascertainment under a set of realistic assumptions. These studies also illustrate that a naïve complete-case analysis can provide seriously biased estimates. The methodology is applied to electronic health record data from the East Africa IeDEA Consortium to estimate death and return to care during a gap in care. Conclusions The proposed methodology provides a robust approach for valid inferences about return to care and death during a gap in care, in settings with death under-reporting. Ultimately, the resulting estimates will have significant consequences on program construction, resource allocation, policy and decision making at the highest levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgos Bakoyannis
- Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Biostatistics, 410 West 10th Street, Suite 3000, Indianapolis, 46202, IN, USA
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10
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Eshun-Wilson I, Kim HY, Schwartz S, Conte M, Glidden DV, Geng EH. Exploring Relative Preferences for HIV Service Features Using Discrete Choice Experiments: a Synthetic Review. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2020; 17:467-477. [PMID: 32860150 PMCID: PMC7497362 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-020-00520-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Aligning HIV treatment services with patient preferences can promote long-term engagement. A rising number of studies solicit such preferences using discrete choice experiments, but have not been systematically reviewed to seek generalizable insights. Using a systematic search, we identified eleven choice experiments evaluating preferences for HIV treatment services published between 2004 and 2020. RECENT FINDINGS Across settings, the strongest preference was for nice, patient-centered providers, for which participants were willing to trade considerable amounts of time, money, and travel distance. In low- and middle-income countries, participants also preferred collecting antiretroviral therapy (ART) less frequently than 1 monthly, but showed no strong preference for 3-compared with 6-month refill frequency. Facility waiting times and travel distances were also important but were frequently outranked by stronger preferences. Health facility-based services were preferred to community- or home-based services, but this preference varied by setting. In high-income countries, the availability of unscheduled appointments was highly valued. Stigma was rarely explored and costs were a ubiquitous driver of preferences. While present improvement efforts have focused on designs to enhance access (reduced waiting time, travel distance, and ART refill frequency), few initiatives focus on the patient-provider interaction, which represents a promising critical area for inquiry and investment. If HIV programs hope to truly deliver patient-centered care, they will need to incorporate patient preferences into service delivery strategies. Discrete choice experiments can not only inform such strategies but also contribute to prioritization efforts for policy-making decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Eshun-Wilson
- Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, Childrens Pl, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - H-Y Kim
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - S Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M Conte
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - D V Glidden
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - E H Geng
- Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, Childrens Pl, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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Limitations of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 metrics: a simulation-based comparison of cross-sectional and longitudinal metrics for the HIV care continuum. AIDS 2020; 34:1047-1055. [PMID: 32044844 PMCID: PMC7253182 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90–90–90 and other cross-sectional metrics can lead to potentially counterintuitive conclusions when used to evaluate health systems’ performance. This study demonstrates how time and population dynamics impact UNAIDS 90–90–90 metrics in comparison with a longitudinal analogue.
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12
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Barrow GJ, Fairley M, Brandeau ML. Optimizing Interventions Across the HIV Care Continuum: A Case Study Using Process Improvement Analysis. OPERATIONS RESEARCH FOR HEALTH CARE 2020; 25:100258. [PMID: 33014699 PMCID: PMC7528976 DOI: 10.1016/j.orhc.2020.100258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
UNAIDS' 90-90-90 goal for 2020 is for 90% of HIV-infected people to know their status, 90% of infected individuals to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90% of those on ART to achieve viral suppression. To achieve these ambitious goals, effective care delivery programs are needed. In this paper we present a case study showing how HIV care can be improved by viewing the patient care process as a production process and applying methods of process improvement analysis. We examine the continuum of HIV care at a hospital-based HIV clinic in Kingston, Jamaica. We perform qualitative analysis to identify key programmatic, personnel, and clinical areas for process improvement. We then perform quantitative analysis. We develop a stochastic model of the care process which we use to evaluate the effects of potential process improvements on the number of patients who receive ART and the number who achieve viral suppression. We also develop a model for optimal investment of a fixed budget among interventions aimed at improving the care cascade and we use the model to determine the optimal investment among three interventions that the clinic could invest in. By viewing the patient care process as a production process and applying qualitative and quantitative process improvement analysis, our case study illustrates how clinics can identify the best ways to maximize clinical outcomes. Our methods are generalizable to other HIV care clinics as well as to clinics that provide care for other chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hepatitis B, or opioid use disorder).
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey J. Barrow
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
| | - Michael Fairley
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Margaret L. Brandeau
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Hypertension Control and Retention in Care Among HIV-Infected Patients: The Effects of Co-located HIV and Chronic Noncommunicable Disease Care. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2020; 82:399-406. [PMID: 31658183 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden is rising in regions with high HIV prevalence, patients with comorbid HIV and chronic NCDs may benefit from integrated chronic disease care. There are few evaluations of the effectiveness of such strategies, especially those that directly leverage and extend the existing HIV care system to provide co-located care for NCDs. SETTING Academic Model of Providing Access to Healthcare, Kenya, provides care to over 160,000 actively enrolled patients in catchment area of 4 million people. METHODS Using a difference-in-differences design, we analyzed retrospective clinical records of 3603 patients with comorbid HIV and hypertension during 2009-2016 to evaluate the addition of chronic disease management (CDM) to an existing HIV care program. Outcomes were blood pressure (BP), hypertension control, and adherence to HIV care. RESULTS Compared with the HIV standard of care, the addition of CDM produced statistically significant, although clinically small improvements in hypertension control, decreasing systolic BP by 0.76 mm Hg (P < 0.001), diastolic BP by 1.28 mm Hg (P < 0.001), and increasing the probability of BP <140/90 mm Hg by 1.51 percentage points (P < 0.001). However, sustained control of hypertension for >1 year improved by 7 percentage points (P < 0.001), adherence to HIV care improved by 6.8 percentage points (P < 0.001) and retention in HIV care with no gaps >6 months increased by 10.5 percentage points (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION A CDM program that co-locates NCD and HIV care shows potential to improve BP and retention in care. Further evaluation of program implementation across settings can inform how to maximize hypertension control among patients with comorbid HIV, and better understand the effect on adherence.
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Bakoyannis G. Nonparametric tests for transition probabilities in nonhomogeneous Markov processes. J Nonparametr Stat 2019; 32:131-156. [PMID: 32317843 DOI: 10.1080/10485252.2019.1705298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This paper proposes nonparametric two-sample tests for the direct comparison of the probabilities of a particular transition between states of a continuous time non-homogeneous Markov process with a finite state space. The proposed tests are a linear nonparametric test, an L 2-norm-based test and a Kolmogorov-Smirnov-type test. Significance level assessment is based on rigorous procedures, which are justified through the use of modern empirical process theory. Moreover, the L 2-norm and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov-type tests are shown to be consistent for every fixed alternative hypothesis. The proposed tests are also extended to more complex situations such as cases with incompletely observed absorbing states and non-Markov processes. Simulation studies show that the test statistics perform well even with small sample sizes. Finally, the proposed tests are applied to data on the treatment of early breast cancer from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial 10854, under an illness-death model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgos Bakoyannis
- Address: Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health and School of Medicine, 410 West 10th Street, Suite 3000, Indianapolis, IN 46202
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Home-based counseling and testing (HBCT) achieves earlier HIV diagnosis than other testing modalities; however, retention in care for these healthier patients is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the association between point of HIV testing and retention in care and mortality. SETTING Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) has provided HIV care in western Kenya since 2001. METHODS AMPATH initiated HBCT in 2007. This retrospective analysis included individuals 13 years and older, enrolled in care between January 2008 and September 2016, with data on point of testing. Discrete-time multistate models were used to estimate the probability of transition between the following states: engaged, disengaged, transfer, and death, and the association between point of diagnosis and transition probabilities. RESULTS Among 77,358 patients, 67% women, median age: 35 years and median baseline CD4: 248 cells/mm. Adjusted results demonstrated that patients from HBCT were less likely to disengage [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.83 to 0.91] and die (RRR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.75), whereas those diagnosed through provider-initiated counseling and testing were more likely to disengage (RRR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.12) and die (RRR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.20), compared with patients from voluntary counseling and testing. Once disengaged, patients from HBCT were less likely to remain disengaged, compared with patients from voluntary counseling and testing. CONCLUSIONS Patients entering care from different HIV-testing programs demonstrate differences in retention in HIV care over time beyond disease severity. Additional research is needed to understand the patient and system level factors that may explain the associations between testing program, retention, and mortality.
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Health provider training is associated with improved engagement in HIV care among adolescents and young adults in Kenya. AIDS 2019; 33:1501-1510. [PMID: 30932957 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Adolescents and young adults (AYA) have poorer retention, viral suppression, and survival than other age groups. We evaluated correlates of initial AYA engagement in HIV care at facilities participating in a randomized trial in Kenya. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS Electronic medical records from AYA ages 10-24 attending 24 HIV care facilities in Kenya were abstracted. Facility surveys assessed provider trainings and services. HIV provider surveys assessed AYA training and work experience. Engagement in care was defined as return for first follow-up visit within 3 months among newly enrolled or recently re-engaged (returning after >3 months out of care) AYA. Multilevel regression estimated risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), accounting for clustering by facility. Final models adjusted for AYA individual age and median AYA age and number enrolled per facility. RESULTS Among 3662 AYA records at first eligible visit, most were female (75.1%), older (20-24 years: 54.5%), and on antiretroviral therapy (79.5%). Overall, 2639 AYA returned for care (72.1%) after enrollment or re-engagement visit. Engagement in care among AYA was significantly higher at facilities offering provider training in adolescent-friendly care (85.5 vs. 67.7%; adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.22) and that used the Kenyan government's AYA care checklist (88.9 vs. 69.2%; aRR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06-1.23). Engagement was also significantly higher at facilities where providers reported being trained in AYA HIV care (aRR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.13-2.16). CONCLUSION Adolescent-specific health provider training and tools may improve quality of care and subsequent AYA engagement. Health provider interventions are needed to achieve the '95-95-95' targets for AYA.
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Being HIV positive and staying on antiretroviral therapy in Africa: A qualitative systematic review and theoretical model. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210408. [PMID: 30629648 PMCID: PMC6328200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and long-term uninterrupted engagement in HIV care is difficult for HIV-positive people, and randomized trials of specific techniques to promote adherence often show small or negligible effects. Understanding what influences decision-making in HIV-positive people in Africa may help researchers and policy makers in the development of broader, more effective interventions and policies. METHODS We used thematic synthesis and a grounded theory approach to generate a detailed narrative and theoretical model reflecting life with HIV in Africa, and how this influences ART adherence and engagement decisions. We included qualitative primary studies that explored perspectives, perceptions and experiences of HIV-positive people, caregivers and healthcare service providers. We searched databases from 1 January 2013 to 9 December 2016, screened all studies, and selected those for inclusion using purposeful sampling methods. Included studies were coded with Atlas.ti, and we assessed methodological quality across five domains. RESULTS We included 59 studies from Africa in the synthesis. Nine themes emerged which we grouped under three main headings. First, people who are HIV-positive live in a complicated world where they must navigate the challenges presented by poverty, competing priorities, unpredictable life events, social identity, gender norms, stigma, and medical pluralism-these influences can make initiating and maintaining ART difficult. Second, the health system is generally seen as punishing and uninviting and this can drive HIV-positive people out of care. Third, long-term engagement and adherence requires adaptation and incorporation of ART into daily life, a process which is facilitated by: inherent self-efficacy, social responsibilities, previous HIV-related illnesses and emotional, practical or financial support. These factors together can lead to a "tipping point", a point in time when patients choose to either engage or disengage from care. HIV-positive people may cycle in and out of these care states in response to fluctuations in influences over time. CONCLUSION This analysis provides a practical theory, arising from thematic synthesis of research, to help understand the dynamics of adherence to ART and engagement in HIV care. This can contribute to the design of service delivery approaches, and informed thinking and action on the part of policy makers, providers, and society: to understand what it is to be HIV-positive in Africa and how attitudes and the health service need to shift to help those with HIV lead 'normal' lives.
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Eshun-Wilson I, Rohwer A, Hendricks L, Oliver S, Garner P. Being HIV positive and staying on antiretroviral therapy in Africa: A qualitative systematic review and theoretical model. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210408. [PMID: 30629648 PMCID: PMC6328200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210408&type=printable] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and long-term uninterrupted engagement in HIV care is difficult for HIV-positive people, and randomized trials of specific techniques to promote adherence often show small or negligible effects. Understanding what influences decision-making in HIV-positive people in Africa may help researchers and policy makers in the development of broader, more effective interventions and policies. METHODS We used thematic synthesis and a grounded theory approach to generate a detailed narrative and theoretical model reflecting life with HIV in Africa, and how this influences ART adherence and engagement decisions. We included qualitative primary studies that explored perspectives, perceptions and experiences of HIV-positive people, caregivers and healthcare service providers. We searched databases from 1 January 2013 to 9 December 2016, screened all studies, and selected those for inclusion using purposeful sampling methods. Included studies were coded with Atlas.ti, and we assessed methodological quality across five domains. RESULTS We included 59 studies from Africa in the synthesis. Nine themes emerged which we grouped under three main headings. First, people who are HIV-positive live in a complicated world where they must navigate the challenges presented by poverty, competing priorities, unpredictable life events, social identity, gender norms, stigma, and medical pluralism-these influences can make initiating and maintaining ART difficult. Second, the health system is generally seen as punishing and uninviting and this can drive HIV-positive people out of care. Third, long-term engagement and adherence requires adaptation and incorporation of ART into daily life, a process which is facilitated by: inherent self-efficacy, social responsibilities, previous HIV-related illnesses and emotional, practical or financial support. These factors together can lead to a "tipping point", a point in time when patients choose to either engage or disengage from care. HIV-positive people may cycle in and out of these care states in response to fluctuations in influences over time. CONCLUSION This analysis provides a practical theory, arising from thematic synthesis of research, to help understand the dynamics of adherence to ART and engagement in HIV care. This can contribute to the design of service delivery approaches, and informed thinking and action on the part of policy makers, providers, and society: to understand what it is to be HIV-positive in Africa and how attitudes and the health service need to shift to help those with HIV lead 'normal' lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Anke Rohwer
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lynn Hendricks
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandy Oliver
- UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Paul Garner
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Beyond binary retention in HIV care: predictors of the dynamic processes of patient engagement, disengagement, and re-entry into care in a US clinical cohort. AIDS 2018; 32:2217-2225. [PMID: 30005018 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Studies examining engagement in HIV care often capture cross-sectional patient status to estimate retention and identify predictors of attrition, which ignore longitudinal patient care-seeking behaviors. We describe the cyclical nature of (dis)engagement and re-entry into HIV care using the state transition framework. DESIGN We represent the dynamic patterns of patient care-retention using five states: engaged in care, missed one, two, three, or more expected visits, and deceased. Then we describe various care-seeking behaviors in terms of transitioning from one state to another (e.g. from disengaged to engaged). This analysis includes 31 009 patients enrolled in the Center for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Systems (CNICS) in the United States from 1996 to 2014. METHOD Multistate models for longitudinal data were used to identify barriers to retention and subgroups at higher risk of falling out of care. RESULTS The initial 2 years following primary engagement in care were a crucial time for improving retention. Patients who had not initiated antiretroviral therapy, with lower CD4 cell counts, higher viral load, or not having an AIDS-defining illness were less likely to be retained in care. CONCLUSION Beyond the individual patient characteristics typically used to characterize retention in HIV care, we identified specific periods of time and points in the care continuum associated with elevated risk of transitioning out of care. Our findings can contribute to evidence-based recommendations to enhance long-term retention in CNICS. This approach can also be applied to other cohort data to identify retention strategies tailored to each population.
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