Exploring the Potential of Savings-Led Economic Strengthening HIV Interventions Among High-Risk Economically Vulnerable Fishing Communities in Uganda: Associations Between Use of Commitment Savings, Sexual Risk Behavior, and Problematic Alcohol Use

Prevalence of alcohol use by gender and HIV status in rural Uganda

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide. Uganda has a high level of alcohol use per capita. Compared to men, women are less likely to consume alcohol globally; however, women who drink have increased risks for co-occurring conditions, including depression, intimate partner violence, and HIV. This study assessed the prevalence of alcohol use and correlates of harmful alcohol use by gender and HIV status in rural Uganda.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from a study among women and men aged 15-59 residing in rural, central Uganda and accepting home-based HIV testing (Nov 2017 to Dec 2020). We estimated the prevalence of levels of alcohol use (categorized as no alcohol use (score 0), low (score 1-3 for men; 1-2 for women), medium (score 4-5 for men; 3-5 for women), high (score 6-7), and very-high (score 8-12) use with the AUDIT-C), stratified by gender and HIV status. We assessed correlates of harmful alcohol use using multivariable logistic regression models for women and men.

RESULTS

Among 18,460 participants, 67% (95% CI: 66-67%) reported no alcohol use, 16% (95% CI: 16-17%) reported low, 5% (95% CI: 4.8-5%) reported medium, 5% (95% CI: 4-5%) reported high, and 3% (95% CI: 2.8-3) reported very high alcohol use. Compared to women, men were more likely to report alcohol use (Chi-squared p-value<0.0001). People diagnosed with HIV (both newly diagnosed and previously aware of their status prior to home-based HIV testing) were more likely to report low, medium, high, and very high alcohol use compared to those who were HIV negative (Chi-squared p-value<0.0001). Among women, those who were newly diagnosed were more likely report alcohol use, compared to those who were HIV negative. In multivariable models, being newly diagnosed with HIV (compared to HIV negative) increased the odds of harmful alcohol use among women, but not men.

CONCLUSION

While alcohol use was higher among men and people living with HIV, being newly diagnosed with HIV had a stronger relationship with harmful alcohol use among women than men. More research is needed to understand how alcohol use may increase the risks of HIV acquisition among women and to identify gender-responsive services to address harmful alcohol use and increase access to HIV testing and linkage to care for women who use harmful levels of alcohol.

Stakeholder perspectives on the Kisoboka intervention: A behavioral and structural intervention to reduce hazardous alcohol use and improve HIV care engagement among men living with HIV in Ugandan fishing communities

BACKGROUND

East Africa's fishing communities experience a high burden of two interrelated and frequently co-occurring health issues: HIV and hazardous alcohol use. Nearly two-thirds of Ugandan fisherfolk men meet the criteria for harmful alcohol use. We developed a multilevel intervention to reduce hazardous alcohol use and improve HIV care engagement among fisherfolk men living with HIV (LWHIV) in Wakiso district, Uganda.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives on the appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of a multilevel intervention for fisherfolk men LWHIV. The proposed intervention, Kisoboka ("It is possible!"), combines a structural component [changing the mode of work payments from cash to mobile money] with a behavioral component [motivational interviewing-based counseling combined with content using behavioral economic principles to promote behavior change]. We conducted one focus group (n=7) and eight in-depth interviews with fisherfolk men LWHIV and 19 key informant (KI) interviews with health workers, employers, and community leaders. These explored the appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of specific key intervention components.

RESULTS

Overall, stakeholders' perspectives supported high intervention acceptability and perceived appropriateness of the proposed intervention. It was perceived to be feasible with some caveats of recommendations for overcoming potential implementation challenges identified (e.g., having a friend assist with documenting savings and alcohol use if an individual was unable to write themselves) which are discussed.

CONCLUSION

This work highlights the potential of the Kisoboka intervention and the importance of early engagement of key stakeholders in the intervention development process to ensure appropriateness, acceptability, feasibility, and socio-cultural fit.

Applying the Social-Ecological Framework to Link the Drivers of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in the Caribbean and Their Risk for HIV Infection

For countries with a high prevalence of HIV such as in the Caribbean, intimate partner violence (IPV) may increase the chances for acquiring HIV infection. Using secondary data, we compared findings from studies conducted in five Caribbean countries measuring the prevalence of gender-based violence among women in Grenada, Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Social-Ecological Framework was used to categorize women's dual risk for intimate partner violence and HIV. We found that younger age, lower education, childhood experiences of abuse, income dependency, controlling behaviors of partners, non-disclosure of violence, and early sexual experiences were associated with intimate partner violence. These factors also predispose women in the Caribbean to HIV infection. The Social-Ecological Framework is applicable to understanding the drivers of intimate partner violence and HIV infection at multiple levels and for the design and promotion of combined prevention interventions. Our study also demonstrated the applicability of the Social-Ecological Framework as an analytical and predictive model underscoring the need for increased coordination across multiple actors to strengthen advocacy, given the pervasiveness of harmful social norms and gender inequalities which undermine IPV and HIV control efforts.

Alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors among fishers in Elmina in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption is part of human social behavior and constitutes a routine part of social life in many countries. Prior studies have found over-indulgence of fishers in alcohol in fishing communities. The study uses the Alcohol Myopia Theory (AMT) to analyze and explain the phenomena of fishers engaging in sex after alcohol consumption, and condom use with sexual partner(s) after alcohol consumption. The study investigated alcohol consumption, predictors of alcohol consumption, and the reasons for drinking alcohol among fishers. It also examined fishers' engagement in sex after alcohol consumption, the use of condoms with sexual partners after drinking alcohol, and predictors of the use of condoms with sexual partners after drinking alcohol.

METHODS

A cross-sectional convergent parallel mixed-method design was used to study 385 fishers in Elmina. Also, two focus group discussions were conducted among male and female fishers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data was analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

Generally, 59.2% of participants indulged in alcohol consumption. Most male participants (70.6%) indulged in alcohol consumption than female participants (48.5%). Also, 48.5% of participants indulged in binge alcohol consumption, while 38.1% indulged in moderate alcohol consumption. The predictors of alcohol consumption were sex, religion, and type of fishing occupation. Participants identified consuming alcohol to kill loneliness and boredom, to forget family and work-related issues, and to have fun as reasons why fishers consume alcohol. Sixty-four percent of participants have ever engaged in sexual intercourse after consuming alcohol in the past 12 months. However, 70% of participants did not use a condom the last time they had sex after drinking alcohol. Only ethnicity of participants predicted their use of a condom the last time they had sex after drinking alcohol. The primary reasons for the non-use of condoms were do not like using condoms (37.9%), forgetting to use a condom (33.0%), and had sex with a trusted regular partner (15.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that alcohol consumption was prevalent among fishers, especially among male fishers, which contributes to risky sexual behaviors among them as espoused by the AMT. It is recommended that fishers are targeted for alcohol use and risky sexual behavior programs and interventions since alcohol use is prevalent among them and most of them also engage in unprotected sexual intercourse after consuming alcohol.

A Study on the Association Between Family Support and High-Risk Sexual Behavior of Elderly Men in Rural China

Our study aimed to understand the relationship between the status of high-risk sexual behaviors of male ≥50 years old (elderly men) and their family support in a rural county-level city in Chengdu. Multi-stage sampling was used to select rural elderly men from six towns to conduct an interview questionnaire survey. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between high-risk sexual behavior and family factors. A total of 790 samples were included, and the prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior was 16.2%. Two-hundred thirty-nine men (30.3%) had three close family members. More than half of the men (n = 397) had never been provided financial support by family members (50.3%). More than half of men (n = 406) never communicate deeply with family members (51.4%). Logistic analysis reported that 50-59 years old (odds ratio [OR] = 1.928, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.070, 3.477]), unmarried, divorced/widowed, married and separated (OR = 8.232, 95% CI = [2.640, 25.673]; OR = 3.589, 95% CI = [1.713, 7.520]; OR = 3.003, 95% CI = [1.238, 7.280]) elderly men were more likely to be involved in commercial sex. Meanwhile, either never or often family financial support (OR = 0.435, 95% CI = [0.228, 0.830]; OR = 0.288, 95% CI = [0.095, 0.876]) helped elderly men to avoid commercial sex. This study predicts family factors may be affected by loneliness, life satisfaction, disposable economic condition, family responsibilities as the middle path, thus affect high-risk sexual behaviors in elderly men.

The Intersection of Inequitable Gender Norm Endorsement and HIV Stigma: Implications for HIV Care Engagement for Men in Ugandan Fishing Communities

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.

HIV epidemic in fishing communities in Uganda: A scoping review

Background

Fishing communities in many Sub-Saharan African countries are a high-risk population group disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. In Uganda, literature on HIV in fishing communities has grown extensively since the first country’s documented case of HIV in a fishing community in 1985. The current study describes the status of the HIV burden, prevention, and treatment in Ugandan fishing communities.

Method

This scoping review was conducted based on the York Framework outlined by Arksey and O’Malley. We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases to identify relevant quantitative and qualitative studies on HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, HIV-related risk factors, HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy coverage and adherence, and interventions to improve treatment outcomes and reduce HIV risk factors.

Results & conclusion

We identified 52 papers and 2 reports. Thirty-four were quantitative, 17 qualitative, and 3 had a mixed-methods design. Eleven studies reported on the prevalence of HIV and 8 on HIV incidence; 9 studies documented factors associated with HIV incidence or HIV positive status; 10 studies reported on HIV testing coverage and/or associated factors; 7 reported on antiretroviral therapy coverage/adherence/outcomes; and 1 study reported on the impact of combination HIV interventions in fishing communities. This scoping review revealed a significant lack of evidence in terms of what works in HIV prevention and for improving adherence to ART, in contrast to the relatively large amount of evidence from observational quantitative and qualitative studies on HIV prevalence, incidence and related risk factors in Ugandan fishing communities. Intervention studies are urgently needed to fill the current evidence gaps in HIV prevention and ART adherence.

Efficacy of HIV interventions in African fishing communities: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aims to qualitatively synthesize existing evidence on the efficacy of HIV interventions in African fishing communities.

METHODS

Five databases (NCBI PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collection, The Cochrane Library, and CABI Global Health Database) were searched in March 2019 for eligible studies. All peer-reviewed papers with a defined HIV intervention explicitly mentioning African fishing communities were included. Outcomes included any measure of the efficacy of HIV interventions.

RESULTS

Of 22,289 search results, data was extracted from 25 eligible studies that passed critical appraisal; seven involved HIV prevention, six HIV testing and counseling, three treatment, and nine combinations of more than one intervention. Findings include a high coverage of safe male circumcision (SMC) but low condom use among fisher folk, and a preference for PrEP over other HIV prevention services. Uptake of HIV testing and ART coverage are below levels required to reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, and there is a high demand for ART and HIV self-testing kits.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater provision of services to combat HIV, specifically amongst fishing communities, is required; there is limited information on retaining fisher folk in care and achieving an undetectable viral load. Interventions tailored to individual fishing populations, offered in parallel to education or counseling services are likely to be most effective. Use of innovations, including mobile health and medical drones, could assist these hard-to-reach populations. Our findings will inform future HIV service provision in fishing communities.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of young adults towards HIV prevention: an analysis of baseline data from a community-based HIV prevention intervention study in two high HIV burden districts, South Africa

BACKGROUND

With an HIV incidence of 1.00 skewed against women (1.51), adolescents in South Africa are at high HIV risk. This paper assesses young adults' (18-24 years) knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding HIV prevention in Nkangala and OR Tambo districts.

METHODS

A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in two districts in 2017/8. Participants completed computer-assisted self-interviews on HIV knowledge, attitudes, behaviour practices, use of social media and condom use at last sex (proxy for high-risk sex). HIV knowledge was assessed using the South African-adapted UNAIDS scale. Descriptive analyses were conducted and logistic regression models were built to assess factors associated with being knowledgeable of HIV and condom use at last sex.

RESULTS

One thousand nine hundred fifty-five participants were interviewed (90% response rate). Less than half (44.7%) had correct knowledge of HIV prevention and 73% used a condom at last sex. Social media use predicted high HIV knowledge as higher odds were observed among participants using the print media (aOR1.87; 1.34-2.60), WhatsApp (aOR1.55; 1.26-1.90), radio/television (aOR2.75; 1.15-6.55) although social networking sites' use protected against knowledge acquisition (aOR0.53; 0.34-0.82). Females (aOR0.75; 0.58-0.97) and participants reporting sexual risk were less likely to have HIV knowledge as negative associations were found for having multiple sexual partners in the last 3 months (aOR0.63;0.48-0.82) and ever having sex (aOR0.37;0.23-0.61). Participants who abused drugs (aOR1.40; 1.05-1.88) and had attitudes accepting people living with HIV (aOR2.05; 1.14-3.69) had higher odds of having HIV knowledge. Females (aOR0.70; 0.54-0.91), students (aOR0.52; 0.40-0.66) and participants who abused drugs (aOR0.58; 0.43-0.77) were less likely to report condom use at last sex.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a correlation between media use and HIV knowledge, non-condom use and HIV knowledge, and high-risk sexual behaviours and less HIV knowledge. An aggressive community media campaign utilising locally available, preferred and accessible media platforms among young adults is required for behaviour change.

Effect of a Prize-Linked Savings Intervention on Savings and Healthy Behaviors Among Men in Kenya: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Interventions to reduce men's alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors are essential for reducing new HIV infections in high-prevalence settings in sub-Saharan Africa. Prize-linked savings accounts can motivate savings and may decrease expenditures on risky behaviors, but few studies have examined the HIV prevention potential of such savings interventions among men.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of prize-linked savings accounts on savings behavior and expenditures on alcohol, gambling, and transactional sex among men in Kenya.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Randomized clinical trial among communities in Siaya County, Kenya. Participants were men 21 years or older who owned a mobile phone, were engaged in fishing or transportation sector work, and were willing to open an account with a local bank; they were screened for eligibility between September 3 and October 5, 2018.

INTERVENTIONS

Eligible participants were offered savings accounts endowed with 1000 Kenya shillings (US $10) and randomized (1:1) to receive weekly lottery-based rewards contingent on growth in savings balance or to a control group that received standard interest.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was an indicator of whether a participant saved any money in the bank account (intent-to-treat analysis) during the study period. Secondary outcomes included total amount saved in the bank account, total amount saved in all sources, and expenditures on alcohol, gambling, and transactional sex.

RESULTS

A total of 425 men were screened, 329 (77.4%) met eligibility criteria, 300 (70.6%) were enrolled (with 152 randomized to the intervention group and 148 to the control group), and 270 of 300 (90.0%) opened bank accounts. Participants' mean age was 33.7 years (interquartile range, 13.5 years), 84.3% (253 of 300) were married, and the mean weekly earnings were US $30 (interquartile range, US $23). During a mean (SD) follow-up of 9 (2) weeks, 37.3% (50 of 134) in the intervention group saved money in a bank account vs 27.2% (37 of 136) in the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.96-2.74). The intervention group had higher growth in bank savings balances (US $10.26; 95% CI, US $5.00-US $58.20 vs US $4.87; 95% CI, US $0.67-US $9.00) and higher total savings from all sources (US $201; 95% CI, US $133-US $269 vs US $145; 95% CI, US $88-US $202), but neither difference was statistically significant. The intervention did not have a significant effect on alcohol, gambling, and transactional sex expenditures.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Prize-linked savings accounts modestly increased savings among high-risk men in Kenya over a 9-week period, but the difference compared with standard-interest savings accounts was not significant. Testing of more powerful savings products is needed to assess whether such savings-led interventions can reduce men's expenditures on alcohol, gambling, and transactional sex.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Social Science Registry identifier: AEARCTR-0003224, and ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04013295.