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Weiser SD, Sheira LA, Weke E, Zakaras JM, Wekesa P, Frongillo EA, Burger RL, Mocello AR, Thirumurthy H, Dworkin SL, Tsai AC, Kahn JG, Butler LM, Bukusi EA, Cohen CR. An agricultural livelihood intervention is associated with reduced HIV stigma among people with HIV. AIDS 2024; 38:1553-1559. [PMID: 38752558 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HIV stigma undermines antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence and viral suppression. Livelihood interventions may target drivers of negative attitudes towards people with HIV (PWH) by improving their health and strengthening their economic contributions. We examined the effects of a multisectoral agricultural livelihood intervention on HIV stigma among PWH in western Kenya. DESIGN Sixteen health facilities were randomly allocated (1 : 1) to intervention or control arms in Shamba Maisha , a cluster randomized controlled trial that aimed to improve HIV-related health through behavioral, mental health, and nutritional pathways. METHODS The intervention included a farming loan and agricultural and financial training. Participants had access to farmland and surface water and were at least 18 years old, on ART for more than 6 months, and moderately-to-severely food insecure. We measured internalized, anticipated, and enacted HIV stigma semiannually over 2 years using validated scales. In blinded intent-to-treat analyses, we compared changes in scores over 24 months by study arm, using longitudinal multilevel difference-in-differences linear regression models that accounted for clustering. RESULTS Of 720 enrolled participants (354 intervention), 55% were women, and the median age was 40 years [interquartile range 34-47 years]. Two-year retention was 94%. Compared with the control arm, the intervention resulted in significant decreases ( P < 0.001) of 0.42 points [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.52 to -0.31) in internalized stigma, 0.43 points (95% CI -0.51 to -0.34) in anticipated stigma, and 0.13 points (95% CI -0.16 to -0.09) in enacted stigma over 24 months. CONCLUSION The agricultural livelihood intervention reduced HIV stigma among PWH. Poverty-reduction approaches may be a novel strategy for reducing HIV stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheri D Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lila A Sheira
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elly Weke
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jennifer M Zakaras
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pauline Wekesa
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edward A Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, Discovery I, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Rachel L Burger
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Adrienne Rain Mocello
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Harsha Thirumurthy
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Blockley Hall, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Shari L Dworkin
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, WA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health and Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - James G Kahn
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Lisa M Butler
- Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Bukusi
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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Hill SE, Zhang C, Remera E, Ingabire C, Umwiza F, Munyaneza A, Muhoza B, Rwibasira G, Yotebieng M, Anastos K, Murenzi G, Ross J. Association Between Clinical Encounter Frequency and HIV-Related Stigma Among Newly-Diagnosed People Living with HIV in Rwanda. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:1390-1400. [PMID: 38112826 PMCID: PMC10947825 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04226-6] [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] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
HIV-related stigma in healthcare settings remains a key barrier to engaging people living with HIV (PLHIV) in care. This study investigated the association between clinical encounter frequency and HIV-related anticipated, enacted, and internalized stigma among newly-diagnosed PLHIV in Rwanda. From October 2020 to May 2022, we collected data from adult PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Kigali, Rwanda who were participating in a randomized, controlled trial testing early entry into differentiated care at 6 months after ART initiation. We measured anticipated HIV stigma with five-point Likert HIV Stigma Framework measures, enacted stigma with the four-point Likert HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument, and internalized stigma with the four-point Likert HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument. We used multivariable linear regression to test the associations between clinical encounter frequency (average inter-visit interval ≥ 50 days vs. < 50 days) and change in mean anticipated, enacted and internalized HIV stigma over the first 12 months in care. Among 93 individuals enrolled, 76 had complete data on encounter frequency and stigma measurements and were included in the present analysis. Mean internalized stigma scores of all participants decreased over the first 12 months in care. Anticipated and enacted stigma scores were low and did not change significantly over time. There was no association between encounter frequency and change in internalized stigma. In this pilot study of newly-diagnosed Rwandan PLHIV with relatively low levels of HIV-related stigma, clinical encounter frequency was not associated with change in stigma. Additional research in diverse settings and with larger samples is necessary to further explore this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Hill
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Chenshu Zhang
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Eric Remera
- HIV/AIDS and STIs Diseases Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Institute of HIV Disease Prevention and Control, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Charles Ingabire
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
- Research for Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Francine Umwiza
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
- Research for Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Athanase Munyaneza
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
- Research for Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Benjamin Muhoza
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
- Research for Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Gallican Rwibasira
- HIV/AIDS and STIs Diseases Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Institute of HIV Disease Prevention and Control, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Marcel Yotebieng
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Kathryn Anastos
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Gad Murenzi
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
- Research for Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Jonathan Ross
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
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Quach LT, Ritchie CS, Reynolds Z, Paul R, Seeley J, Tong Y, Hoeppner S, Okello S, Nakasujja N, Olivieri-Mui B, Saylor D, Greene M, Asiimwe S, Tindimwebwa E, Atwiine F, Sentongo R, Siedner MJ, Tsai AC. HIV, Social Networks, and Loneliness among Older Adults in Uganda. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:695-704. [PMID: 38281251 PMCID: PMC10947585 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04258-y] [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] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Loneliness among older adults has been identified as a major public health problem. Yet little is known about loneliness, or the potential role of social networks in explaining loneliness, among older people with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa, where 70% of PWH reside. To explore this issue, we analyzed data from 599 participants enrolled in the Quality of Life and Ageing with HIV in Rural Uganda study, including older adults with HIV in ambulatory care and a comparator group of people without HIV of similar age and gender. The 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to measure loneliness, and HIV status was the primary explanatory variable. The study found no statistically significant correlation between loneliness and HIV status. However, individuals with HIV had smaller households, less physical and financial support, and were less socially integrated compared to those without HIV. In multivariable logistic regressions, loneliness was more likely among individuals who lived alone (aOR:3.38, 95% CI:1.47-7.76) and less likely among those who were married (aOR:0.34, 95% CI:0.22-0.53) and had a higher level of social integration (aOR:0.86, 95% CI: 0.79-0.92). Despite having smaller social networks and less support, older adults with HIV had similar levels of loneliness as those without HIV, which may be attributed to resiliency and access to HIV-related health services among individuals with HIV. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien T Quach
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Centre for Aging and Serious Illness, Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
- Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- The Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, USA.
| | - Christine S Ritchie
- Centre for Aging and Serious Illness, Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zahra Reynolds
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert Paul
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri at St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Janet Seeley
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Yao Tong
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susanne Hoeppner
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samson Okello
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Noeline Nakasujja
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University School of Medicine, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Brianne Olivieri-Mui
- Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deanna Saylor
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Meredith Greene
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Regenstreif Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Stephen Asiimwe
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Kabwohe Clinical Research Center, Kabwohe, Uganda
| | | | - Flavia Atwiine
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Ruth Sentongo
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Mark J Siedner
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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Ferguson L, Gruskin S, Bolshakova M, Rozelle M, Yagyu S, Kasoka K, Oraro-Lawrence T, Motala A, Stackpool-Moore L, Hempel S. Systematic review and quantitative and qualitative comparative analysis of interventions to address HIV-related stigma and discrimination. AIDS 2023; 37:1919-1939. [PMID: 37352492 PMCID: PMC10552822 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
A strong global commitment exists to eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and multiple strategies to reduce or eliminate stigma and discrimination have been tried. Using a PICOTS framework and applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria, we undertook a systematic review to determine the success of interventions aiming to address internalized stigma, stigma and discrimination in healthcare, and at the legal or policy level, and to identify their critical success factors. Random effects meta-analyses summarized results wherever possible. We carried out a component analysis to identify and characterize successful interventions. Internalized stigma interventions were diverse: across all studies, we found a reduction of stigma but it was not statistically significant [standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.56; confidence interval (CI) 0.31-1.02; 17 studies). For interventions to address stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, effect estimates varied considerably but most studies showed positive effects (SMD 0.71; CI 0.60-0.84, 8 studies). Boosted regression analyses found that a combined approach comprising education, counseling, community participation, support person, and access to a HIV specialist often yielded success. Studies of efforts to address stigma and discrimination through law and policy documented, mostly qualitatively, the effect of court cases and directives. Across a range of settings and populations, promising interventions have been identified that, through diverse pathways, have positively impacted the types of stigma and discrimination studied. This evidence base must be built upon and brought to scale to help reach global HIV-related targets and, most importantly, improve the health and quality of life of people with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ferguson
- Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, University of Southern California
| | - Sofia Gruskin
- Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, University of Southern California
| | - Maria Bolshakova
- Southern California Evidence Review Center, Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mary Rozelle
- Southern California Evidence Review Center, Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sachi Yagyu
- Southern California Evidence Review Center, Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | | | - Aneesa Motala
- Southern California Evidence Review Center, Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Susanne Hempel
- Southern California Evidence Review Center, Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Ryu S, Chaubal S, Guro P, King EJ, Orellana R, Fleischer NL, Hirschtick JL. Prevalence and predictors of perceived COVID-19 stigma within a population-based sample of adults with COVID-19. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2110. [PMID: 37891499 PMCID: PMC10604399 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence suggests that individuals with COVID-19 face stigmatization, which is associated with poor health outcomes and behaviors. However, very few population-based studies have examined risk factors for experiencing COVID-19 stigma. This study examined prevalence and predictors of perceived COVID-19 stigma using a population-based probability sample of adults with COVID-19. METHODS We included adults with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in Michigan between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. Perceived COVID-19 stigma was considered present if a respondent answered affirmatively to any of the following items due to people thinking they might have COVID-19: "you were treated badly," "people acted as if they were scared of you," and "you were threatened or harassed." We conducted modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to estimate associations between perceived COVID-19 stigma and potential predictors, including sex, age, race and ethnicity, household income, education, employment, smoking status, body mass index, preexisting diagnosed physical or mental comorbidities, and COVID-19 illness severity. RESULTS Perceived COVID-19 stigma was commonly reported among our respondents (38.8%, n = 2,759). Compared to those over 65 years, respondents who were 18 - 34 (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 1.41, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.12 - 1.77) and 35 - 44 years old (aPR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.31 - 2.09) reported higher perceived stigma. Female respondents had 1.23 times higher prevalence of perceived COVID-19 stigma (95% CI: 1.10 - 1.37) than male respondents and non-Hispanic Black respondents had 1.22 times higher prevalence of perceived COVID-19 stigma (95% CI: 1.04 - 1.44) than non-Hispanic White respondents. Moreover, respondents with pre-existing diagnosed psychological or psychiatric comorbidities were more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma (aPR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13 - 1.48) compared to those without diagnosed comorbidities. Respondents with very severe COVID-19 symptoms were also more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma (aPR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.23 - 1.75) than those with asymptomatic or mild symptoms. CONCLUSIONS We found that populations who are marginalized in United States, such as females, non-Hispanic Black adults, or individuals with chronic conditions, are more likely to report perceived COVID-19 stigma. Continuing to monitor COVID-19 stigma, especially in vulnerable populations, may provide useful insights for anti-stigma campaigns and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soomin Ryu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Samhita Chaubal
- Battelle, Columbus, OH, 43201, USA
- Defense Centers for Public Health-Portsmouth (DCPH-P), Portsmouth, VA, 23708, USA
| | - Paula Guro
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Elizabeth J King
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Robert Orellana
- CDC Foundation, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing, MI, 48909, USA
| | - Nancy L Fleischer
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jana L Hirschtick
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Walusaga HAG, Atuyambe LM, Muddu M, Mpirirwe R, Nangendo J, Kalibbala D, Semitala FC, Katahoire AR. Perceptions and factors associated with the uptake of the community client-led antiretroviral therapy delivery model (CCLAD) at a large urban clinic in Uganda: a mixed methods study. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1165. [PMID: 37885014 PMCID: PMC10605330 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10182-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Community Client-Led ART Delivery (CCLAD) is a community HIV care model. In this model, a group of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in a specific location, take turns going to the HIV clinic to pick up Antiretroviral Treatment refills for members. The uptake of this model, however, remains low despite its improvements in patient retention. In this study, we explored PLHIV's perceptions of this model and identified the factors associated with its low uptake. METHODS This was a mixed methods study based on a retrospective review of records of PLHIV and in-depth interviews. We reviewed the medical records of people receiving ART to determine their current model of ART delivery and conducted in-depth interviews with 30 participants who were eligible to be enrolled in the CCLAD model at the Mulago ISS clinic. We performed logistic regression to identify factors associated with the uptake of the CCLAD model and inductive thematic analysis to explore PLHIV's perceptions of the CCLAD model. RESULTS A total of 776 PLHIV were sampled for the study, 545 (70.2%) of whom were female. The mean age (standard deviation) was 42 (± 9.3) years. Overall, 55 (7.1%) received ART using the CCLAD model. Compared to other ART-delivery models, CCLAD was associated with being on ART for at least eight years (AOR 3.72; 95% CI: 1.35-10.25) and having no prior missed clinic appointments (AOR 10.68; 95% CI: 3.31-34.55). Mixed perceptions were expressed about the CCLAD model. Participants interviewed appreciated CCLAD for its convenience and the opportunities it offered members to talk and support each other. Others however, expressed concerns about the process of group formation, and feeling detached from the health facility with consequences of lack of confidentiality. CONCLUSION The current uptake of the CCLAD model is lower than the national recommended percentage of 15%. Its uptake was associated with those who had been in care for a longer period and who did not miss appointments. Despite CCLAD being perceived as convenient and as promoting support among members, several challenges were expressed. These included complexities of group formation, fear of stigma and feelings of detachment from health facilities among others. So, while CCLAD presents a promising alternative ART delivery model, more attention needs to be paid to the processes of group formation and improved patient monitoring to address the feelings of detachment from the facility and facility staff.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lynn M Atuyambe
- Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martin Muddu
- Makerere University Joint AIDS Program (MJAP), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ruth Mpirirwe
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- School of Statistics and Applied Economics, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joan Nangendo
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dennis Kalibbala
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Fred C Semitala
- Makerere University Joint AIDS Program (MJAP), Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Anne R Katahoire
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Child Health Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
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Camara H, Nosi S, Munnull G, Badman SG, Bolgna J, Kuk J, Mola GD, Guy R, Vallely AJ, Kelly-Hanku A. "This is really something: same place, same day result, same day treatment" women's experiences of testing positive for HPV and receiving same-day treatment in Papua New Guinea: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. BMC Womens Health 2023; 23:438. [PMID: 37596636 PMCID: PMC10439555 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02557-z] [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: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is transforming cervical screening globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends same-day HPV screen-and-treat for primary cervical screening in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) but there is a lack of evidence on women's lived experience of testing positive for oncogenic HPV and receiving same-day treatment. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap among women participating in a same-day HPV screen-and-treat (HPV S&T) program in Papua New Guinea. METHODS As part of a larger qualitative study, this paper explores the lived experiences of 26 women who tested positive for oncogenic HPV and were treated the same day. We analysed the data using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method. All data were managed using Nvivo 12.5. RESULTS The interpretative phenomenological analysis led to three superordinate themes: 1) facing and alleviating initial worries, (2) transforming the disclosure process, and (3) connecting to their faith. Women's experiences of the same day HPV screen-and-treat were framed by initial emotional reactions to their positive HPV test result, and having access to treatment on the same day, which helped address their worries and fears, and transformed their experience of disclosing their test result and subsequent treatment to family and friends. CONCLUSION This study shows that, while women experience similar initial emotional reactions, undergoing same day treatment quickly resolved the women's worries, making this program highly acceptable. Overall, women's engagement in the program confirmed its high acceptability and cultural congruence, leaving women feeling empowered and hopeful about their future, and the future of all Papua New Guinea women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hawa Camara
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Somu Nosi
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Homate Street, PO Box 60, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Gloria Munnull
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Homate Street, PO Box 60, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital, WHP 281, PO Box 36, Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea
| | - Steven G Badman
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - John Bolgna
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Modilon General Hospital, PO Box 1200, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Joseph Kuk
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital, WHP 281, PO Box 36, Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea
| | - Glen Dl Mola
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, NCD, PO Box 5623, Boroko, Papua New Guinea
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Vallely
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Homate Street, PO Box 60, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Angela Kelly-Hanku
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Homate Street, PO Box 60, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
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Kirabira J, Ashaba S, Favina A, Maling S, Nansera D, Zanoni BC. Intrapersonal predictors of internalized stigma among school going adolescents living with HIV in southwestern Uganda. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2023; 28:2300-2314. [PMID: 37005735 PMCID: PMC10524164 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2198244] [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: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the association between internalized HIV stigma, resilience, health locus of control, coping self-efficacy and empowerment among adolescents living with HIV in Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional study between August and October 2020 among 173 adolescents aged 13-18 years attending Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital's HIV clinic. We used linear regression to determine the association between HIV stigma and intrapersonal factors adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. The median age of the participants was 16 (IQR 3) years. There was a negative correlation between HIV stigma and resilience (β= -0.03, p < 0.001), internal health locus of control (β= -0.095, p < 0.001) and coping self-efficacy (β= -0.02, p < 0.001), while empowerment was positively correlated (β = 0.07, p < 0.001) with HIV stigma. After adjusting for the intrapersonal factors (resilience, health locus of control, coping self-efficacy and empowerment) and socio-demographic characteristics (education level and boarding school), only internal health locus of control (β=-0.044, p = 0.016) and coping self-efficacy (β=-0.015, p < 0.001) remained significantly correlated with HIV stigma. The findings suggest that interventions focusing on intrapersonal factors such as internal locus of control, empowerment and resilience may contribute towards reduction of HIV stigma among adolescents in boarding schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Kirabira
- Department of Psychiatry, Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Scholastic Ashaba
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Alain Favina
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Samuel Maling
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Denis Nansera
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Brian C. Zanoni
- Emory University School of Medicine, Departments of Medicine and Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, USA
- Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Global Health, Atlanta, USA
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Katirayi L, Tchendjou P, Tchounga B, Mbunka M, Wicks M, Conserve DF. Changing attitudes towards HIV testing and treatment among three generations of men in Cameroon: a qualitative analysis using the Fogg Behavior Model. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:501. [PMID: 36922812 PMCID: PMC10015680 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Men are less likely than women to test for HIV and promptly initiate antiretroviral treatment, resulting in advanced HIV disease and increased mortality rates among them. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with men and leaders in the west and central regions of Cameroon. Men were recruited from existing community groups and stratified by age: 21-30 years, 31-40 years, and 41 years and older. Community leaders were recommended by the community dialogue structure chairman. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured guide in English or French, depending on the participant's preference. Transcripts were coded in the MAXQDA v.12 software and analyzed using thematic analysis and by age group. The Fogg Behavior Model was used to gain a deeper understanding of the different perceptions across all age groups. RESULTS Younger men (21-30 years) were generally more accepting of HIV testing, as it had become normative behavior. Although financial barriers could limit access, free testing was mentioned as a prompt to initiate HIV testing. The middle age men (31-40 years) had the most concerns about HIV testing interrupting their work day and recommended increasing testing locations and hours. The older men (41 + years) were the least motivated to get tested, citing worries about the impact on their social standing within the community. All age groups reported being motivated to begin treatment if they were found to be HIV-positive. Participants also provided insights regarding community HIV testing and treatment messaging. Younger and older men preferred to hear directly from qualified health professionals, but younger men noted that social media, radio, and TV could be utilized. Middle age men also identified TV and radio as effective mediums, if door-to-door messaging was not an option. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights important considerations when planning future information-sharing activities for HIV testing and treatment. Since lived experiences differ across generations and societal roles continue to change, not only should the content of messages differ among the generations, but the means of communication must also be considered to ensure the messages are conveyed through a trusted source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Katirayi
- Research Department, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, 1350 Eye St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005 USA
| | - Patrice Tchendjou
- Programs Department, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Boris Tchounga
- Research Department, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Muhamed Mbunka
- Research Department, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Madison Wicks
- Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Donaldson F. Conserve
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
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Increased uptake of tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT) among people living with HIV following the 100-days accelerated campaign: A retrospective review of routinely collected data at six urban public health facilities in Uganda. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0268935. [PMID: 36821550 PMCID: PMC9949662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT) effectively decreases rates of developing active tuberculosis disease in people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are at increased risk. The Uganda Ministry of Health launched a 100-day campaign to scale-up TPT in PLHIV in July 2019. We sought to examine the effect of the campaign on trends of TPT uptake and characteristics associated with TPT uptake and completion among persons in HIV care. We retrospectively reviewed routinely collected data from 2016 to 2019 at six urban public health facilities in Uganda. HIV care database and paper-based TPT registers at six public health facilities in Kampala, Uganda were retrospectively reviewed. Estimated trends of TPT (given as Isoniazid monotherapy) uptake and completion across the 4 years, among PLHIV aged 15 years and above, and factors associated, were examined using Poisson regression model with robust standard errors using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. On average, a total of 39,774 PLHIV aged 15 years and above were eligible for TPT each calendar year at the six health facilities. Across all 4 years, more than 70% were females (range: 73.5% -74.6%) and the median age ranged from 33 to 34 years. From 2016 quarter one to 2019 quarter two, TPT uptake was consistently below 25%, but, as expected, the uptake significantly increased by about 3-folds from 22.1% to 61.2%, in 2019 quarter two (i.e. before the roll-out of the 100-day accelerated TPT intervention) and quarter three (i.e. after the roll-out of the 100-day accelerated TPT intervention) respectively. This increase remained highly significant even after adjusting for patients' baseline characteristics (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 2.58 [95%CI 2.45, 2.72], P-value<0.001). TPT completion was consistently high at above 70% at most of the time, but, it increased significantly among those initiated during 2018 quarter four and in the subsequent two quarters after the roll-out of the 100-day accelerated TPT intervention (i.e. TPT completion was: 83.2%, 95.3%, and 97.1% among individuals initiated during 2018 quarter4, and 2019 quarters 1 and 2, respectively). The increase in TPT completion during this period remained significant even after adjusting for patients' baseline characteristics (aPR [95%CI] = 1.09 [1.04, 1.14], P value<0.001, and 1.10 [1.05,1.15], P value<0.001, for individuals initiated during 2019 quarter 1, and 2, respectively compared to those initiated during 2018 quarter 4). Not on ART or newly started on ART compared to ART experienced, and pregnant at TPT initiation compared to not pregnant were associated with poor TPT completion, whereas older age (≥25 years versus 15-24 years) was associated with higher TPT completion. The targeted 100-day campaign dramatically increased TPT uptake and completion among PLHIV suggesting a viable catch up strategy to meet WHO guidelines. Future analysis with additional years of data post 100-days TPT intervention is required to evaluate the sustainability of the observed gains.
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Sileo KM, Wanyenze RK, Anecho A, Luttinen R, Semei C, Mukasa B, Musoke W, Vermund SH, Dworkin SL, Dovidio JF, Taylor BS, Kershaw TS. Protocol for the pilot quasi-experimental controlled trial of a gender-responsive implementation strategy with providers to improve HIV outcomes in Uganda. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2022; 8:264. [PMID: 36564795 PMCID: PMC9783690 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-022-01202-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is the most effective clinical intervention for reducing morbidity and mortality among persons living with HIV. However, in Uganda, there are disparities between men and women in viral load suppression and related HIV care engagement outcomes, which suggests problems with the implementation of ART. Gender norms are a known driver of HIV disparities in sub-Saharan Africa, and patient-provider relationships are a key factor in HIV care engagement; therefore, the role of gender norms is important to consider in interventions to achieve the equitable provision of treatment and the quality of ART counseling. METHODS The overall research objective of this study is to pilot test an implementation strategy (i.e., methods to improve the implementation of an evidence-based intervention) to increase providers' capacity to provide gender-responsive treatment and counseling to men and women on HIV treatment in Uganda. Delivered to HIV providers, this group training adapts evidence-based strategies to reduce gender biases and increase skills to deliver gender-specific and transformative HIV counseling to patients. The implementation strategy will be piloted through a quasi-experimental controlled trial. Clinics will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control conditions. The trial will assess feasibility and acceptability and explore barriers and facilitators to implementation and future adoption while gathering preliminary evidence on the implementation strategy's effectiveness by comparing changes in patient (N = 240) and provider (N = 80-140) outcomes across intervention and control clinics through 12-month follow-up. Quantitative data will be descriptively analyzed, qualitative data will be analyzed through thematic analysis, and these data will be mixed during the presentation and interpretation of results where appropriate. DISCUSSION This pilot intervention trial will gather preliminary evidence on the acceptability, feasibility, and potential effect of a novel implementation strategy to improve men and women's HIV care engagement, with the potential to reduce gender disparities in HIV outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05178979 , retrospectively registered on January 5, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Sileo
- Department of Public Health, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - R K Wanyenze
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - A Anecho
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - R Luttinen
- Department of Demography, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - C Semei
- Mildmay Uganda, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - S H Vermund
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - S L Dworkin
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, WA, USA
| | - J F Dovidio
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - B S Taylor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - T S Kershaw
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Reynolds Z, Gilbert R, Sentongo R, Meyer AC, Saylor D, Okello S, Nakasujja N, Greene M, Seeley J, Tsai AC, Asiimwe S, Quach L, Olivieri-Mui B, Siedner MJ. Priorities for health and wellbeing for older people with and without HIV in Uganda: a qualitative methods study. J Int AIDS Soc 2022; 25 Suppl 4:e26000. [PMID: 36176017 PMCID: PMC9523001 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.26000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction With improved HIV treatment availability in sub‐Saharan Africa, the population of older people with HIV (PWH) is growing. In this qualitative study, we intended to understand (1) the lived experiences of ageing people in rural Uganda, with and without HIV, (2) their fears and health priorities as they grow older. Methods We conducted 36 semi‐structured interviews with individuals with and without HIV in Mbarara, Uganda from October 2019 to February 2020. Interview guide topics included priorities in older age, physical functioning in daily activities, social functioning, HIV‐related stigma and the impact of multimorbidity on health and independence. Interviews were conducted in Runyankole, transcribed, translated and inductively coded thematically by two researchers with tests for inter‐coder reliability. Results The respondents were purposively sampled to be evenly divided by sex and HIV serostatus. The median age of respondents was 57 (49–73). Two‐thirds were married or cohabitating, 94% had biological children and 75% cited farming as their primary livelihood. Overall, PWH considered themselves as healthy or healthier than people without HIV (PWOH). PWH rarely considered their HIV status a barrier to a healthy life, but some reported a constant sense of anxiety as it relates to their long‐term health. Irrespective of HIV status, nearly all respondents noted concerns about memory loss, physical pain, reductions in energy and the effect of these changes on their ability to complete physical tasks like small‐scale farming, and activities of daily living important to the quality of life, such as participating in community groups. Increasing reliance on others for social, physical and financial support was also a common theme. The most prevalent health concern among participants involved the threat of non‐communicable diseases and perceptions that physical functioning may diminish. Conclusions In rural Uganda, we found that PWH consider themselves to be healthy and do not anticipate a different ageing experience from PWOH. Common priorities shared by both groups included the desire for physical and financial independence, health maintenance and social support for daily functioning and social needs. Entities supporting geriatric care in Uganda would benefit from attention to concerns about functional limitations and reported needs as people age with and without HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Reynolds
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Gilbert
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ruth Sentongo
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Ana-Claire Meyer
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Deanna Saylor
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Samson Okello
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - Janet Seeley
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen Asiimwe
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Kabwohe Clinical Research Centre, Kabwohe, Uganda
| | - Lien Quach
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Mark J Siedner
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Fongkaew K, de Lind van Wijngaarden JW, Tepjan S, Chonwanarat N, Akkakanjanasupar P, Newman PA. 'No test, no disease': Multilevel barriers to HIV testing among young men who have sex with men and transgender women in three semi-urban areas in Thailand. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2022; 24:1199-1214. [PMID: 34254893 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1938237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Young gay and other men who have sex with men and young transgender women in Thailand continue to be at high risk for HIV infection. We explored multilevel influences on HIV testing in order to inform the design of tailored interventions. We conducted four focus group discussions with 16-20-year-old gay men and transgender persons (n = 25) and 17 key informant interviews with healthcare providers, NGO leaders, and youth advocates. Focus groups and interviews were transcribed and reviewed using thematic analysis in Thai and English language by a bilingual team. We identified intersecting, culturally situated barriers at individual (lack of HIV knowledge, low HIV risk perception, denial), social (intersectional sexual- and HIV-related stigma, lack of family communication), institutional (inadequate and non-LGBT-inclusive sexual health education in schools, lack of youth-friendly clinics) and policy levels (parental consent requirements for HIV testing by minors). Multilevel and multisystem factors coalesce to form extensive barriers to HIV testing access and utilisation and promote disengagement from HIV prevention more broadly. Multicomponent, youth-engaged interventions informed by Thai sociocultural history and practices are needed in renewed approaches to HIV prevention and testing to end the epidemic among young gay and transgender people in Thailand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangwan Fongkaew
- Department of Communication Arts, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter A Newman
- VOICES-Thailand Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Saya U, MacCarthy S, Mukasa B, Wabukala P, Lunkuse L, Wagner Z, Linnemayr S. "The one who doesn't take ART medication has no wealth at all and no purpose on Earth" - a qualitative assessment of how HIV-positive adults in Uganda understand the health and wealth-related benefits of ART. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1056. [PMID: 35619119 PMCID: PMC9137215 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13461-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increases in life expectancy from antiretroviral therapy (ART) may influence future health and wealth among people living with HIV (PLWH). What remains unknown is how PLWH in care perceive the benefits of ART adherence, particularly in terms of improving health and wealth in the short and long-term at the individual, household, and structural levels. Understanding future-oriented attitudes towards ART may help policymakers tailor care and treatment programs with both short and long-term-term health benefits in mind, to improve HIV-related outcomes for PLWH. METHODS In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews among a subsample of 40 PLWH in care at a clinic in Uganda participating in a randomized clinical trial for treatment adherence in Uganda (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03494777). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated from Luganda into English. Two co-authors independently reviewed transcripts, developed a detailed codebook, achieved 93% agreement on double-coded interviews, and analyzed data using inductive and deductive content analysis. Applying the social-ecological framework at the individual, household, and structural levels, we examined how PLWH perceived health and wealth-related benefits to ART. RESULTS Our findings revealed several benefits of ART expressed by PLWH, going beyond the short-term health benefits to also include long-term economic benefits. Such benefits largely focused on the ability of PLWH to live longer and be physically and mentally healthy, while also fulfilling responsibilities at the individual level pertaining to themselves (especially in terms of positive long-term habits and motivation to work harder), at the household level pertaining to others (such as improved relations with family and friends), and at the structural level pertaining to society (in terms of reduced stigma, increased comfort in disclosure, and higher levels of civic responsibility). CONCLUSIONS PLWH consider short and long-term health benefits of ART. Programming designed to shape ART uptake and increase adherence should emphasize the broader benefits of ART at various levels. Having such benefits directly integrated into the design of clinic-based HIV interventions can be useful especially for PLWH who face competing interests to increase medication adherence. These benefits can ultimately help providers and policymakers better understand PLWH's decision-making as it relates to improving ART-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uzaib Saya
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA.
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA.
| | - Sarah MacCarthy
- Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, 227, Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | | | | | | | - Zachary Wagner
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA
| | - Sebastian Linnemayr
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA
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Vetrova M, Lodi S, Rateau L, Patts G, Blokhina E, Palatkin V, Yaroslavtseva T, Toussova O, Bushara N, Bendiks S, Gnatienko N, Krupitsky E, Lioznov D, Samet JH, Lunze K. Stigma and ART initiation among people with HIV and a lifetime history of illicit drug use in Saint-Petersburg, Russia–A prospective cohort analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 102:103600. [PMID: 35134598 PMCID: PMC8960362 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV-positive people who inject drugs (PWID) are stigmatized and face more challenges in accessing ART. The natural course of stigma and its role on ART initiation in this population is unclear. We examined 1] whether HIV stigma changes over time and 2] whether HIV and substance use stigma are associated with ART initiation in a prospective cohort of HIV-positive PWID in St. Petersburg, Russia. METHODS We used data from 165 HIV-positive PWID who were ART-naïve at enrollment andgeneralized estimating equations to assess changes in HIV stigma between baseline, 12- and 24-month study visits. Logistic regression estimated associations of HIV stigma and substance use stigma with ART initiation. All models were adjusted for gender, age, CD4 count, duration of HIV diagnosis, recent (past 30-day) drug use and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Participants characteristics were the following: median age of 34 (Q1; Q3: 30; 37) years; 30% female; 28% with CD4 count <350; 44% reported recent drug use. During the study period, 31% initiated ART and the median time between HIV diagnosis and ART initiation was 8.5 years (Q1; Q3: 4.68; 13.61). HIV stigma scores decreased yearly by 0.57 (95% CI -1.36, 0.22). More than half (27/47 [57.4%]) of participants who were eligible for ART initiation per local ART guidelines did not initiate therapy. Total HIV stigma and substance use stigma scores were not associated with ART initiation (AOR 0.99, 95%CI 0.94-1.04; AOR 1.01, 95%CI 0.96-1.05, respectively). CONCLUSION In this Russian cohort of HIV-positive, ART-naïve PWID, stigma did not change over time and was not associated with ART initiation. Addressing stigma alone is unlikely to increase ART initiation rates in this population. Reducing further existing structural barriers, e.g., by promoting equal access to ART and the value of substance-use treatment for ART treatment success should complement stigma-reduction approaches.
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Langi GG, Rahadi A, Praptoraharjo I, Ahmad RA. HIV-related stigma and discrimination among health care workers during early program decentralization in rural district Gunungkidul, Indonesia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:356. [PMID: 35300667 PMCID: PMC8932246 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07751-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expanding HIV services by decentralizing provision to primary care raises a possible concern of HIV-related stigma and discrimination (SAD) from health care workers (HCWs) as new service points gain experience in HIV care delivery during early implementation. We surveyed indicators and examined the correlates of HIV-related SAD among HCWs in a decentralizing district of rural Gunungkidul, Indonesia. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey on a random stratified sample of 234 HCWs in 14 public health facilities (one district hospital, 13 primary health centers [PHC]) during the second year of decentralization roll-out in the district. We computed the prevalence of SAD indicators and used multivariable logistic regression to identify the correlates of these SAD indicators. RESULTS The prevalence of SAD among HCWs was similarly high between hospital and PHC HCWs for fear of HIV transmission (~71%) and perceived negative image of PHIV (~75%). Hospital HCWs exhibited somewhat lower avoidance of service duties (52.6% vs. 63.7%; p = 0.088) with weak evidence of a difference and significantly higher levels of discriminatory practice (96.1% vs. 85.6%; p = 0.009) than those working in PHCs. Recent interactions with PLHIV and receipt of training lowered the odds of fear of HIV transmission (p <0.021). However, the odds of avoiding care duties increased with receipt of training (p =0.003) and decreased for hospital HCWs (p = 0.030). HIV knowledge lowered the odds of discriminatory practice (p = 0.002), but hospital facility and nurse/midwife cadres were associated with increased odds of discriminatory practices (p <0.021). No significant correlate was found for perceived negative image of PLHIV. CONCLUSION HIV-related SAD among HCWs can be prevalent during early decentralization, highlighting the need for timely or preparatory interventions with a focus on building the capacity of hospital and non-physician workforce for positive patient-provider interactions when delivering HIV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaby G Langi
- University Center of Excellence, AIDS Research Center, Health Policy and Social Innovation, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, DKI Jakarta, 12930, Indonesia.
- Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), Department of Biostatistics Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.
| | - Arie Rahadi
- University Center of Excellence, AIDS Research Center, Health Policy and Social Innovation, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, DKI Jakarta, 12930, Indonesia.
| | - Ignatius Praptoraharjo
- University Center of Excellence, AIDS Research Center, Health Policy and Social Innovation, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, DKI Jakarta, 12930, Indonesia
- Center for Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Riris A Ahmad
- Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), Department of Biostatistics Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
- Center for Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
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Internalized stigma, depressive symptoms, and the modifying role of antiretroviral therapy: A cohort study in rural Uganda. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2021; 1. [PMID: 35252904 PMCID: PMC8896824 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2021.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression affects over 40% of people with HIV (PHIV) in low- and middle-income countries, and over half of PHIV report HIV-related internalized stigma. However, few longitudinal studies of PHIV have examined the relationship between HIV-related stigma and depression. Data were analyzed from the 2007–15 Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes (UARTO) Study, a cohort of 454 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve PHIV (68% women) starting ART. Our primary outcome was depression symptom severity over the first two years of ART, measured using a locally adapted version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist; our primary exposure was the 6-item Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale. Both scores were measured at enrollment and at quarterly follow-up visits. We fit linear generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression models to estimate the association between stigma and depression symptom severity, adjusting for potential confounders. We included a stigma×time product term to assess the modifying effect of ART on the association between internalized stigma and depression symptom severity. UARTO participants had a median age of 32 years and median enrollment CD4 count of 217 cells/mm3. Both depression symptom severity and internalized stigma declined on ART, particularly during the first treatment year. In multivariable regression models, depression symptom severity was positively associated with internalized stigma (b=0.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02 to 0.04) and negatively associated with ART duration >6 months (b =− 0.16; 95% CI,− 0.19 to −0.13). The estimated product term coefficient was negative and statistically significant (P = 0.004), suggesting that the association between internalized stigma and depression symptom severity weakened over time on ART. Thus, in this large cohort of PHIV initiating ART in rural Uganda, depression symptom severity was associated with internalized stigma but the association declined with time on ART. These findings underscore the potential value of ART as a stigma reduction intervention for PHIV, particularly during early treatment.
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Nyamaruze P, Govender K, Cowden RG. Self-esteem and antiretroviral therapy adherence among young people living with HIV: An exploratory serial mediation analysis. S AFR J SCI 2021. [DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/8354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Capitalising further on the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for individual treatment requires an improved understanding of the psychological processes that may affect optimal ART adherence among people living with HIV. We examined internalised HIV/AIDS-related stigma and body appreciation as mediators of the association between self-esteem and ART adherence among young people living with HIV (YPLHIV). A sample of 76 YPLHIV (Mage = 19.36, s.d.age = 2.56; male 56.58%) residing in an HIV hyperendemic region of South Africa completed self-report measures of self-esteem, internalised HIV/AIDS-related stigma, body appreciation, and ART adherence. Path-analytic mediation modelling was performed to test for direct and indirect effects linking self-esteem with ART adherence. Results of serial mediation analyses indicated that self-esteem and ART adherence were indirectly associated through a two-step path of internalised HIV/AIDS-related stigma and then body appreciation, as well as a one-step path through internalised HIV/AIDS-related stigma. The results provide preliminary support for internalised HIV/AIDS-related stigma and body appreciation as mechanisms underlying the association between self-esteem and ART adherence. Implications of the findings for promoting ART adherence among YPLHIV are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Nyamaruze
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Kaymarlin Govender
- Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Richard G. Cowden
- Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Esber A, Dear N, Reed D, Bahemana E, Owouth J, Maswai J, Kibuuka H, Iroezindu M, Crowell TA, Polyak CS, Akom E, Ake JA. Temporal trends in self-reported HIV stigma and association with adherence and viral suppression in the African Cohort Study. AIDS Care 2021; 34:78-85. [PMID: 34612100 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1984380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
HIV stigma is a major barrier to HIV care and treatment among people living with HIV (PLWH). Evidence suggests that expansion in antiretroviral therapy (ART) may reduce stigma. However, there are limited longitudinal studies examining temporal trends in HIV stigma in sub-Saharan Africa in the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) era. We longitudinally assessed temporal trends in self-reported experienced stigma and the association of experienced stigma with ART adherence and viral suppression among PLWH enrolled in the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS). AFRICOS is an ongoing cohort study enrolling PLWH in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. As of 1 March 2020, 2937 PLWH enrolled in AFRICOS and had available data. In 2013, 22% of participants reported stigma at the enrollment visit and by 2018 the prevalence decreased to 1% overall and was below 2% for all countries. However, there was not a statistically significant change in stigma prevalence in our longitudinal models. In adjusted models, experiencing stigma was associated with a 0.67 decreased odds of ART Adherence (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.80) and a 0.64 decreased odds of viral suppression (95% CI: 0.73-0.99). HIV-associated stigma was associated with poor self-reported ART adherence and unsuppressed viral load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allahna Esber
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicole Dear
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Domonique Reed
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emmanuel Bahemana
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,HJF Medical Research International, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - John Owouth
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,HJF Medical Research International, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Jonah Maswai
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,HJF Medical Research International, Kericho, Kenya
| | - Hannah Kibuuka
- Makerere University Walter Reed Project, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Michael Iroezindu
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,HJF Medical Research International, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Trevor A Crowell
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christina S Polyak
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eniko Akom
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julie A Ake
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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20
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Sileo KM, Wanyenze RK, Mukasa B, Musoke W, Kiene SM. The Intersection of Inequitable Gender Norm Endorsement and HIV Stigma: Implications for HIV Care Engagement for Men in Ugandan Fishing Communities. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:2863-2874. [PMID: 33566214 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03176-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Men's engagement in the HIV care continuum may be negatively affected by adherence to inequitable gender norms, which may be exacerbated by HIV stigma. This cross-sectional study with 300 male fisherfolk in Uganda examined the independent and interacting effects of inequitable gender norm endorsement and HIV stigma on men's missed HIV care appointments and missed antiretroviral (ARV) doses. Greater gender inequitable norm endorsement was associated with increased odds of missed HIV clinic visits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR)] 1.44, 95% CI 1.16-1.78) and a statistically significant interaction between internalized HIV stigma and inequitable gender norms on missed ARV doses was identified (AOR 5.32, 95% CI 2.60-10.86). Adherence to traditional gender norms reduces men's HIV appointment attendance, and among men with high internalized stigma, increases the likelihood of poor treatment adherence. These findings point to the need for HIV interventions that reconfigure harmful gender norms with a focus on stigma reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Sileo
- Department of Public Health, University of Texas At San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, MB 3.472, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
- SDSU School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - R K Wanyenze
- Makerere School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - S M Kiene
- SDSU School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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21
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Öztürk S, Şimşek Ç, Ardıç E, Ağalar C. Turkish validity and reliability of the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2021; 57:1292-1298. [PMID: 33295019 DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study was conducted methodologically to adapt the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale (IA-RSS) to Turkish society. DESIGN AND METHODS: The universe of the study consisted of 250 people who were treated in the infectious diseases outpatient clinic. A total of 60 individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) composed the sample. The Individual Information Form and IA-RSS were used for data collection. FINDINGS All the statistical procedures performed in the validity and reliability stages of the study show that the scale is a valid, reliable measurement tool for the Turkish culture. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The Turkish version of the IA-RSS was determined as a valid and reliable screening tool that measures internal stigmatization in living with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Servet Öztürk
- Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Bostancı, Turkey
| | - Çağlar Şimşek
- Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Taksim, Turkey
| | - Elif Ardıç
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Marmara University, İstanbul, Maltepe, Turkey
| | - Canan Ağalar
- Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Bostancı, Turkey
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22
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Phiri K, McBride K, Moucheraud C, Mphande M, Balakasi K, Lungu E, Kalande P, Hoffman RM, Dovel K. Community and health system factors associated with antiretroviral therapy initiation among men and women in Malawi: a mixed methods study exploring gender-specific barriers to care. Int Health 2021; 13:253-261. [PMID: 32844205 PMCID: PMC8079311 DOI: 10.1093/inthealth/ihaa041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although community and health system factors are known to be critical to timely antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, little is known about how they affect men and women. METHODS We examined community- and health system-level factors associated with ART initiation in Malawi and whether associations differ by gender; 312 ART initiates and 108 non-initiates completed a survey; a subset of 30 individuals completed an indepth interview. Quantitative data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, with separate models by gender. Qualitative data were analyzed through constant comparison methods. RESULTS Among women, no community-level characteristics were associated with ART initiation in multivariable models; among men, receiving social support for HIV services (adjusted OR [AOR]=4.61; p<0.05) was associated with ART initiation. Two health system factors were associated with ART initiation among men and one for women: trust that accessing ART services would not lead to unwanted disclosure (women: AOR=4.51, p<0.01; men: AOR=1.71, p<0.01) and trust that clients were not turned away from ART services (men: 12.36, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Qualitative data indicate that men were concerned about unwanted disclosure due to engaging in ART services and long waiting times for services. Interventions to remove health system barriers to ART services should be explored to promote social support among men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khumbo Phiri
- Partners in Hope, P.O. Box 302, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Kaitlyn McBride
- Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Corrina Moucheraud
- Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Lungu
- Partners in Hope, P.O. Box 302, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | - Risa M Hoffman
- Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Kathryn Dovel
- Partners in Hope, P.O. Box 302, Lilongwe, Malawi.,Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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23
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Akatukwasa C, Getahun M, El Ayadi AM, Namanya J, Maeri I, Itiakorit H, Owino L, Sanyu N, Kabami J, Ssemmondo E, Sang N, Kwarisiima D, Petersen ML, Charlebois ED, Chamie G, Clark TD, Cohen CR, Kamya MR, Bukusi EA, Havlir DV, Camlin CS. Dimensions of HIV-related stigma in rural communities in Kenya and Uganda at the start of a large HIV 'test and treat' trial. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249462. [PMID: 33999961 PMCID: PMC8128261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-related stigma is a frequently cited barrier to HIV testing and care engagement. A nuanced understanding of HIV-related stigma is critical for developing stigma-reduction interventions to optimize HIV-related outcomes. This qualitative study documented HIV-related stigma across eight communities in east Africa during the baseline year of a large HIV test-and-treat trial (SEARCH, NCT: 01864603), prior to implementation of widespread community HIV testing campaigns and efforts to link individuals with HIV to care and treatment. Findings revealed experiences of enacted, internalized and anticipated stigma that were highly gendered, and more pronounced in communities with lower HIV prevalence; women, overwhelmingly, both held and were targets of stigmatizing attitudes about HIV. Past experiences with enacted stigma included acts of segregation, verbal discrimination, physical violence, humiliation and rejection. Narratives among women, in particular, revealed acute internalized stigma including feelings of worthlessness, shame, embarrassment, and these resulted in anxiety and depression, including suicidality among a small number of women. Anticipated stigma included fears of marital dissolution, verbal and physical abuse, gossip and public ridicule. Anticipated stigma was especially salient for women who held internalized stigma and who had experienced enacted stigma from their partners. Anticipated stigma led to care avoidance, care-seeking at remote facilities, and hiding of HIV medications. Interventions aimed at reducing individual and community-level forms of stigma may be needed to improve the lives of PLHIV and fully realize the promise of test-and-treat strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monica Getahun
- Department of Obstetrics, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Alison M. El Ayadi
- Department of Obstetrics, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Judith Namanya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Irene Maeri
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Lawrence Owino
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Naomi Sanyu
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jane Kabami
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Norton Sang
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Maya L. Petersen
- Divisions of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Edwin D. Charlebois
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Chamie
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Tamara D. Clark
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Craig R. Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Moses R. Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Elizabeth A. Bukusi
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Diane V. Havlir
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Carol S. Camlin
- Department of Obstetrics, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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24
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Chan BT, Chakrapani V, Tsai AC. HIV-related stigma trends in the general population of India during an era of antiretroviral treatment expansion, 2005-16. J Glob Health 2020; 10:020420. [PMID: 33274063 PMCID: PMC7698569 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.020420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In India, which has the world's third-largest HIV epidemic, the extent to which levels of HIV-related stigma have changed during an era of ART scale-up is unknown. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2005-06 and 2015-16 National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) to estimate trends in two stigma domains among people in the general population: desires for social distance from people living with HIV (ie, unwillingness to interact) and fear of serostatus disclosure in the case of a hypothetical HIV infection. We fitted multivariable linear probability models to the data with year of NFHS as the explanatory variable and alternately specifying fear of disclosure or desires for social distance as the dependent variable. Analyses were stratified by sex, state, and high vs low HIV prevalence states. RESULTS We included data on 172 795 women and 159 194 men. Desires for social distance declined in 2015-16 compared with 2005-06 (38% in 2015-16 vs 43% in 2005-06; adjusted b = -0.046; 95% confidence interval (CI = -0.049 to -0.043; P < 0.001) but fear of serostatus disclosure increased (31% in 2005-06 vs 37% in 2015-16; adjusted b = 0.058; 95% CI = 0.055-0.062; P < 0.001). Declines in social distancing were more pronounced among men and in high HIV prevalence states. Increased fear of serostatus disclosure was greater among women and in high HIV prevalence states. There was significant variability in trends disaggregated by state. CONCLUSIONS During the first decade of ART scale-up in India, fear of HIV serostatus disclosure in the general population increased despite a decline in desires for social distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Chan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Venkatesan Chakrapani
- Centre for Sexuality and Health Research and Policy (C-SHaRP), Chennai, India
- The Humsafar Trust, Mumbai, India
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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25
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Camlin CS, Charlebois ED, Getahun M, Akatukwasa C, Atwine F, Itiakorit H, Bakanoma R, Maeri I, Owino L, Onyango A, Chamie G, Clark TD, Cohen CR, Kwarisiima D, Kabami J, Sang N, Kamya MR, Bukusi EA, Petersen ML, V Havlir D. Pathways for reduction of HIV-related stigma: a model derived from longitudinal qualitative research in Kenya and Uganda. J Int AIDS Soc 2020; 23:e25647. [PMID: 33283986 PMCID: PMC7720278 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been associated with reductions in HIV-related stigma, but pathways through which this reduction occurs are poorly understood. In the newer context of universal test and treat (UTT) interventions, where rapid diffusion of ART uptake takes place, there is an opportunity to understand the processes through which HIV-related stigma can decline, and how UTT strategies may precipitate more rapid and widespread changes in stigma. This qualitative study sought to evaluate how a UTT intervention influenced changes in beliefs, attitudes and behaviours related to HIV. METHODS Longitudinal qualitative in-depth semi-structured interview data were collected within a community-cluster randomized UTT trial, the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health (SEARCH) study, annually over three rounds (2014 to 2016) from two cohorts of adults (n = 32 community leaders, and n = 112 community members) in eight rural communities in Uganda and Kenya. Data were inductively analysed to develop new theory for understanding the pathways of stigma decline. RESULTS We present an emergent theoretical model of pathways through which HIV-related stigma may decline: internalized stigma may be reduced by two processes accelerated through the uptake and successful usage of ART: first, a reduced fear of dying and increased optimism for prolonged and healthy years of life; second, a restoration of perceived social value and fulfilment of subjective role expectations via restored physical strength and productivity. Anticipated stigma may be reduced in response to widespread engagement in HIV testing, leading to an increasing number of HIV status disclosures in a community, "normalizing" disclosure and reducing fears. Improvements in the perceived quality of HIV care lead to people living with HIV (PLHIV) seeking care in nearby facilities, seeing other known community members living with HIV, reducing isolation and facilitating opportunities for social support and "solidarity." Finally, enacted stigma may be reduced in response to the community viewing the healthy bodies of PLHIV successfully engaged in treatment, which lessens the fears that trigger enacted stigma; it becomes no longer socially normative to stigmatize PLHIV. This process may be reinforced through public health messaging and anti-discrimination laws. CONCLUSIONS Declines in HIV-related stigma appear to underway and explained by social processes accelerated by UTT efforts. Widespread implementation of UTT shows promise for reducing multiple dimensions of stigma, which is critical for improving health outcomes among PLHIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol S Camlin
- Department of ObstetricsGynecology & Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- Department of MedicineCenter for AIDS Prevention StudiesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Edwin D Charlebois
- Department of MedicineCenter for AIDS Prevention StudiesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Monica Getahun
- Department of ObstetricsGynecology & Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Irene Maeri
- Kenya Medical Research InstituteNairobiKenya
| | | | | | - Gabriel Chamie
- Division of HIVDepartment of MedicineInfectious Diseases, and Global MedicineUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Tamara D Clark
- Division of HIVDepartment of MedicineInfectious Diseases, and Global MedicineUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of ObstetricsGynecology & Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | | | - Jane Kabami
- Infectious Diseases Research CollaborationKampalaUganda
| | - Norton Sang
- Kenya Medical Research InstituteNairobiKenya
| | - Moses R Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research CollaborationKampalaUganda
- School of MedicineMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
| | | | - Maya L Petersen
- Divisions of Biostatistics and EpidemiologySchool of Public HealthUniversity of California BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Diane V Havlir
- Division of HIVDepartment of MedicineInfectious Diseases, and Global MedicineUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
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26
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Yigit I, Bayramoglu Y, Weiser SD, Johnson MO, Mugavero MJ, Turan JM, Turan B. Changes in Internalized Stigma and HIV Health Outcomes in Individuals New to HIV Care: The Mediating Roles of Depression and Treatment Self-Efficacy. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2020; 34:491-497. [PMID: 33147084 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2020.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
There is limited research on the effects of stigma on health outcomes among new-to-HIV care individuals. We examined the effect of changes in internalized stigma over time on health behaviors and outcomes such as viral suppression, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and visit adherence among new-to-HIV care individuals. We also analyzed the mediating effects of adherence self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in these associations. Participants were 186 persons living with HIV who initiated care at four HIV clinical sites in the United States and had diverse geographical and ethnic backgrounds. Baseline and 48-week follow-up assessments included measures of internalized stigma, ART adherence, depressive symptoms, and adherence self-efficacy. HIV visit adherence and viral load data were extracted from clinic records. Age, race, gender, insurance status, and site were controlled in all analyses. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine predictors of adherence and viral suppression. Change (decrease) in internalized stigma was calculated by subtracting follow-up internalized stigma scores from baseline scores and served as the main predictor. Mediation analyses included calculation of 95% confidence intervals for the indirect effects using bootstrapping. Decreases in internalized stigma over time were positively associated with viral suppression, ART adherence, and visit adherence. Adherence self-efficacy significantly mediated these effects of decrease in internalized stigma on all outcomes. Depressive symptoms only mediated the association between decrease in internalized stigma and ART adherence. Interventions that address internalized stigma and depressive symptoms, as well as adherence self-efficacy, may significantly improve adherence and viral suppression outcomes for individuals new to HIV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Yigit
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Yunus Bayramoglu
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Sheri D. Weiser
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mallory O. Johnson
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael J. Mugavero
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Janet M. Turan
- Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Bulent Turan
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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27
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Effects of an intervention on internalized HIV-related stigma for individuals newly entering HIV care. AIDS 2020; 34 Suppl 1:S73-S82. [PMID: 32881796 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Considering the association between internalized HIV-related stigma and treatment adherence, an intervention addressing HIV treatment adherence may have the added benefit of reducing internalized stigma. The 'integrating ENGagement and Adherence Goals upon Entry' (iENGAGE) intervention was developed to facilitate adjustment to living with HIV among individuals newly engaged in HIV care. We evaluated the effects of this intervention on internalized stigma and examined whether the effect is moderated by depressive symptoms and coping styles. DESIGN The iENGAGE intervention was tailored individually to improve information, motivation, and behavioral skills to promote treatment adherence and viral suppression. Three hundred and seventy-one participants initiating HIV care at four sites in the United States were randomly assigned to either the intervention receiving four face-to-face sessions or standard of care control arm. METHODS Baseline and 48-week follow-up assessments were conducted, which included validated measures of internalized HIV-related stigma, depressive symptoms, and coping mechanisms (behavioral disengagement and self-blame) as secondary outcomes. A repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the effect of the intervention on change in internalized HIV stigma. Furthermore, the moderating effects of depressive symptoms and coping mechanisms on the decrease in internalized stigma were examined. RESULTS The decrease in internalized stigma from baseline to 48 weeks was significantly larger in the intervention arm compared with the control arm. This effect was significantly moderated by baseline levels of depressive symptoms and self-blame. CONCLUSION The multifaceted iENGAGE intervention is effective in reducing internalized stigma for new-to-HIV care individuals, especially with higher depressive symptoms or when using higher levels of self-blame coping.
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28
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Winskell K, Sabben G, Singleton R, Bednarczyk RA, Tiendrébéogo G, Nkambule-Vilakati S, Dia FL, Mbakwem B, Stephenson R. Temporal and cross-national comparisons of young Africans' HIV-related narratives from five countries, 1997-2014. SSM Popul Health 2020; 11:100586. [PMID: 32395605 PMCID: PMC7205759 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how young Africans have made sense of the dramatic ways in which the HIV epidemic has evolved, and how that sense-making varies across countries with different epidemiological and sociocultural profiles. Symbolic representations of HIV and people living with HIV influence prevention, stigma, treatment-seeking, and illness experience. We compared social representations of HIV among young people from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nigeria (South-East), Kenya, and Swaziland between 1997 and 2014. From a pool of 32,759 HIV-themed creative narratives contributed by 10-24 year-olds to scriptwriting competitions at eight time points (1997, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2014), we randomly sampled 1937 narratives, stratified by author's sex, age, and rural/urban residence. We quantified components of each narrative and calculated descriptive statistics and adjusted odds ratios, controlling for year, country, and author demographics. From 2005 onwards, representations of death, treatment access, and hopefulness improved significantly. Representations of death reached their lowest point in 2013, while biomedical treatment and hope peaked in 2011 and 2008, respectively, then declined. Narratives increasingly focused on female protagonists. Nigerian texts had significantly higher odds of death and blame, and lower odds of hope. A focus on life post-infection and representations of support for characters living with HIV increased with country HIV prevalence. Narratives by older authors were less blaming and more hopeful, supportive, and prevention-focused. While aggregate social representations in the narratives from 2005 to 2008-11 reflect increased optimism fostered by access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), positive developments are not sustained at this level. Stigmatizing representations persist, particularly in Nigeria. The hope-promoting and stigma-reducing influence of the advent of ART access may have partially run its course by 2011/2013. However, significant temporal and cross-national differences point to opportunities to reframe HIV in more constructive ways and contribute to improved education, communication, and stigma-reduction efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Winskell
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gaëlle Sabben
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robyn Singleton
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert A. Bednarczyk
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Fatim Louise Dia
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Benjamin Mbakwem
- Community and Youth Development Initiatives, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
| | - Rob Stephenson
- Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Rasmussen JD, Kakuhikire B, Baguma C, Ashaba S, Cooper-Vince CE, Perkins JM, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC. Portrayals of mental illness, treatment, and relapse and their effects on the stigma of mental illness: Population-based, randomized survey experiment in rural Uganda. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002908. [PMID: 31539373 PMCID: PMC6754129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental illness stigma is a fundamental barrier to improving mental health worldwide, but little is known about how to durably reduce it. Understanding of mental illness as a treatable medical condition may influence stigmatizing beliefs, but available evidence to inform this hypothesis has been derived solely from high-income countries. We embedded a randomized survey experiment within a whole-population cohort study in rural southwestern Uganda to assess the extent to which portrayals of mental illness treatment effectiveness influence personal beliefs and perceived norms about mental illness and about persons with mental illness. METHODS AND FINDINGS Study participants were randomly assigned to receive a vignette describing a typical woman (control condition) or one of nine variants describing a different symptom presentation (suggestive of schizophrenia, bipolar, or major depression) and treatment course (no treatment, treatment with remission, or treatment with remission followed by subsequent relapse). Participants then answered questions about personal beliefs and perceived norms in three domains of stigma: willingness to have the woman marry into their family, belief that she is receiving divine punishment, and belief that she brings shame on her family. We used multivariable Poisson and ordered logit regression models to estimate the causal effect of vignette treatment assignment on each stigma-related outcome. Of the participants randomized, 1,355 were successfully interviewed (76%) from November 2016 to June 2018. Roughly half of respondents were women (56%), half had completed primary school (57%), and two-thirds were married or cohabiting (64%). The mean age was 42 years. Across all types of mental illness and treatment scenarios, relative to the control vignette (22%-30%), substantially more study participants believed the woman in the vignette was receiving divine punishment (31%-54%) or believed she brought shame on her family (51%-73%), and most were unwilling to have her marry into their families (80%-88%). In multivariable Poisson regression models, vignette portrayals of untreated mental illness, relative to the control condition, increased the risk that study participants endorsed stigmatizing personal beliefs about mental illness and about persons with mental illness, irrespective of mental illness type (adjusted risk ratios [ARRs] varied from 1.7-3.1, all p < 0.001). Portrayals of effectively treated mental illness or treatment followed by subsequent relapse also increased the risk of responses indicating stigmatizing personal beliefs relative to control (ARRs varied from 1.5-3.0, all p < 0.001). The magnitudes of the estimates suggested that portrayals of initially effective treatment (whether followed by relapse or not) had little moderating influence on stigmatizing responses relative to vignettes portraying untreated mental illness. Responses to questions about perceived norms followed similar patterns. The primary limitations of this study are that the vignettes may have omitted context that could have influenced stigma and that generalizability beyond rural Uganda may be limited. CONCLUSIONS In a population-based, randomized survey experiment conducted in rural southwestern Uganda, portrayals of effectively treated mental illness did not appear to reduce endorsement of stigmatizing beliefs about mental illness or about persons with mental illness. These findings run counter to evidence from the United States. Further research is necessary to understand the relationship between mental illness treatment and stigmatizing attitudes in Uganda and other countries worldwide. TRIAL REGISTRATION The experimental procedures for this study were registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as "Measuring Beliefs and Norms About Persons With Mental Illness" (NCT03656770).
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin D. Rasmussen
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | | | - Charles Baguma
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | | | | | - Jessica M. Perkins
- Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - David R. Bangsberg
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Oregon Health Sciences University–Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Alexander C. Tsai
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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30
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Pantelic M, Steinert JI, Park J, Mellors S, Murau F. 'Management of a spoiled identity': systematic review of interventions to address self-stigma among people living with and affected by HIV. BMJ Glob Health 2019; 4:e001285. [PMID: 30997170 PMCID: PMC6441299 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Self-stigma, also known as internalised stigma, is a global public health threat because it keeps people from accessing HIV and other health services. By hampering HIV testing, treatment and prevention, self-stigma can compromise the sustainability of health interventions and have serious epidemiological consequences. This review synthesised existing evidence of interventions aiming to reduce self-stigma experienced by people living with HIV and key populations affected by HIV in low-income and middle-income countries. Methods Studies were identified through bibliographic databases, grey literature sites, study registries, back referencing and contacts with researchers, and synthesised following Cochrane guidelines. Results Of 5880 potentially relevant titles, 20 studies were included in the review. Represented in these studies were 9536 people (65% women) from Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nepal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and Vietnam. Seventeen of the studies recruited people living with HIV (of which five focused specifically on pregnant women). The remaining three studies focused on young men who have sex with men, female sex workers and men who inject drugs. Studies were clustered into four categories based on the socioecological level of risk or resilience that they targeted: (1) individual level only, (2) individual and relational levels, (3) individual and structural levels and (4) structural level only. Thirteen studies targeting structural risks (with or without individual components) consistently produced significant reductions in self-stigma. The remaining seven studies that did not include a component to address structural risks produced mixed effects. Conclusion Structural interventions such as scale-up of antiretroviral treatment, prevention of medication stockouts, social empowerment and economic strengthening may help substantially reduce self-stigma among individuals. More research is urgently needed to understand how to reduce self-stigma among young people and key populations, as well as how to tackle intersectional self-stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Pantelic
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.,Frontline AIDS, Brighton, UK
| | - Janina I Steinert
- Department of Economics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jay Park
- School of Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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31
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Pantelic M, Sprague L, Stangl AL. It's not "all in your head": critical knowledge gaps on internalized HIV stigma and a call for integrating social and structural conceptualizations. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:210. [PMID: 30832613 PMCID: PMC6399894 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-3704-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Internalized HIV stigma is a public health concern as it can compromise HIV prevention, care and treatment. This paper has two aims. First, it highlights the urgent need for research evidence on internalized HIV stigma based on critical knowledge gaps. Here, critical knowledge gaps were identified based on most up-to-date systematic review-level evidence on internalized stigma related to HIV and mental health difficulties. Secondly, the paper calls for a shift in focus of internalized HIV stigma research, one that moves beyond psychological frameworks to integrate social, structural and intersectional conceptualizations of stigma. This part of the paper reviews the evolution of stigma theory since Goffman’s 1963 seminal work - which defined stigma - to present. Main text Despite studies consistently suggesting that internalized HIV stigma is more prevalent than enacted stigma, there is little evidence of well-established programs to address it. In addition to this, considerable gaps in basic knowledge about the drivers of internalized HIV stigma hamper the development of an evidence-based response to the problem. The limited intervention and epidemiological research on the topic treats internalized HIV stigma as a purely psychological phenomenon. The second part of the paper provides arguments for studying internalized HIV stigma as a function of social and structural forces: (1) Individual-level interventions for internalized HIV stigma are rooted in out-dated theoretical assumptions; (2) From an ethics point of view, it could be argued that individual-level interventions rely on a victim-centric approach to a public health problem; (3) Social and structural approaches to internalized HIV stigma must be explored due to the high opportunity cost associated with small-scale individual-level interventions. Conclusions Critical gaps in intervention and epidemiological research in internalized HIV stigma remain. There has been an absence of a shared, sound theoretical understanding of internalized HIV stigma as a manifestation of social and structural factors. This commentary sought to stimulate a dialogue to remedy this absence. Future research should take into account ethical considerations, the evolution of stigma theory over the past five decades, intersectionality and opportunity cost when framing hypotheses, developing theories of change and designing interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Pantelic
- Frontline AIDS, Secretariat, Preece House, 91-101 Davigdor Rd, Brighton, Hove, BN3 1RE, UK. .,Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 -37 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK.
| | - Laurel Sprague
- Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), Eerste Helmersstraat 17 B3 I, 1054 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne L Stangl
- Department of Global Health, Youth and Development, The International Center for Research on Women, 1120 20th St. NW Suite 500N, Washington, DC, 20036, USA
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32
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Manne-Goehler J, Kakuhikire B, Abaasabyoona S, Bärnighausen TW, Okello S, Tsai AC, Siedner MJ. Depressive Symptoms Before and After Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation Among Older-Aged Individuals in Rural Uganda. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:564-571. [PMID: 30229388 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2273-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to characterize associations between depression symptom severity and HIV infection, both prior to and in years after ART initiation, among older adults. The Ugandan Non-Communicable Diseases & Aging Cohort Study (UGANDAC) is a study of 154 PLWH on ART and 142 community-based, HIV-negative controls. The Hopkins Checklist (HSCL), a 15-item depression scale, was used to screen for depression. We estimate differences in depressive symptoms by HIV and ART status and use multivariable log binomial regression to quantify differences in probable depression between PLWH on ART. HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected participants had a similar age (mean 52.0 vs. 51.9, p = 0.854) and sex distribution (47.4 vs. 47.9% female, p = 0.934). PLWH on ART had lower depression symptom severity than HIV-uninfected controls (mean score: 1.50 vs. 1.60, p = 0.006) and a lower prevalence of probable depression (21.4 vs. 33.8%, p = 0.017). Among 102 PLWH with pre-ART depression screening scores available, their mean depression symptom severity was similar to HIV-uninfected participants (mean 1.56 vs. 1.60, p = 0.512). In adjusted models, PLWH on ART had a lower prevalence of probable depression than HIV-negative controls [adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.68 (95% CI 0.47-0.99)]. In an observational cohort of PLWH over 40 on long-term ART and matched, community-based HIV-uninfected controls in rural Uganda, we found a lower prevalence of self-reported depression among aging PLWH on ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | | | - Till W Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Samson Okello
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark J Siedner
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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33
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French D, Brink J, Bärnighausen T. Early HIV treatment and labour outcomes: A case study of mining workers in South Africa. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2019; 28:204-218. [PMID: 30345572 DOI: 10.1002/hec.3837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examines whether labour outcomes of HIV-infected workers treated with antiretrovirals are associated with the stage of the disease when commencing therapy. We use data on employment separation and absenteeism from the workplace health programme of South Africa's largest coal mining company over the period of January 2009 to March 2017 in a Cox proportional hazards model. When treatment was initiated at a CD4+ T cell count above 350 cells/μl, the risk of separating from the company was 37% lower and the risk of absence was 20%t lower than initiating at a CD4 count below 200 cells/μl, and these differences persist over time. Also, we find that workers initiating antiretroviral therapy at CD4 ≥ 350 have an 8% lower risk of absence prior to treatment. Although many companies and the South African government have adopted universal test-and-treat policies aiming to initiate all HIV-infected people as early as possible, most HIV patients still start treatment late in the disease course when their CD4 counts have fallen to low levels. Our results indicate early HIV detection and treatment could have large productivity gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan French
- Queen's Management School, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jonathan Brink
- School of Economics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute of Public Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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34
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Sileo KM, Wanyenze RK, Kizito W, Reed E, Brodine SK, Chemusto H, Musoke W, Mukasa B, Kiene SM. Multi-level Determinants of Clinic Attendance and Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence Among Fishermen Living with HIV/AIDS in Communities on Lake Victoria, Uganda. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:406-417. [PMID: 29959718 PMCID: PMC6492274 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2207-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study assessed determinants of HIV clinic appointment attendance and antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence among 300 male fisherfolk on ART in Wakiso District, Uganda. Multi-level factors associated with missed HIV clinic visits included those at the individual (age, AOR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99), interpersonal (being single/separated from partner, AOR: 1.25, 95% CI 1.01-1.54), normative (anticipated HIV stigma, AOR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.05-2.29) and physical/built environment-level (travel time to the HIV clinic, AOR: 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.20; structural-barriers to ART adherence, AOR: 1.27, 95% CI 1.04-1.56; accessing care on a landing site vs. an island, AOR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.67). Factors associated with ART non-adherence included those at the individual (age, β: - 0.01, η2 = 0.03; monthly income, β: - 0.01, η2 = 0.02) and normative levels (anticipated HIV stigma, β: 0.10, η2 = 0.02; enacted HIV stigma, β: 0.11, η2 = 0.02). Differentiated models of HIV care that integrate stigma reduction and social support, and reduce the number of clinic visits needed, should be explored in this setting to reduce multi-level barriers to accessing HIV care and ART adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Sileo
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - R K Wanyenze
- Makerere School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - E Reed
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - S K Brodine
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - S M Kiene
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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35
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Chan BT, Maughan-Brown BG, Bogart LM, Earnshaw VA, Tshabalala G, Courtney I, Dietrich JJ, Orrell C, Gray GE, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC, Katz IT. Trajectories of HIV-related internalized stigma and disclosure concerns among ART initiators and non-initiators in South Africa. STIGMA AND HEALTH 2019; 4:433-441. [PMID: 31788556 DOI: 10.1037/sah0000159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Background HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV (PLHIV) is associated with worse health outcomes. We used longitudinal data from a multi-site cohort in South Africa to assess changes over time in stigma after HIV diagnosis and determine whether antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with stigma reduction. Methods We administered the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale (IARSS, a six-item dichotomous scale questionnaire) at baseline, three months, and six months to newly diagnosed ART-eligible participants between 2014-2015. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the IARSS contained a four-item internalized stigma factor (α=0.80) and a two-item disclosure concerns factor (α=0.75). We fitted multiple logistic regression models specifying internalized stigma/disclosure concerns at six months as the outcome and ART initiation as the predictor of interest. Results Of the 500 participants (187 men and 313 women) enrolled, 308 (62%) initiated ART. Internalized stigma declined among people entering care (mean score, 1.0 to 0.7, p<0.01); however, disclosure concerns remained unchanged (percentage endorsing either disclosure concern item, 78% to 77%, p=0.23). These findings were similar between ART initiators and non-initiators. We estimated a statistically significant positive association between ART initiation and disclosure concerns at six months (OR=1.88; 95% CI, 1.20-2.94) but not between ART initiation and internalized stigma at six months (OR=1.15; 95% CI, 0.75-1.78). Conclusions Among ART-eligible South African PLHIV entering into HIV care, internalized stigma modestly declined over time but disclosure concerns persisted. PLHIV who initiated ART were more likely to have persistent disclosure concerns over time as compared with those who did not start ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Chan
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brendan G Maughan-Brown
- Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | | | - Valerie A Earnshaw
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Gugulethu Tshabalala
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ingrid Courtney
- Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, University of Cape Town Medical School, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Janan J Dietrich
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Catherine Orrell
- Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, University of Cape Town Medical School, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Glenda E Gray
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7500, South Africa
| | - David R Bangsberg
- Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,MGH Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Ingrid T Katz
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,MGH Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Global Health Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
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36
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Earnshaw VA, Reed NM, Watson RJ, Maksut JL, Allen AM, Eaton LA. Intersectional internalized stigma among Black gay and bisexual men: A longitudinal analysis spanning HIV/sexually transmitted infection diagnosis. J Health Psychol 2019; 26:465-476. [PMID: 30599761 DOI: 10.1177/1359105318820101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Internalized stigma undermines health among people diagnosed with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI), yet limited research has examined how internalized stigma develops. Black gay and bisexual men (n = 151) reported their race and sexual orientation internalized stigma once before HIV/STI diagnosis and their HIV/STI internalized stigma monthly for 1 year after HIV/STI diagnosis. Multilevel analyses demonstrated that race and sexual orientation internalized stigma before diagnosis were associated with greater HIV/STI internalized stigma after diagnosis. More research is needed to understand how internalized stigma develops, including within the context of other identities and broader environmental characteristics to inform intervention efforts.
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Ashaba S, Cooper-Vince C, Vořechovská D, Maling S, Rukundo GZ, Akena D, Tsai AC. Development and validation of a 20-item screening scale to detect major depressive disorder among adolescents with HIV in rural Uganda: A mixed-methods study. SSM Popul Health 2018; 7:100332. [PMID: 30560198 PMCID: PMC6289958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.100332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Depression is a major cause of disability among children and adolescents and is associated with elevated risks for substance abuse, HIV transmission risk behavior, and suicide. Among adolescents living with HIV (ALWH), depression undermines adherence to antiretroviral treatment, leading to poorer health outcomes. However, there are few instruments available for depression screening among ALWH in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Using mixed methods we developed and validated a 20-item depression screening scale to be used among ALWH in rural Uganda. First, we conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with adolescents and adult caregivers (n = 80) to elicit participant perspectives about mental health challenges facing HIV-affected children and adolescents. We generated an initial pool of 40 items, pilot tested it with ALWH and adolescents of unknown serostatus (n = 40), and then administered the items to a validation sample of ALWH (n = 224). Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the scale. We evaluated the scale for its reliability, and validity. Results The mean age of the participants in the validation sample was 14.9 years (standard deviation [SD] 1.4), 131 (58%) were girls and 48 (21%) were orphans. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors related to affective and cognitive symptoms of depression. The 20-item depression scale was internally consistent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91) with moderate test-retest and inter-rater reliability. Construct validity was excellent, as demonstrated through correlation with related constructs like stigma (P< 0.001) and bullying (P< 0.001). At the optimized cutoff score, 64 (29%) participants screened positive for probable depression. Using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents, we found that 37 participants (17%) were diagnosed with major depressive disorder. In reference to the criterion standard, the depression scale showed excellent discrimination (c-statistic = 0.84). Conclusion This new 20-item depression scale was reliable and valid for detecting major depressive disorder among ALWH in rural Uganda. There are few culturally- and age-appropriate screening scales for use among adolescents with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We used qualitative methods to generate new scale items, and adapted items from previously published depression screening scales. The items in the newly developed scale consist of well-known affective and cognitive symptoms of depression. The scale has adequate internal consistency, test-retest, and inter-rater reliability, and adequate evidence of construct and criterion-related validity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Cooper-Vince
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Samuel Maling
- Mbarara University Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | | | - Dickens Akena
- Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Mbarara University Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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MacCarthy S, Saya U, Samba C, Birungi J, Okoboi S, Linnemayr S. "How am I going to live?": exploring barriers to ART adherence among adolescents and young adults living with HIV in Uganda. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:1158. [PMID: 30286746 PMCID: PMC6172755 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studies from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) document how barriers to ART adherence present additional complications among adolescents and young adults living with HIV. We qualitatively explored barriers to ART adherence in Uganda among individuals age 14–24 to understand the unique challenges faced by this age group. Methods We conducted focus group (FG) discussions with Community Advisory Board members (n = 1), health care providers (n = 2), and male and female groups of adolescents age 14–17 (n = 2) and youth age 18–24 (n = 2) in Kampala, Uganda. FGs were transcribed verbatim and translated from Luganda into English. Two investigators independently reviewed all transcripts, developed a detailed codebook, achieved a pooled Cohen’s Kappa of 0.79 and 0.80, and used a directed content analysis to identify key themes. Results Four barriers to ART adherence emerged: 1) poverty limited adolescents’ ability to buy food and undercut efforts to become economically independent in their transition from adolescence to adulthood; 2) school attendance limited their privacy, further disrupting ART adherence; 3) family support was unreliable, and youth often struggled with a constant change in guardianship because they had lost their biological parents to HIV. In contrast peer influence, especially among HIV-positive youth, was strong and created an important network to support ART adherence; 4) the burden of taking multiple medications daily frustrated youth, often leading to so-called ‘drug holidays.’ Adolescent and youth-specific issues around disclosure emerged across three of the four barriers. Conclusions To be effective, programs and policies to improve ART adherence among youth in Uganda must address the special challenges that adolescents and young adults confront in achieving optimal adherence. For example, training on budgeting and savings practices could help promote their transition to financial independence. School staff could develop strategies to help students take their medications consistently and confidentially. While challenging to extend the range of services provided by HIV clinics, successful efforts will require engaging the family, peers, and larger community of health and educational providers to support adolescents and young adults living with HIV to live longer and healthier lives. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02514356. Registered August 3, 2015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah MacCarthy
- RAND Corporation, Behavioral and Policy Sciences, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
| | - Uzaib Saya
- Pardee RAND Graduate School, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Clare Samba
- TASO Uganda, Old Mulago Complex, Kampala, P.O.Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Josephine Birungi
- TASO Uganda, Old Mulago Complex, Kampala, P.O.Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda.,Old Mulago Complex, Kampala P.O.Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Stephen Okoboi
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sebastian Linnemayr
- RAND Corporation, Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, USA
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Earnshaw VA, Bogart LM, Laurenceau J, Chan BT, Maughan‐Brown BG, Dietrich JJ, Courtney I, Tshabalala G, Orrell C, Gray GE, Bangsberg DR, Katz IT. Internalized HIV stigma, ART initiation and HIV-1 RNA suppression in South Africa: exploring avoidant coping as a longitudinal mediator. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 21:e25198. [PMID: 30362662 PMCID: PMC6202800 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cross-sectional evidence suggests that internalized HIV stigma is associated with lower likelihoods of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and HIV-1 RNA suppression among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined these associations with longitudinal data spanning the first nine months following HIV diagnosis and explored whether avoidant coping mediates these associations. METHODS Longitudinal data were collected from 398 South African PLWH recruited from testing centres in 2014 to 2015. Self-report data, including internalized stigma and avoidant coping (denying and distracting oneself from stressors), were collected one week and three months following HIV diagnosis. ART initiation at six months and HIV-1 RNA at nine months were extracted from the South Africa National Health Laboratory Service database. Two path analyses were estimated, one testing associations between internalized stigma, avoidant coping and ART initiation, and the other testing associations between internalized stigma, avoidant coping and HIV-1 RNA suppression. RESULTS Participants were 36 years old, on average, and 63% identified as female, 18% as Zulu and 65% as Xhosa. The two path models fit the data well (ART initiation outcome: X2 (7) = 8.14, p = 0.32; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.02; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.92; HIV-1 RNA suppression outcome: X2 (7) = 6.58, p = 0.47; RMSEA = 0.00; CFI = 1.00). In both models, internalized stigma one week after diagnosis was associated with avoidant coping at three months, controlling for avoidant coping at one week. In turn, avoidant coping at three months was associated with lower likelihood of ART initiation at six months in the first model and lower likelihood of HIV-1 RNA suppression at nine months in the second model. Significant indirect effects were observed between internalized stigma with ART non-initiation and unsuppressed HIV-1 RNA via the mediator of avoidant coping. CONCLUSIONS Internalized stigma experienced soon after HIV diagnosis predicted lower likelihood of ART initiation and HIV-1 RNA suppression over the first year following HIV diagnosis. Avoidant coping played a role in these associations, suggesting that PLWH who internalize stigma engage in greater avoidant coping, which in turn worsens medication- and health-related outcomes. Interventions are needed to address internalized stigma and avoidant coping soon after HIV diagnosis to enhance treatment efforts during the first year after HIV diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Earnshaw
- Department of Human Development and Family SciencesUniversity of DelawareNewarkDEUSA
| | | | | | - Brian T Chan
- Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalBostonMAUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Brendan G Maughan‐Brown
- Southern Africa Labour and Development Research UnitUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Janan J Dietrich
- Perinatal HIV Research UnitFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Ingrid Courtney
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, IDM and Department of MedicineUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Gugulethu Tshabalala
- Perinatal HIV Research UnitFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Catherine Orrell
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, IDM and Department of MedicineUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Glenda E Gray
- Perinatal HIV Research UnitFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
- South African Medical Research CouncilCape TownSouth Africa
| | - David R Bangsberg
- Oregon Health & Science University‐Portland State University School of Public HealthPortlandORUSA
| | - Ingrid T Katz
- Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalBostonMAUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
- Center for Global HealthMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMAUSA
- Harvard Global Health InstituteCambridgeMAUSA
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40
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Internalized HIV stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and high-risk suicidality among HIV-positive adolescents in rural Uganda. Glob Ment Health (Camb) 2018; 5:e22. [PMID: 29997894 PMCID: PMC6036650 DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2018.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa suggest a high prevalence of depression and suicidality among adolescents living with HIV (ALWH). This is an important public health issue because depression is known to compromise HIV treatment adherence. However, the drivers of depression and suicidality in this population are unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the associations between internalized stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and suicidality. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey between November 2016 and March 2017, enrolling a consecutive sample of 224 ALWH aged 13-17 years. We collected information on demographic characteristics, internalized HIV-related stigma (using the six-item Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale), bullying victimization (using the nine-item Social and Health Assessment Peer Victimization Scale), major depressive disorder [using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID)], and suicidality (also using the MINI-KID). We fitted multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the associations between stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and suicidality. RESULTS Thirty-seven participants (16%) had major depressive disorder, 30 (13%) had suicidality, and nine (4%) had high-risk suicidality. Ninety-one participants (41%) had high levels of internalized stigma, while 97 (43%) reported two or more bullying events in the past year. In multivariable logistic regression models, major depressive disorder had a statistically significant association with bullying (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.00-1.20; p = 0.04); while suicidality (low, moderate, high risk) had statistically significant associations with both bullying (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.01-1.17; p = 0.02) and stigma (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.03-1.30; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Among ALWH in rural Uganda, stigma and bullying are strongly associated with major depressive disorder and suicidality. There is a need to incorporate psychological interventions in the mainstream HIV care to address these challenges for optimal management of HIV among ALWH.
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Personal contact with HIV-positive persons is associated with reduced HIV-related stigma: cross-sectional analysis of general population surveys from 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. J Int AIDS Soc 2017; 20:21395. [PMID: 28362067 PMCID: PMC5461118 DOI: 10.7448/ias.20.1.21395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: HIV-related stigma hampers treatment and prevention efforts worldwide. Effective interventions to counter HIV-related stigma are greatly needed. Although the “contact hypothesis” suggests that personal contact with persons living with HIV (PLHIV) may reduce stigmatizing attitudes in the general population, empirical evidence in support of this hypothesis is lacking. Our aim was to estimate the association between personal contact with PLHIV and HIV-related stigma among the general population of sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Social distance and anticipated stigma were operationalized using standard HIV-related stigma questions contained in the Demographic and Health Surveys and AIDS Indicator Surveys of 26 African countries between 2003 and 2008. We fitted multivariable logistic regression models with country-level fixed effects, specifying social distance as the dependent variable and personal contact with PLHIV as the primary explanatory variable of interest. Results: We analyzed data from 206,717 women and 91,549 men living in 26 sub-Saharan African countries. We estimated a statistically significant negative association between personal contact with PLHIV and desires for social distance (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.80; p < 0.001; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.73–0.88). In a sensitivity analysis, a similar finding was obtained with a model that used a community-level variable for personal contact with PLHIV (AOR = 0.92; p < 0.001; 95% CI, 0.89–0.95). Conclusions: Personal contact with PLHIV was associated with reduced desires for social distance among the general population of sub-Saharan Africa. More contact interventions should be developed and tested to reduce the stigma of HIV.
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HIV stigma trends in the general population during antiretroviral treatment expansion: analysis of 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 2003-2013. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2017; 72:558-64. [PMID: 27035888 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV-related stigma is associated with increased risk-taking behavior, reduced uptake of HIV testing, and decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Although ART scale-up may reduce HIV-related stigma, the extent to which levels of stigma in the general population have changed during the era of ART scale-up in sub-Saharan Africa is unknown. METHODS Social distance and anticipated stigma were operationalized using standard HIV-related stigma questions contained in the Demographic and Health Surveys and AIDS Indicator Surveys of 31 African countries between 2003 and 2013. We fitted multivariable linear regression models with cluster-correlated robust standard errors and country fixed effects, specifying social distance or anticipated stigma as the dependent variable and year as the primary explanatory variable of interest. RESULTS We estimated a statistically significant negative association between year and desires for social distance (b = -0.020; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval: -0.026 to -0.015) but a statistically significant positive association between year and anticipated stigma (b = 0.023; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval: 0.018 to 0.027). In analyses stratified by HIV prevalence above or below the sample median, declines in social distancing over time were more pronounced among countries with a higher HIV prevalence. CONCLUSIONS Concomitant with ART scale-up in sub-Saharan Africa, anticipated stigma in the general population increased despite a decrease in social distancing toward people living with HIV. Although ART scale-up may help reduce social distancing toward people living with HIV, particularly in high-prevalence countries, other interventions targeting symbolic or instrumental concerns about HIV may be needed.
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Maluccio JA, Wu F, Rokon RB, Rawat R, Kadiyala S. Assessing the Impact of Food Assistance on Stigma Among People Living with HIV in Uganda Using the HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-PLWA (HASI-P). AIDS Behav 2017; 21:766-782. [PMID: 27372803 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1476-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
HIV-related stigma among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) is prevalent throughout sub-Saharan Africa. There is limited evidence, however, on which interventions are effective in reducing it. We used data from a prospective impact evaluation of a 12-month food assistance intervention among 904 antiretroviral therapy (ART)- naïve PLHIV in Uganda to examine the program impact on stigma. Stigma was measured using the comprehensive HASI-P scale, which demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) and was correlated with several related constructs including physical and mental health-related quality of life, disclosure, and physical health symptoms in the sample. Using quasi-experimental difference-in-difference matching methods to better infer causality, we tested whether the intervention improved the overall stigma scale and its subscales. The food assistance intervention had a significant effect on reported internalized (but not external) stigma of approximately 0.2 SD (p < 0.01). The HASI-P stigma scale is a useful tool for measuring and tracking stigma. Food assistance interventions, embedded in an HIV care program, can reduce internalized stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Maluccio
- Department of Economics, Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Road, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA.
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of Economics, Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Road, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Redwan B Rokon
- Department of Economics, Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Road, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Rahul Rawat
- Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Suneetha Kadiyala
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Gosselin A, Lelièvre E, Ravalihasy A, Lydié N, Lert F, Desgrées du Loû A. "Times Are Changing": The Impact of HIV Diagnosis on Sub-Saharan Migrants' Lives in France. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170226. [PMID: 28129342 PMCID: PMC5271323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Migrants account for 35% of HIV diagnoses in the European Union (ECDC/WHO 2014). Little is known about the impact of such a lifelong infection diagnosis on lives that are already disrupted by migration. In this paper, we assess the impact of HIV diagnosis on activity, union, well-being among African migrants living in France, the second group most affected by HIV after MSM. We compare it with the impact of the diagnosis of Hepatitis B, another lifelong infection affecting African migrants. Methods We use the ANRS PARCOURS survey, a retrospective life-event survey led in 2012–2013 in 74 health structures in Paris greater area which collected 926 life histories of Sub-Saharan migrants living with HIV and 779 with Hepatitis B. We modelled the probability year by year since 18 years of age until data collection to lose one’s activity, to experience a conjugal break up and degradation of well-being and we estimated the impact of migration and of HIV and Hepatitis B diagnoses on these probabilities, after adjustment on other factors, thanks to discrete-time logistic regressions. Results Migration entailed loss of activity and conjugal break up, though HIV diagnosis after migration did not statistically impact on these outcomes. Yet HIV diagnosis had a massive negative impact on well-being (aOR = 11.31 [4.64–27.56] for men and 5.75 [2.79–11.86] for women). This negative impact on well-being tended to diminish for persons diagnosed after 2004. The negative impact of HIV diagnosis on African migrants’ well-being seems to be attenuated in the last decade, which hints at a normalization of the subjective experience of HIV diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Gosselin
- CEPED, UMR 196 Université Paris Descartes–IRD, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, France
- INED (French Institute for Demographic Studies), 133 Bd Davout, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Eva Lelièvre
- INED (French Institute for Demographic Studies), 133 Bd Davout, Paris, France
| | - Andrainolo Ravalihasy
- CEPED, UMR 196 Université Paris Descartes–IRD, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Lydié
- Santé Publique France—Site Carrefour Pleyel, 42 Bd de la Libération, Saint-Denis, France
| | - France Lert
- CESP, INSERM, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France
| | - Annabel Desgrées du Loû
- CEPED, UMR 196 Université Paris Descartes–IRD, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, France
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), 44 Bd de Dunkerque, Marseille, France
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Kellett NC, Gnauck K. The intersection of antiretroviral therapy, peer support programmes, and economic empowerment with HIV stigma among HIV-positive women in West Nile Uganda. AJAR-AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AIDS RESEARCH 2017; 15:341-348. [PMID: 27974024 DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2016.1241288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
HIV stigma remains a major problem of the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Women fear impending social stigma including blame, isolation and abuse. HIV infection and HIV stigma interact cyclically, creating and reinforcing economic and social exclusion for individuals living with HIV. Evidence suggests that interventions for people living with HIV infection that include, in combination, antiretroviral therapy (ART), peer support and economic empowerment are likely to be more effective than if used alone. We report a qualitative study in West Nile Uganda that explored perceptions of HIV stigma among fifty-four HIV-positive women who had similar access to ART and HIV peer support programmes, but varying levels of participation (full-time, intermittent, none) in economic empowerment programmes. Our study found that access to ART, peer support groups, and economic empowerment programmes helped to curb perceptions of deep-seated HIV stigma for participants. More expressions of usefulness, hope and psychological well-being prevailed with participants who had increased participation in economic empowerment programmes. Our findings underscore the value of HIV outreach programmes which combine ART, peer support and economic empowerment to alleviate HIV stigma. Further research to quantify the interaction of these factors is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine Gnauck
- b University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque , USA
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46
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Tsai AC, Hatcher AM, Bukusi EA, Weke E, Lemus Hufstedler L, Dworkin SL, Kodish S, Cohen CR, Weiser SD. A Livelihood Intervention to Reduce the Stigma of HIV in Rural Kenya: Longitudinal Qualitative Study. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:248-260. [PMID: 26767535 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1285-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The scale-up of effective treatment has partially reduced the stigma attached to HIV, but HIV still remains highly stigmatized throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Most studies of anti-HIV stigma interventions have employed psycho-educational strategies such as information provision, counseling, and testimonials, but these have had varying degrees of success. Theory suggests that livelihood interventions could potentially reduce stigma by weakening the instrumental and symbolic associations between HIV and premature morbidity, economic incapacity, and death, but this hypothesis has not been directly examined. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study among 54 persons with HIV participating in a 12-month randomized controlled trial of a livelihood intervention in rural Kenya. Our study design permitted assessment of changes over time in the perspectives of treatment-arm participants (N = 45), as well as an understanding of the experiences of control arm participants (N = 9, interviewed only at follow-up). Initially, participants felt ashamed of their seropositivity and were socially isolated (internalized stigma). They also described how others in the community discriminated against them, labeled them as being "already dead," and deemed them useless and unworthy of social investment (perceived and enacted stigma). At follow-up, participants in the treatment arm described less stigma and voiced positive changes in confidence and self-esteem. Concurrently, they observed that other community members perceived them as active, economically productive, and contributing citizens. None of these changes were noted by participants in the control arm, who described ongoing and continued stigma. In summary, our findings suggest a theory of stigma reduction: livelihood interventions may reduce internalized stigma among persons with HIV and also, by targeting core drivers of negative attitudes toward persons with HIV, positively change attitudes toward persons with HIV held by others. Further research is needed to formally test these hypotheses, assess the extent to which these changes endure over the long term, and determine whether this class of interventions can be implemented at scale.
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Kakuhikire B, Suquillo D, Atuhumuza E, Mushavi R, Perkins JM, Venkataramani AS, Weiser SD, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC. A livelihood intervention to improve economic and psychosocial well-being in rural Uganda: Longitudinal pilot study. SAHARA J 2016; 13:162-9. [PMID: 27619011 PMCID: PMC5642427 DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2016.1230072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV and poverty are inextricably intertwined in sub-Saharan Africa. Economic and livelihood intervention strategies have been suggested to help mitigate the adverse economic effects of HIV, but few intervention studies have focused specifically on HIV-positive persons. We conducted three pilot studies to assess a livelihood intervention consisting of an initial orientation and loan package of chickens and associated implements to create poultry microenterprises. We enrolled 15 HIV-positive and 22 HIV-negative participants and followed them for up to 18 months. Over the course of follow-up, participants achieved high chicken survival and loan repayment rates. Median monthly income increased, and severe food insecurity declined, although these changes were not statistically significant (P-values ranged from 0.11 to 0.68). In-depth interviews with a purposive sample of three HIV-positive participants identified a constellation of economic and psychosocial benefits, including improved social integration and reduced stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Kakuhikire
- MBA, is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Institute of Management Sciences, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Diego Suquillo
- MIB, is a resident tutor at Quincy House, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elly Atuhumuza
- MSc, is a study coordinator at the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Jessica M. Perkins
- PhD, MPH, is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Sheri D. Weiser
- MD, MPH, is Associate Professor of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David R. Bangsberg
- MD, MPH, is Founding Dean, Oregon Health Sciences University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Alexander C. Tsai
- MD, is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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48
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Winchester MS, McGrath JW, Kaawa-Mafigiri D, Namutiibwa F, Ssendegye G, Nalwoga A, Kyarikunda E, Birungi J, Kisakye S, Ayebazibwe N, Walakira EJ, Rwabukwali C. Routines, Hope, and Antiretroviral Treatment among Men and Women in Uganda. Med Anthropol Q 2016; 31:237-256. [PMID: 27159357 DOI: 10.1111/maq.12301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Antiretroviral treatment programs, despite biomedical emphases, require social understanding and transformations to be successful. In this article, we draw from a qualitative study of HIV treatment seeking to examine the drug-taking routines and health-related subjectivities of men and women on antiretroviral treatment (ART) at two sites in Uganda. We show that while not all participants in ART programs understand clinical protocols in biomedical terms, they adopt treatment-taking strategies to integrate medication into daily practices and social spaces. In turn, these embedded practices and understandings shape long-term hopes and fears for living with HIV, including the possibility of a cure. More significant than new forms of citizenship or sociality, we suggest that quotidian dimensions of treatment normalization shape the long-term experience of medication and outlook for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret S Winchester
- Department of Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University.,Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda and Case Western Reserve University
| | - Janet W McGrath
- Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University.,Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David Kaawa-Mafigiri
- Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University.,Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Florence Namutiibwa
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - George Ssendegye
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Amina Nalwoga
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Emily Kyarikunda
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Judith Birungi
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Sheila Kisakye
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Nicholas Ayebazibwe
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Case Western Reserve University
| | - Eddy J Walakira
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala.,Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Charles Rwabukwali
- Center for Social Science Research on AIDS (CeSSRA), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Early antiretroviral therapy initiation in west Africa has no adverse social consequences: a 24-month prospective study. AIDS 2016; 30:1677-82. [PMID: 27003034 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Based on social indicators collected within the TEMPRANO-ANRS12136 trial, we assessed the social consequences of early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in west Africa. We did not observe any significant differences in the levels or the time trends of various social indicators, including union status, HIV disclosure and HIV-related discrimination, between early and deferred ART initiation. Early ART does not carry detectable adverse social consequences that could impair its clinical and preventive benefits.
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50
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Kelly JD, Weiser SD, Tsai AC. Proximate Context of HIV Stigma and Its Association with HIV Testing in Sierra Leone: A Population-Based Study. AIDS Behav 2016; 20:65-70. [PMID: 25771909 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The extent to which HIV stigma at the community level remains a barrier to greater uptake in HIV testing services is poorly understood. We used nationally representative data from the 2008 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey. The primary outcome was HIV testing (past 12 months). Our explanatory variable was HIV stigmatizing attitudes (5-item scale). After multivariable adjustment, HIV testing had an inverse association with HIV stigmatizing attitudes measured at the individual [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.94; 95 % CI 0.87-1.01] and community level (AOR 0.70; 95 % CI 0.58-0.85). HIV stigma had a stronger negative association with HIV testing when modeled at the community rather than individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Daniel Kelly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), 513 Parnassus Ave., S-380, San Francisco, CA, 94117, USA.
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Division of HIV/AIDS, Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital at UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Center for Global Health and Chester M. Pierce, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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