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Brault MA, Christie S, Aquino S, Rendin A, Manchia A, Curry LA, Linnander EL. Project Last Mile and the development of the Girl Champ brand in eSwatini: engaging the private sector to promote uptake of health services among adolescent girls and young women. SAHARA J 2021; 18:52-63. [PMID: 33685358 PMCID: PMC7946024 DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2021.1894224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In eSwatini and across sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are at significantly higher risk of HIV infection and poorer sexual and reproductive health (SRH) than their male counterparts. AGYW demonstrate low demand for SRH services, further contributing to poor outcomes. Strategic marketing approaches, including those used by multinational corporations, have potential to support demand creation for SRH services among AGYW, but there is limited empirical evidence on the direct application of private-sector strategic marketing approaches in this context. Therefore, we examined how Project Last Mile worked with eSwatini's Ministry of Heath to translate strategic marketing approaches from the Coca-Cola system to attract AGYW to SRH services. We present qualitative market research using the ZMET® methodology with 12 young Swazi women (ages 15-24), which informed development of a highly branded communication strategy consistent with other successful gain-framing approaches. Qualitative in-depth interviews with 19 stakeholders revealed receptivity to the market research findings, and highlighted local ownership over the strategic marketing process and brand. These results can inform similar efforts to translate strategic marketing to support demand generation in pursuit of public health goals to reduce HIV risk and improve SRH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie A. Brault
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sarah Christie
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Global Health Leadership Initiative, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | | | | | | | - Leslie A. Curry
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Global Health Leadership Initiative, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Erika L. Linnander
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Global Health Leadership Initiative, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Chamie G, Napierala S, Agot K, Thirumurthy H. HIV testing approaches to reach the first UNAIDS 95% target in sub-Saharan Africa. Lancet HIV 2021; 8:e225-e236. [PMID: 33794183 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3018(21)00023-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
HIV testing is a crucial first step to accessing HIV prevention and treatment services and to achieving the UNAIDS target of 95% of people living with HIV being aware of their status by 2030. Combined implementation of facility-based and community-based approaches has helped to achieve high levels of HIV testing coverage in many countries including those in sub-Saharan Africa. Approaches such as index testing and self-testing help to reach individuals at higher risk of acquiring HIV, men, and those less likely to use health facilities or community-based services. However, as the proportion of people living with HIV who are aware of their HIV status has risen, the challenge of reaching those who remain undiagnosed or those who are at high risk of acquiring HIV has grown. Demand generation and novel testing approaches will be necessary to reach undiagnosed people living with HIV and to promote frequent retesting among key and priority populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Chamie
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Sue Napierala
- RTI International, Women's Global Health Imperative, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kawango Agot
- Impact Research and Development Organization, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Harsha Thirumurthy
- Perelman School of Medicine and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Mubekapi-Musadaidzwa C, Wademan D, Peton N, Hendricks P, Carolus G, Mbaezue R, Kelley KF, Kruger J, Jennings K, Grobbelaar N, Louis F, Beyers N, Ayles H, Fidler S, Hayes R, Bock P, Hoddinott G. Motivating people living with HIV to initiate antiretroviral treatment outside national guidelines in three clinics in the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial, South Africa. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AIDS RESEARCH : AJAR 2021; 20:32-41. [PMID: 33635735 PMCID: PMC10577307 DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2020.1854795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background: The HPTN 071 (PopART) trial implemented universal test and treat (UTT) in three clinics in the Western Cape, South Africa at a time when antiretroviral treatment (ART) was only offered by CD4 threshold and World Health Organization clinical staging. This required a concomitant shift in the way health workers communicated ART initiation messages. We provide insight into front-line ART initiation communication pre-national policy shift.Method: The design of this study was exploratory with a case descriptive analysis of ART initiation in three clinics. To characterise their demographic profiles, we reviewed 134 randomly selected patient clinical folders of people who initiated ART at CD4 counts greater than the recommended standard. Further, we conducted 12 key informant interviews with health workers at these facilities and thematically analysed health workers' responses.Results: The median age of patients initiating ART regardless of CD4 count (above the threshold level) was 33 years and most were women (73.9%), married (76.1%), and unemployed (48.5%). The median CD4 count of patients initiating outside guidelines was 566.5 cells/µl. Contrary to expectations, key informants indicated no radical shift in messaging to explain ART initiation regardless of CD4 count. Rather, they encouraged people living with HIV (PLHIV) to initiate ART while they still "feel well". The reduced risk of onward HIV transmission did not factor significantly in how health workers motivated clients.Conclusion: Motivating PLHIV to initiate ART regardless of CD4 count in high burden settings is possible. However, there are still opportunities to improve messaging about immediate ART initiation or at high CD4 counts for the prevention of onward transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dillon Wademan
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Neshaan Peton
- Department of Health, Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Gabriela Carolus
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Rheiner Mbaezue
- Department of Health, City of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Karen F Kelley
- United States Agency for International Development, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - James Kruger
- Department of Health, Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Karen Jennings
- Department of Health, City of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Nulda Beyers
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Helen Ayles
- Zambia AIDS Related TB Project, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sarah Fidler
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Richard Hayes
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Peter Bock
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Graeme Hoddinott
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
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Effects of the implementation of the HIV Treat All guidelines on key ART treatment outcomes in Namibia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243749. [PMID: 33370313 PMCID: PMC7769455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to help the Namibian government understand the impact of Treat All implementation (started on April 1, 2017) on key antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes, and how this transition impacts progress toward the UNAIDS’s 90-90-90 HIV targets. Methods We collected clinical records from two separate cohorts (before and after treat-all) of ART patients in 10 high- and medium-volume facilities in 6 northern Namibia districts. Each cohort contains 12-month data on patients’ scheduled appointments and visits, health status, and viral load results. We also measured patients’ wait time and perceptions of service quality using exit interviews with 300 randomly selected patients (per round). We compared ART outcomes of the two cohorts: ART initiation within 7 days from diagnosis, loss to follow-up (LTFU), missed scheduled appointments for at least 30 days, and viral suppression using unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results Among new ART clients (on ART for less than 3 months or had not yet initiated treatment as of the start date for the ART record review period), rapid ART initiation (within 7 days from diagnosis) was 5.2 times higher after Treat All than that among clients assessed before the policy took effect [AOR: 5.2 (3.8–6.9)]. However, LTFU was higher after Treat All roll-out compared to before Treat All [AOR: 1.9 (1.3–2.8)]. Established ART clients (on ART treatment for at least three months at the start date of the ART record review period) had over 3 times greater odds of achieving viral suppression after Treat All roll-out compared to established ART clients assessed before Treat All [AOR: 3.1 (1.6–5.9)]. Conclusions and recommendations The findings indicate positive effect of the “Treat All” implementation on ART initiation and viral suppression, and negative effect on LTFU. Additionally, by April 2018, Namibia seems to have reached the UNAIDS’s 90-90-90 targets.
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Boeke CE, Khan S, Walsh F, Hettema A, Lejeune C, Spiegelman D, Okello V, Harwell J, Mazibuko S, Bärnighausen T. Universal test and treat in relation to HIV disease progression: results from a stepped-wedge trial in Eswatini. HIV Med 2020; 22:54-59. [PMID: 32876360 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Universal test and treat (UTT) is recommended for people living with HIV (PLHIV) to reduce morbidity/mortality and minimize transmission. However, concerns exist that this strategy may lead to more crowded hospitals, longer wait times and poorer service, adversely impacting health outcomes for clients with severe disease. We assessed how UTT was related to markers of disease progression in PLHIV overall and specifically among clients with low CD4 count/high World Health Organization (WHO) stage. METHODS The analysis was conducted using data from a stepped-wedge trial of UTT in 14 government-managed health facilities in Eswatini from 2014 to 2017. Disease progression was defined as CD4 count falling below 200 cells/µL or baseline value, > 10% weight loss, body mass index (BMI) dropping below 18.5, incident tuberculosis (TB) or HIV-related death; these outcomes also were assessed individually. We assessed multivariate Cox proportional hazard models overall and specifically among clients with CD4 count < 350 cells/μL or WHO stage 3-4 at enrolment. RESULTS Eight hundred and seven of 3176 clients demonstrated at least one marker of disease progression over 2339 person-years of follow-up. Overall, 62.4% of clients were female; 57.2% were < 35 years old. Compared to clients not exposed to UTT, those exposed to UTT had a lower rate of disease progression overall [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.60; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.78] and a lower rate of CD4 decline (aHR 0.40; 95% CI 0.27-0.58). When the analysis was limited to clients with CD4 count < 350 cells/μL or WHO stage 3-4, UTT was not associated with disease progression (aHR 0.92; 95% CI 0.66-1.29). CONCLUSIONS UTT reduced HIV disease progression overall and was not detrimental for clients with more severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Boeke
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S Khan
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Mbabane, Eswatini
| | - F Walsh
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Hettema
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Mbabane, Eswatini
| | - C Lejeune
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Mbabane, Eswatini
| | - D Spiegelman
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - V Okello
- Ministry of Health, Mbabane, Eswatini
| | - J Harwell
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - T Bärnighausen
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
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