1
|
Kestelyn E, Van Nuil JI, Umulisa MM, Umutoni G, Uwingabire A, De Baetselier I, Uwineza M, Agaba S, Crucitti T, Delvaux T, van de Wijgert JHHM. High adherence to intermittent and continuous use of a contraceptive vaginal ring among women in a randomized controlled trial in Kigali, Rwanda. Front Glob Womens Health 2024; 5:1278981. [PMID: 38680542 PMCID: PMC11047128 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1278981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The introduction of female-initiated drug-delivery methods, including vaginal rings, have proven to be a promising avenue to address sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, which disproportionally affects women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Efficient uptake of existing and new technologies such as vaginal rings requires in depth understanding of product adherence. This remains a major challenge as data on adherence to vaginal rings from African countries is limited. In this study, we explored adherence of contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing®) use in Kigali, Rwanda using a mixed methods approach. Methods We collected quantitative and qualitative data at multiple time points from women participating in a clinical trial exploring the safety and acceptability of either intermittent or continuous use of the NuvaRing®. Various adherence categories were used including monthly and cumulative adherence measurement. The quantitative data were analysed using R and the qualitative data were analysed using a deductive, content-analytical approach based on categories related to the quantitative adherence measures. All data were compared and triangulated. Results Data from 120 enrolled participants showed that self-reported adherence was high at every study visit in both study groups. At first study visit 80% of the intermittent ring users and 79.7% of the continuous ring users reported perfect adherence (assessed as "the ring was never out"). Reporting of ring expulsions and removals were highest (28.3%) at the beginning of the trial. Self-reported perfect ring adherence increased during the study and reports of ring expulsions and removals declined as familiarity with this contraceptive method increased. The percentage of women with perfect cumulative adherence was non-significantly higher in the intermittent (61.7%) than in the continuous use group (54.3%). The low rate of discrepant adherence data after triangulation (6%) is in line with the perception of the participants as adherent throughout the study. Conclusions Self-reported adherence in both study groups was high with removals and expulsions being within the expected product range. Comprehensive adherence data triangulation allowed for a deeper understanding of context-driven behaviour that shaped adherence patterns and challenges. Our data categorisation and triangulation approach has shown potential for implementation in future vaginal ring studies aiming to better understand and measure adherence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Kestelyn
- Rinda Ubuzima, Kigali, Rwanda
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Ilo Van Nuil
- Rinda Ubuzima, Kigali, Rwanda
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Irith De Baetselier
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Tania Crucitti
- Experimental Bacteriology Unit, Institut Pasteur Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Thérèse Delvaux
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Janneke H. H. M. van de Wijgert
- Rinda Ubuzima, Kigali, Rwanda
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Krogstad Mudzingwa E, de Vos L, Atujuna M, Fynn L, Mugore M, Mabandla S, Hosek S, Celum C, Bekker LG, Daniels J, Medina-Marino A. High study participation but diverging adherence levels: qualitatively unpacking PrEP use among adolescent girls and young women over two years in Eastern Cape, South Africa. J Behav Med 2024; 47:320-333. [PMID: 38081955 PMCID: PMC10944421 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-023-00462-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
In Southern and Eastern Africa, initiation of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention has been high among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) offered PrEP. However, persistence and prevention-effective use of PrEP among this critical group continues to be a challenge. We conducted a qualitative sub-study of AGYW from the Community PrEP Study in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa who had high rates of pick up for monthly PrEP refills over two years, but differing levels of PrEP adherence based on tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) measurements in dried blood spots (DBS). Contrasting 22 AGYW with low versus high levels of TFV-DP in DBS, we qualitatively explored factors which influenced PrEP persistence vs. non-persistence, unique patterns of PrEP use (e.g., discarding or stockpiling), and participant recommendations for improving AGYW prevention-effective use of PrEP in the future. Results showed that PrEP misconceptions and mistrust among participants' social networks negatively influenced adherence. In comparison, supportive families and/or partners and personal trust that PrEP works positively influenced adherence. Those with low adherence described being motivated to come to the site for other study benefits (e.g., reimbursement money, snacks, sanitary pads) and discarding PrEP to avoid stigma associated with being seen with pills. Future PrEP implementation strategies should focus on involving families and partners in PrEP support for AGYW and minimizing PrEP stigma at a community level.Trial registration NCT03977181. Retrospectively registered on June 6, 2019.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Krogstad Mudzingwa
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, 3 Woodlands Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa
- Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Lindsey de Vos
- Research Unit, Foundation for Professional Development, Buffalo City Metro, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
| | - Millicent Atujuna
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, 3 Woodlands Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa
| | - Lauren Fynn
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, 3 Woodlands Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa
| | - Matinatsa Mugore
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Selly Mabandla
- HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB Directorate, Buffalo City Health District, Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health, Bisho, South Africa
| | - Sybil Hosek
- Department of Psychiatry, Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Connie Celum
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Linda-Gail Bekker
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, 3 Woodlands Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa
| | - Joseph Daniels
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Andrew Medina-Marino
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, 3 Woodlands Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa.
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cabling ML, Drago F, Turner J, Hurtado-de-Mendoza A, Sheppard VB. Revisiting agency and medical health technology: actor network theory and breast cancer survivors’ perspectives on an adherence tool. HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY 2022; 12:1071-1084. [PMID: 36406185 PMCID: PMC9660207 DOI: 10.1007/s12553-022-00707-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Optimal treatment adherence is critical in the management of breast cancer patients/survivors taking hormonal therapy. However, lack of adherence is common. Many technologies have been developed to encourage medication intake, such as reminders on phones or digital pills, with varying degrees of success. Methods To explore the role of technology in medical adherence requires a framework that considers all complexities of technology, from software to the end user’s beliefs. Actor Network Theory (ANT) defines technology based on its technical, social, and abstract components. We conducted three focus groups, which we analyzed using a thematic analysis to determine topics in breast cancer survivors’ discussions of these technologies. We also conducted a deductive content analysis using ANT concepts as codes. Results In discussing the use of technology to improve medical adherence, participants had an empowering view of technology (48.8%) a neutral one (41.5%) or a disempowering view (9.8%). When it comes to their medication adherence, breast cancer survivors taking hormonal therapy perceived technology as something on which they could assert agency while their own agency dictated their adherence behaviors. Conclusions In line with a non-technologically deterministic view of medical technologies, this finding shows that technology can be both constraining and enabling, depending on the specific context of human use. This networked understanding of technology in terms of social dynamics has relevant implications in designing interventions that use technology to improve adherence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark L. Cabling
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street, NW, Ste. 4100, 20007 Washington DC, USA
| | - Fabrizio Drago
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - Jeanine Turner
- Communication, Culture & Technology Program, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Georgetown University Car Barn, Suite 311, 3520 Prospect Street, Washington DC , N.W. 20057 USA
| | - Alejandra Hurtado-de-Mendoza
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street, NW, Ste. 4100, 20007 Washington DC, USA
| | - Vanessa B. Sheppard
- Massey Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Box 980037, Richmond, VA 23298-0037 USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Katz AWK, Balán IC, Reddy K, Etima J, Weber K, Tauya T, Atujuna M, Scheckter R, Ngure K, Soto-Torres L, Mgodi N, Palanee-Phillips T, Baeten JM, van der Straten A. Women's experience receiving drug feedback and adherence counseling in MTN-025/HOPE - an HIV Prevention open-label trial of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring. AIDS Behav 2022; 26:3607-3619. [PMID: 35536519 PMCID: PMC9561023 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03663-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] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In the Phase IIIB MTN-025/HOPE open label extension trial, participants were offered the dapivirine vaginal ring as HIV prophylaxis, and those who accepted the ring received semi real-time individual adherence feedback, based on residual drug level (RDL) from returned rings, during Motivational Interviewing-based counseling. Counseling messages, based on the best knowledge at the time, framed RDL results in terms of ring use and HIV protection, from no use /no protection (0 RDL) to high use /high protection (3 RDL). At six HOPE sites, in-depth-Interviews (IDIs) about RDL were conducted with 64 participants who had received at least one RDL result. We found mixed interpretations of what the RDL meant and strong emotional reactions with a focus on the external validation of the level itself. Counseling was critical to help participants process their reactions to the RDL and make decisions accordingly (i.e., persistence, adherence improvement, and/or switching to another HIV prevention method). Providing drug adherence feedback was complex to implement yet proved useful as a component of a multi-pronged adherence support strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Iván C Balán
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
- Present affiliation Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Krishnaveni Reddy
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Juliane Etima
- Makerere University, Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Thelma Tauya
- College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Millicent Atujuna
- Desmond Tutu AIDS Foundation, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Kenneth Ngure
- Department of Community Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Juja, Kenya
| | | | - Nyaradzo Mgodi
- College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Jared M Baeten
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Present affiliation Gilead Sciences, Foster City, CA, USA
| | - Ariane van der Straten
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Present affiliation ASTRA Consulting, Kensington, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Safety and efficacy of G2-S16 dendrimer as microbicide in healthy human vaginal tissue explants. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:151. [PMID: 35307031 PMCID: PMC8935742 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01350-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The absence of an effective treatment and vaccine in HIV-1 pandemic place preventive strategies such as safety and effective microbicide development as a central therapeutic approach to control HIV-1 pandemic nowadays. RESULTS Studies of cytotoxicity, immune population status, inflammation or tissue damage and mainly prophylactic inhibition of HIV-1 infection in vaginal human explants demonstrate the biosafety and effectivity of G2-S16 dendrimer. Human explants treated with G2-S16 dendrimer or treated and HIV-1 infected do not presented signs of irritation, inflammation, immune activation or T cell populations deregulation. CONCLUSIONS Herein we conclude that G2-S16 dendrimer has demonstrated sufficient efficacy, biosafety, effectivity and behavior in the closest to the real-life condition model represented by the human healthy donor vaginal tissue explants, to raise G2-S16 dendrimer as a promising candidate to clinical trials to develop an effective microbicide against HIV-1 infection.
Collapse
|
6
|
Philbin MM, Perez-Brumer A. Promise, perils and cautious optimism: the next frontier in long-acting modalities for the treatment and prevention of HIV. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2022; 17:72-88. [PMID: 35225248 PMCID: PMC8915989 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This paper provides a critical review of recent therapeutic advances in long-acting (LA) modalities for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and prevention. RECENT FINDINGS LA injectable antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been approved in the United States, Canada and Europe; the United States also has approved LA injectable preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the World Health Organization has recommended the vaginal PrEP ring. Current LA PrEP modalities in clinical trials include injections, films, rings, and implants; LA ART modalities in trials include subcutaneous injections and long-term oral pills. Although LA modalities hold incredible promise, global availability is inhibited by long-standing multilevel perils including declining multilateral funding, patent protections and lack of political will. Once available, access and uptake are limited by factors such as insurance coverage, clinic access, labor markets, stigma, and structural racism and sexism. These must be addressed to facilitate equitable access for all. SUMMARY There have been tremendous recent advances in the efficacy of LA ART and PrEP modalities, providing renewed hope that 'ending the HIV epidemic' is within reach. However, pervasive socio-structural inequities limit the promise of LA modalities, highlighting the need for cautious optimism in light of the embedded inequities in the trajectory of research, development, and population-level implementation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan M. Philbin
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Amaya Perez-Brumer
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Martin-Moreno A, Ceña-Diez R, Serramía MJ, Jiménez JL, Gómez-Ramírez R, Muñoz-Fernández M. Safety of G2-S16 Polyanionic Carbosilane Dendrimer as Possible HIV-1 Vaginal Microbicide. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052565. [PMID: 35269708 PMCID: PMC8910216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The UNAIDS objective for 2020 was 500,000 new HIV-1 infections per year; however, the latest annual reported data confirmed 1.7 million new HIV-1 infections in that year. Those data evidences the need for new prevention strategies and prophylactic treatments. This prevention crisis occurred in spite of the knowledge and availability of efficient prevention strategies. The G2-S16 is a microbicidal polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer currently being tested for topical vaginal application, which has been shown to be efficient in the prevention of HIV-1 infection. However, safety tests were lacked. For this purpose, we injected intravenously G2-S16 dendrimer to CD1 mice, thereby analyzing the hemogram, blood biochemical markers of systemic damage, accumulation in the organs and organ-tissue damage in heart, spleen, kidney, liver and brain. This work shows that even if the G2-S16 dendrimer penetrates the epithelial tissue, it does not cause vaginal irritation or tissue damage. Moreover, the i.v. injection of the G2-S16 dendrimer did not cause a damaging effect on the studied organs and it did not modify the hemogram or the biochemical plasma markers. In conclusion, the G2-S16 dendrimer has a very good safety profile, indicating that this molecule can be a very safe and efficient vaginal microbicide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Martin-Moreno
- Sección Inmunología, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (A.M.-M.); (R.C.-D.); (M.J.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Rafael Ceña-Diez
- Sección Inmunología, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (A.M.-M.); (R.C.-D.); (M.J.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain;
| | - María Jesús Serramía
- Sección Inmunología, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (A.M.-M.); (R.C.-D.); (M.J.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain;
| | - José Luis Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Spanish HIV HGM BioBank, 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Gómez-Ramírez
- Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Mariángeles Muñoz-Fernández
- Sección Inmunología, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain; (A.M.-M.); (R.C.-D.); (M.J.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Spanish HIV HGM BioBank, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
O’Rourke S, Hartmann M, Myers L, Lawrence N, Gill K, Morton JF, Celum CL, Bekker LG, van der Straten A. The PrEP Journey: Understanding How Internal Drivers and External Circumstances Impact The PrEP Trajectory of Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South Africa. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:2154-2165. [PMID: 33521908 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-020-03145-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite high risk for HIV, South African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) experience numerous challenges with adherence to PrEP. To better understand AGYW's motivations for PrEP and factors that impact PrEP adherence, we conducted serial in-depth interviews with 22 South African AGYW during a 12 month prospective study. Interviews explored motivations and initial experiences of PrEP use, patterns of adherence, social support, and reasons for stopping or persisting with PrEP. We also assessed drug levels as a biomarker of adherence; dried blood spots were collected at months 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 to assess intracellular tenofovir diphosphate levels. An end-user journey analytical approach revealed themes related to behavioral and emotional aspects of use, including multilevel factors leading to divergent PrEP adherence trajectories. Our findings highlight how internal versus external motivations drive PrEP use, as well as how positive identity formation and challenges are handled, which are essential to understand AGYW in their PrEP journeys.
Collapse
|
9
|
Naidoo K, Mansoor LE, Katz AWK, Garcia M, Kemigisha D, Morar NS, Zimba CC, Chitukuta M, Reddy K, Soto-Torres L, Naidoo S, Montgomery ET. Qualitative Perceptions of Dapivirine VR Adherence and Drug Level Feedback Following an Open-Label Extension Trial. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2021; 86:e90-e96. [PMID: 33278181 PMCID: PMC7902420 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There continues to be a need for HIV prevention options that women can initiate and use autonomously. The dapivirine vaginal ring (VR) has been shown to have a favorable safety profile and reduce the risk of HIV-1 acquisition. We report on women's experiences with VR adherence during the MTN-025/HIV Open-label Prevention Extension (HOPE) study and responses to Residual Drug Level (RDL) results. SETTING Ten women at each of the 6 HOPE research sites in Lilongwe, Malawi; Durban (2 sites) and Johannesburg, South Africa; Kampala, Uganda; and Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, were randomly selected (n = 60). METHODS After confirmation of eligibility criteria, in-depth interviews were conducted where available RDL results were presented. RESULTS Many women with low RDL release measurements deflected blame onto other factors (the ring, the drug, and faulty testing machines) and distrust of the testing method. The disclosure of RDL results enabled some users to discuss their challenges experienced (fear of partner objections, perceived side effects, and removals during menses). Consistent users reported important motivators (support from others, protection from HIV, and enhanced sexual experiences from the VR). CONCLUSION The VR provided a sense of security for some women; however, adherence was still challenging for others regardless of it being a female controlled, long-acting HIV prevention technology. Adherence measurements may not be sustainable in the real-world implementation of the VR, although they can be seen as a benefit as they provide a better understanding of actual product use and provide women with a platform to discuss their experiences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kalendri Naidoo
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Leila E. Mansoor
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ariana WK. Katz
- Women’s Global Health Imperative, RTI International, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Morgan Garcia
- FHI 360, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Doreen Kemigisha
- Makerere University, Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Neetha S. Morar
- HIV Prevention Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Miria Chitukuta
- University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Research Centre (UZCHS-CTRC), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Krishnaveni Reddy
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lydia Soto-Torres
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sarita Naidoo
- HIV Prevention Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa (Present affiliation: The Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa)
| | - Elizabeth T. Montgomery
- Women’s Global Health Imperative, RTI International, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Krogstad EA, Atujuna M, Montgomery ET, Minnis AM, Morroni C, Bekker LG. Perceptions matter: Narratives of contraceptive implant robbery in Cape Town, South Africa. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2021; 23:383-396. [PMID: 32216584 PMCID: PMC7529647 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2020.1714739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Uptake of contraceptive implants has declined in South Africa since their introduction in 2014, with side effects and inadequate health provider training cited as primary contributors underlying a poor community perception of implants. In this paper we explore a theme that emerged unexpectedly during analysis of our research in Cape Town that may be an additional factor in this decline: narratives of women being assaulted by robbers who physically remove the implants for smoking as drugs. Narratives were described consistently across interviews and focus groups with youth (aged 18-24 years) and in interviews with health providers, with six participants (two young people, four health providers) sharing personal experiences of robbery. While there was a range of perspectives on whether narratives are based on real experiences or are myths, there was strong consensus that narratives of implant robbery may be influencing women's decisions around implant use in Cape Town. This is a potent example of how perceptions of new products can affect uptake and offers important lessons for implementers to reflect on in planning for rollout of other health technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Krogstad
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Women’s Global Health Imperative, RTI International, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Millicent Atujuna
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Chelsea Morroni
- Women’s Health Research Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Linda-Gail Bekker
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Thirlway F, Nyamurungi KN, Matovu JKB, Miti AK, Mdege ND. Tobacco use and cessation in the context of ART adherence: Insights from a qualitative study in HIV clinics in Uganda. Soc Sci Med 2021; 273:113759. [PMID: 33631533 PMCID: PMC7610397 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113759] [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] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionate burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Tobacco use amongst people living with HIV is higher than in the general population even though it increases the risk of life-threatening opportunistic infections including tuberculosis (TB). Research on tobacco use and cessation amongst people living with HIV in Africa is sparse and it is not clear what interventions might achieve lasting cessation. We carried out qualitative interviews in Uganda in 2019 with 12 current and 13 former tobacco users (19 men and 6 women) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in four contrasting locations. We also interviewed 13 HIV clinic staff. We found that tobacco use and cessation were tied into the wider moral framework of ART adherence, but that the therapeutic citizenship fashioned by ART regimes was experienced more as social control than empowerment. Patients were advised to stop using tobacco; those who did not concealed this from health workers, who associated both tobacco and alcohol use with ART adherence failure. Most of those who quit tobacco did so following the biographical disruption of serious TB rather than HIV diagnosis or ART treatment, but social support from family and friends was key to sustained cessation. We put forward a model of barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation and ART adherence based on engagement with either ‘reputation’ or ‘respectability’. Reputation involved pressure to enjoy tobacco with friends whereas family-oriented respectability demanded cessation, but those excluded by isolation or precarity escaped anxiety and depression by smoking and drinking with their peers. People living with HIV in Uganda hid their tobacco use from health workers. The experience of tuberculosis was the most common trigger to quit smoking. Engagement with ‘respectable’ masculinity promoted smoking cessation. Engagement with ‘reputational’ masculinity made it hard to quit. This model has wider applicability for antiretroviral therapy adherence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frances Thirlway
- Department of Sociology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Kellen Namusisi Nyamurungi
- Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala P.O Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph K B Matovu
- Department of Community & Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Uganda
| | - Andrew Kibuuka Miti
- Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala P.O Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Noreen Dadirai Mdege
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Relaño-Rodríguez I, Muñoz-Fernández MÁ. Emergence of Nanotechnology to Fight HIV Sexual Transmission: The Trip of G2-S16 Polyanionic Carbosilane Dendrimer to Possible Pre-Clinical Trials. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249403. [PMID: 33321835 PMCID: PMC7764023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of new, safe, and effective microbicides to prevent human immunodeficiency virus HIV sexual transmission is needed. Unfortunately, most microbicides proved ineffective to prevent the risk of HIV-infection in clinical trials. We are working with G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer (PCD) as a new possible vaginal topical microbicide, based on its short reaction times, wide availability, high reproducibility, and quantitative yields of reaction. G2-S16 PCD exerts anti-HIV activity at an early stage of viral replication, by blocking gp120/CD4/CCR5 interaction, and providing a barrier against infection for long periods of time. G2-S16 PCD was stable at different pH values, as well as in the presence of seminal fluids. It maintained the anti-HIV activity against R5/X4 HIV over time, did not generate any type of drug resistance, and retained the anti-HIV effect when exposed to semen-enhanced viral infection. Importantly, G2-S16 PCD did not modify vaginal microbiota neither in vitro or in vivo. Histopathological examination did not show vaginal irritation, inflammation, lesions, or damage in the vaginal mucosa, after administration of G2-S16 PCD at different concentrations and times in female mice and rabbit animal models. Based on these promising data, G2-S16 PCD could become a good, safe, and readily available candidate to use as a topical vaginal microbicide against HIV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Relaño-Rodríguez
- Head Section of Immunology, Molecular Immunology Laboratory, General Universitary Hospital Gregorio Marañón, C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Maria Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández
- Head Section of Immunology, Molecular Immunology Laboratory, General Universitary Hospital Gregorio Marañón, C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Health Research Institute Gregorio Marañon (IiSGM), C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Spanish HIV HGM BioBank, C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +34-91-586-8565
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mackworth-Young CRS, Bond V, Wringe A. Secrets and Silence: Agency of Young Women Managing HIV Disclosure. Med Anthropol 2020; 39:720-734. [PMID: 32469242 DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2020.1764551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Drawing on a 12-month ethnography with young women living with HIV in Zambia, we explore their everyday strategies to avoid unintentional disclosure of their HIV status. Young women practiced secrecy with sexual partners, through hiding their antiretroviral therapy and using veiled language around HIV. Whilst remaining silent about their HIV status enabled them to maintain identities beyond HIV, this secrecy triggered feelings of guilt and anxiety, suggesting that their agency was "bounded" by the context of persistent stigma. These strategies to hide their HIV status question public health narratives urging disclosure, and support disclosure-counseling approaches that champions choice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Constance R S Mackworth-Young
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London, UK
| | - Virginia Bond
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London, UK.,Social Science Department, Zambart, School of Medicine, University of Zambia , Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Alison Wringe
- Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Alenichev A. ‘We will soon be dead’: stigma and cascades of looping effects in a collaborative Ebola vaccine trial. CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2019.1682124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arsenii Alenichev
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Fernandez Lynch H, Joffe S, Thirumurthy H, Xie D, Largent EA. Association Between Financial Incentives and Participant Deception About Study Eligibility. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e187355. [PMID: 30681707 PMCID: PMC6484547 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Offers of payment for research participation are ubiquitous but may lead prospective participants to deceive about eligibility, jeopardizing study integrity and participant protection. To date, neither the rate of payment-induced deception nor the influence of payment amount has been systematically studied in a nationally representative randomized survey experiment. OBJECTIVES To estimate payment-associated deception about eligibility for an online survey and to assess whether there is an association between payment amount and deception frequency. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized, 7-group survey experiment. Data were collected in March 2018 and analyzed from March to August 2018. The setting was a nationally representative online survey among US adults drawn from the GfK KnowledgePanel. INTERVENTIONS Varying payment amounts for participation ($5, $10, or $20 cash equivalent) and direction of eligibility criterion (having received or not having received an influenza vaccination in the past 6 months). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Proportion of respondents reporting recent influenza vaccination. RESULTS In total, 2275 individuals participated in the survey, a 59.4% (2275 of 3829) response rate; 51.8% (1108) were female, and 21.1% of respondents (399) were aged 18 to 29 years, 24.9% (532) were aged 30 to 44 years, 26.0% (601) were aged 45 to 59 years, and 28.0% (738) were 60 years or older. For participants offered a $5 incentive, the reported frequency of recent influenza vaccination was 16.6% higher (95% CI, 9.1%-24.1%) among those told that eligibility (and thus payment) required recent vaccination than among those told that eligibility required no recent vaccination. The corresponding differences were 21.0% (95% CI, 13.5%-28.5%) among those offered $10 and 15.4% (95% CI, 7.8%-23.0%) among those offered $20. Estimated proportions of ineligible individuals who responded deceptively regarding eligibility ranged from 10.5% to 22.8% across study groups. There was no evidence that higher payment was associated with higher frequency of deception. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In a nationally representative randomized survey experiment to evaluate whether and to what extent payment is associated with participants misleading investigators about their research eligibility, this study found evidence of significant deception. However, no association was observed between payment amount and frequency of deception. Further research is needed to extend these findings to clinical research. These data suggest that, when possible, investigators should rely on objective tests of eligibility rather than self-report.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly Fernandez Lynch
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Steven Joffe
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Harsha Thirumurthy
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Dawei Xie
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Emily A. Largent
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hodes R, Cluver L, Toska E, Vale B. Pesky metrics: the challenges of measuring ART adherence among HIV-positive adolescents in South Africa. CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2018.1550253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Hodes
- AIDS and Society Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elona Toska
- AIDS and Society Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Beth Vale
- Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, Centre for African Studies, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Baron D, Essien T, Pato S, Magongo M, Mbandazayo N, Scorgie F, Rees H, Delany‐Moretlwe S. Collateral benefits: how the practical application of Good Participatory Practice can strengthen HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 21 Suppl 7:e25175. [PMID: 30334610 PMCID: PMC6193316 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Good Participatory Practice (GPP): Guidelines for Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials, second edition (2011) were developed to provide clinical trial sponsors and implementers with a formal stakeholder engagement framework. As one of the largest African research institutes, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) became an early adopter of GPP by implementing its principles within large-scale national and regional clinical trials. This article examines Wits RHI's lessons learned from implementing GPP, its ongoing efforts to institutionalize GPP, and the yet to be realized potential in creating fully sustainable structures for meaningful stakeholder engagement in HIV prevention research, implementation science and beyond. DISCUSSION For the past seven years, Wits RHI has undertaken both centralized leadership roles in implementing GPP across multi-party regional research consortia as well as overseeing GPP for smaller investigator-driven trials. Through this iterative roll-out of GPP, key lessons have emerged. Obtaining upfront funding to support GPP activities throughout and between the research life cycle, and a trained multi-disciplinary team of GPP practitioners have helped facilitate an enabling environment for GPP implementation. We further recommend formally integrating stakeholder engagement into study documents, including monitoring and evaluation plans with indicators and performance metrics, to assist teams to track and refine their GPP strategies. Finally, institutionalizing resources and supporting organization-wide GPP along with ongoing support can help build efficiencies and maximize economies of scale toward a pragmatic and innovative application of the GPP Guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Thanks to a growing global network of GPP practitioners and a burgeoning GPP Community of Practice, there has been substantive progress in making GPP an integral component of clinical HIV prevention research. The Wits RHI experience highlights the possibilities and the challenges to translating the GPP principles into concrete practices within specific clinical trials and across a research institute. Realizing the full potential of GPP, including direct and indirect - 'collateral benefits' will require the collective buy-in and support from sponsors, implementers and community stakeholders across the research field. As the HIV prevention research field expands, however, a more conscious and systematic implementation of GPP is timely.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Baron
- Wits RHIUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
- Department of Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public HealthJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | | | - Sinazo Pato
- International Partnership for MicrobicidesJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Miliswa Magongo
- Wits RHIUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | | | - Fiona Scorgie
- Wits RHIUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Helen Rees
- Wits RHIUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ampt FH, Willenberg L, Agius PA, Chersich M, Luchters S, Lim MSC. Incidence of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e021779. [PMID: 30224388 PMCID: PMC6144321 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers (FSWs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN We searched MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase and Popline for papers published in English between January 2000 and January 2016, and Web of Science and Proquest for conference abstracts. Meta-analysis was performed on the primary outcomes using random effects models, with subgroup analysis used to explore heterogeneity. PARTICIPANTS Eligible studies targeted FSWs aged 15-49 years living or working in an LMIC. OUTCOME MEASURES Studies were eligible if they provided data on one of two primary outcomes: incidence of unintended pregnancy and incidence of pregnancy where intention is undefined. Secondary outcomes were also extracted when they were reported in included studies: incidence of induced abortion; incidence of birth; and correlates/predictors of pregnancy or unintended pregnancy. RESULTS Twenty-five eligible studies were identified from 3866 articles. Methodological quality was low overall. Unintended pregnancy incidence showed high heterogeneity (I²>95%), ranging from 7.2 to 59.6 per 100 person-years across 10 studies. Study design and duration were found to account for heterogeneity. On subgroup analysis, the three cohort studies in which no intervention was introduced had a pooled incidence of 27.1 per 100 person-years (95% CI 24.4 to 29.8; I2=0%). Incidence of pregnancy (intention undefined) was also highly heterogeneous, ranging from 2.0 to 23.4 per 100 person-years (15 studies). CONCLUSIONS Of the many studies examining FSWs' sexual and reproductive health in LMICs, very few measured pregnancy and fewer assessed pregnancy intention. Incidence varied widely, likely due to differences in study design, duration and baseline population risk, but was high in most studies, representing a considerable concern for this key population. Evidence-based approaches that place greater importance on unintended pregnancy prevention need to be incorporated into existing sexual and reproductive health programmes for FSWs. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42016029185.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frances H Ampt
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Paul A Agius
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Chersich
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Stanley Luchters
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, International Centre for Reproductive Health, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Megan S C Lim
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Manderson L, Levine S. Southward Focused: Medical Anthropology in South Africa. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lenore Manderson
- University of the Witwatersrand; South Africa, and Brown University USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Krogstad EA, Atujuna M, Montgomery ET, Minnis A, Ndwayana S, Malapane T, Shapley‐Quinn MK, Manenzhe K, Bekker L, van der Straten A. Perspectives of South African youth in the development of an implant for HIV prevention. J Int AIDS Soc 2018; 21:e25170. [PMID: 30152004 PMCID: PMC6111144 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Implants are a new dosage form in development for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with potential for high adherence given that they are provider-administered and are intended for long-acting protection. Integrating end-user preference into early stage product development may further overcome challenges with future product uptake and adherence. Hence, we sought to optimize the design of a PrEP implant in early-stage development by gathering opinions about implant attributes from potential end-users in South Africa. METHODS We conducted 14 focus group discussions (FGDs) with young women and men aged 18 to 24 in Cape Town and Soshanguve, South Africa, inviting participants into discussion as co-designers. FGDs were homogenous by gender and previous implant experience. During FGDs, we showed prototype devices and followed a semi-structured guide with questions on history of contraceptive implant use, preferences for physical characteristics of an implant, implant biodegradability, insertion process, participant-driven ideas for implant design, and social adoption considerations. FGDs were facilitated in English, isiXhosa, Tswana, isiZulu, or Tsonga, audio-recorded, transcribed into English, and qualitatively coded and analysed. RESULTS In this qualitative sample of 105 youth (68 women and 37 men), 58 participants were from Soshanguve and 47 from Cape Town, and 23% had previously used contraceptive implants. Participants expressed preferences for several implant design features; specifically, longer duration (≥6 months) was more important to most participants than the size or number of devices implanted. A majority preferred a flexible versus stiff implant to minimize palpability, thereby increasing discreetness and comfort. Nearly all participants favoured a biodegradable implant to avoid removal and thus reduce clinic visits. Concerns about the implant centred on its possible side effects and the "plastic" look of the prototype displayed for demonstration. CONCLUSIONS This study offers preliminary insights into an implant for HIV prevention that provides long-lasting protection may be well received among young South Africans. Additionally, flexibility, discreetness, and biodegradability may increase acceptability of the implant. Such end-user feedback is being incorporated into current implant designs in the hope of creating an effective long-acting PrEP product that is likely to achieve high uptake and adherence in target populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Krogstad
- Desmond Tutu HIV CentreUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
- RTI InternationalWomen's Global Health ImperativeSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | | | - Alexandra Minnis
- RTI InternationalWomen's Global Health ImperativeSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sheily Ndwayana
- Desmond Tutu HIV CentreUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | | | | | | | | | - Ariane van der Straten
- RTI InternationalWomen's Global Health ImperativeSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Center for AIDS Prevention StudiesUniversity of California – San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Montgomery ET, Stadler J, Naidoo S, Katz AWK, Laborde N, Garcia M, Reddy K, Mansoor LE, Etima J, Zimba C, Chitukuta M, Soto-Torres L. Reasons for nonadherence to the dapivirine vaginal ring: narrative explanations of objective drug-level results. AIDS 2018; 32:1517-1525. [PMID: 29957723 PMCID: PMC6230508 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE(S) MTN-020/ASPIRE trial and IPM-027/Ring Study recently proved the dapivirine vaginal ring was safe and effective with consistent use. To optimize the ring's impact, the barriers and facilitators to ring adherence must be understood and addressed. METHODS Former ASPIRE participants were stratified by age group (18-21; 22-45) and randomly selected at seven sites in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, 12-17 months after trial exit. Using in-depth interviews or focus group discussions, ring use barriers were explored using structured guides and visual tools including individual-level depictions of dapivirine levels detected in plasma and returned rings. RESULTS A total of 187 were enrolled; 37% were 18-21 years when they began ASPIRE. Most (75%) had drug-level results, suggesting inconsistent ring use throughout ASPIRE. Participants viewed themselves as adherent, while simultaneously describing regular instances and reasons for ring removal (e.g. for sex or menses). Less adherent women reported fears that partners would oppose the ring or feel it during sex. High adherers expressed altruistic motivations for ring use. Women of all ages attributed young women's nonadherence to their tendency to be less 'serious' about the future, HIV prevention and the study; motivated predominantly by benefits; more fearful of fertility-related consequences; and to having less relationship control. CONCLUSION When presented with objective adherence data, participants provided reasons for intermittent ring use, while simultaneously portraying themselves as consistent ring users. Further research is needed to understand how women could use the ring in a way that fits into the context of their relationships and their lives while still conferring adequate HIV prophylaxis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan Stadler
- Department of Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg
| | - Sarita Naidoo
- HIV Prevention Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ariana W K Katz
- Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nicole Laborde
- Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Krishnaveni Reddy
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, School of Clinical Medicine, Johannesburg
| | - Leila E Mansoor
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South African (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Juliane Etima
- Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Miria Chitukuta
- University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Unit (UZCHS-CTU), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dixon J, Tameris M. Clean Blood, Religion, and Moral Triage in Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials. Med Anthropol 2018; 37:708-721. [DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2018.1463528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin Dixon
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Michèle Tameris
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Balán IC, Giguere R, Brown W, Carballo-Diéguez A, Horn S, Hendrix CW, Marzinke MA, Ayudhya RPKN, Patterson K, Piper JM, McGowan I, Lama JR, Cranston RD. Brief Participant-Centered Convergence Interviews Integrate Self-Reports, Product Returns, and Pharmacokinetic Results to Improve Adherence Measurement in MTN-017. AIDS Behav 2018; 22:986-995. [PMID: 29076032 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1955-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
MTN-017 compared the safety and acceptability of daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, daily reduced-glycerin 1% tenofovir gel applied rectally, and the same gel applied before and after receptive anal intercourse. The Data Convergence Interview (DCI) and the Pharmacokinetic Data Convergence Interview (PK-DCI) were brief, collaborative interactions conducted with participants during adherence counseling sessions to improve accurate measurement of adherence to study product use. DCIs converged data from product return counts and participants' responses to daily text messages. PK-DCIs, conducted 4 weeks later, converged results of the DCI with PK from the corresponding period. CIs were easily incorporated into adherence counseling sessions, increased the accuracy of adherence data, and provided valuable context to data on product use. Participants were readily engaged in the interviews but, if they felt confronted, provided more guarded responses. As such, how these CIs are conducted is critical to engage participants, even those with poor adherence, to openly discuss challenges with product use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iván C Balán
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, Unit 15, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Rebecca Giguere
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, Unit 15, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - William Brown
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alex Carballo-Diéguez
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, Unit 15, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | | | - Craig W Hendrix
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark A Marzinke
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Karen Patterson
- Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research & Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeanna M Piper
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ian McGowan
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Javier R Lama
- Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación, Lima, Peru
| | - Ross D Cranston
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hodes R, Morrell R. Incursions from the epicentre: Southern theory, social science, and the global HIV research domain. AJAR-AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AIDS RESEARCH 2018; 17:22-31. [PMID: 29471736 DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2017.1377267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Research about HIV constitutes a global domain of academic knowledge. The patterns that structure this domain reflect inequalities in the production and dissemination of knowledge, as well as broader inequalities in geopolitics. Conventional metrics for assessing the value and impact of academic research reveal that "Northern" research remains dominant, while "Southern" research remains peripheral. Southern theory provides a framework for greater critical engagement with knowledge produced by researchers within the global South. With a focus on HIV social science, we show that investigators working in and from Africa have produced and disseminated knowledge fundamental to the global domain of HIV research, and argue that their epistemological contribution may be understood within the framework of Southern theory. Through repurposing a bibliometrical measure of citation count, we constitute a new archive of highly cited social science research. With a focus on South Africa, we situate this archive within changing historical contexts, connecting research findings to developments in medicine, health sciences and politics. We focus on two key themes in the evolution of HIV knowledge: (1) the significance of context and locality - the "setting" of HIV research; and (2) sex, race and risk - changing ideas about the social determinants of HIV transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Hodes
- a AIDS and Society Research Unit , University of Cape Town , Rondebosch , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Robert Morrell
- b Office of the Vice-Chancellor , University of Cape Town , Rondebosch , Cape Town , South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Oldenburg CE, Ortblad KF, Chanda MM, Mwanda K, Nicodemus W, Sikaundi R, Fullem A, Barresi LG, Harling G, Bärnighausen T. Zambian Peer Educators for HIV Self-Testing (ZEST) study: rationale and design of a cluster randomised trial of HIV self-testing among female sex workers in Zambia. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e014780. [PMID: 28428187 PMCID: PMC5775452 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV testing and knowledge of status are starting points for HIV treatment and prevention interventions. Among female sex workers (FSWs), HIV testing and status knowledge remain far from universal. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an alternative to existing testing services for FSWs, but little evidence exists how it can be effectively and safely implemented. Here, we describe the rationale and design of a cluster randomised trial designed to inform implementation and scale-up of HIVST programmes for FSWs in Zambia. METHODS The Zambian Peer Educators for HIV Self-Testing (ZEST) study is a 3-arm cluster randomised trial taking place in 3 towns in Zambia. Participants (N=900) are eligible if they are women who have exchanged sex for money or goods in the previous 1 month, are HIV negative or status unknown, have not tested for HIV in the previous 3 months, and are at least 18 years old. Participants are recruited by peer educators working in their communities. Participants are randomised to 1 of 3 arms: (1) direct distribution (in which they receive an HIVST from the peer educator directly); (2) fixed distribution (in which they receive a coupon with which to collect the HIVST from a drug store or health post) or (3) standard of care (referral to existing HIV testing services only, without any offer of HIVST). Participants are followed at 1 and 4 months following distribution of the first HIVST. The primary end point is HIV testing in the past month measured at the 1-month and 4-month visits. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, USA and ERES Converge in Lusaka, Zambia. The findings of this trial will be presented at local, regional and international meetings and submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Pre-results; NCT02827240.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Oldenburg
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Katrina F Ortblad
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Leah G Barresi
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guy Harling
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, UK
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
- Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Montgomery ET, Mensch B, Musara P, Hartmann M, Woeber K, Etima J, van der Straten A. Misreporting of Product Adherence in the MTN-003/VOICE Trial for HIV Prevention in Africa: Participants' Explanations for Dishonesty. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:481-491. [PMID: 27858268 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1609-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Consistent over-reporting of product use limits researchers' ability to accurately measure adherence and estimate product efficacy in HIV prevention trials. While lying is a universal characteristic of the human condition, growing evidence of a stark discrepancy between self-reported product use and biologic or pharmacokinetic evidence demands examination of the reasons research participants frequently misrepresent product use in order to mitigate this challenge in future research. This study (VOICE-D) was an ancillary post-trial study of the vaginal and oral interventions to control the epidemic (VOICE) phase IIb trial (MTN 003). It was conducted in three African countries to elicit candid accounts from former VOICE trial participants about why actual product use was lower than reported. In total 171 participants were enrolled between December 2012 and March 2014 in South Africa (n = 47), Uganda (n = 59) and Zimbabwe (n = 65). Data suggested that participants understood the importance of daily product use and honest reporting, yet acknowledged that research participants typically lie. Participants cited multiple reasons for misreporting adherence, including human nature, self-presentation with study staff, fear of repercussions (study termination resulting in loss of benefits and experience of HIV-related stigma), a permissive environment in which it was easy to get away with misreporting, and avoiding inconvenient additional counseling. Some participants also reported mistrust of the staff and reciprocal dishonesty about the study products. Many suggested real-time blood-monitoring during trials would encourage greater fidelity to product use and honesty in reporting. Participants at all sites understood the importance of daily product use and honesty, while also acknowledging widespread misreporting of product use. Narratives of dishonesty may suggest a wider social context of hiding products from partners and distrust about research, influenced by rumors circulating in clinic waiting-rooms and surrounding communities. Prevailing power hierarchies between staff and participants may exacerbate misreporting. Participants recognized and suggested that objective, real-time feedback is needed to encourage honest reporting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T Montgomery
- Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, 351 California St, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94104, USA.
| | - B Mensch
- Population Council, New York, NY, USA
| | - P Musara
- UZ-UCSF Collaborative Research Programme, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - M Hartmann
- Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, 351 California St, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94104, USA
| | - K Woeber
- HIV Prevention Research Unit, South Africa Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa
| | - J Etima
- Johns Hopkins University Research Unit, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - A van der Straten
- Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, 351 California St, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94104, USA
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, UCSF, Mission Bay, San Francisco, CA, 94105, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Prevention literacy: community-based advocacy for access and ownership of the HIV prevention toolkit. J Int AIDS Soc 2016; 19:21092. [PMID: 27702430 PMCID: PMC5045969 DOI: 10.7448/ias.19.1.21092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Critical technological advances have yielded a toolkit of HIV prevention strategies. This literature review sought to provide contextual and historical reflection needed to bridge the conceptual gap between clinical efficacy and community effectiveness (i.e. knowledge and usage) of existing HIV prevention options, especially in resource-poor settings. Methods Between January 2015 and October 2015, we reviewed scholarly and grey literatures to define treatment literacy and health literacy and assess the current need for literacy related to HIV prevention. The review included searches in electronic databases including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Permutations of the following search terms were used: “treatment literacy,” “treatment education,” “health literacy,” and “prevention literacy.” Through an iterative process of analyses and searches, titles and/or abstracts and reference lists of retrieved articles were reviewed for additional articles, and historical content analyses of grey literature and websites were additionally conducted. Results and discussion Treatment literacy was a well-established concept developed in the global South, which was later partially adopted by international agencies such as the World Health Organization. Treatment literacy emerged as more effective antiretroviral therapies became available. Developed from popular pedagogy and grassroots efforts during an intense struggle for treatment access, treatment literacy addressed the need to extend access to underserved communities and low-income settings that might otherwise be excluded from access. In contrast, prevention literacy is absent in the recent surge of new biomedical prevention strategies; prevention literacy was scarcely referenced and undertheorized in the available literature. Prevention efforts today include multimodal techniques, which jointly comprise a toolkit of biomedical, behavioural, and structural/environmental approaches. However, linkages to community advocacy and mobilization efforts are limited and unsustainable. Success of prevention efforts depends on equity of access, community-based ownership, and multilevel support structures to enable usage and sustainability. Conclusions For existing HIV prevention efforts to be effective in “real-world” settings, with limited resources, reflection on historical lessons and contextual realities (i.e. policies, financial constraints, and biomedical patents) indicated the need to extend principles developed for treatment access and treatment literacy, to support prevention literacy and prevention access as an integral part of the global response to HIV.
Collapse
|
28
|
Montgomery MC, Oldenburg CE, Nunn AS, Mena L, Anderson P, Liegler T, Mayer KH, Patel R, Almonte A, Chan PA. Adherence to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in a Clinical Setting. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157742. [PMID: 27333000 PMCID: PMC4917105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The HIV epidemic in the United States (US) disproportionately affects gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using co-formulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) has demonstrated high efficacy in reducing HIV incidence among MSM. However, low adherence was reported in major efficacy trials and may present a substantial barrier to successful PrEP implementation. Rates of adherence to PrEP in “real-world” clinical settings in the US remain largely unknown. Methods We reviewed demographic and clinical data for the first 50 patients to enroll in a clinical PrEP program in Providence, Rhode Island. We analyzed self-reported drug adherence as well as drug concentrations in dried blood spots (DBS) from patients who attended either a three- or six-month follow-up appointment. We further assessed drug concentrations and the resistance profile of a single patient who seroconverted while taking PrEP. Results Of the first 50 patients to be prescribed PrEP, 62% attended a follow-up appointment at three months and 38% at six months. Of those who attended an appointment at either time point (70%, n = 35), 92% and 95% reported taking ±4 doses/week at three and six months, respectively. Drug concentrations were performed on a random sample of 20 of the 35 patients who attended a follow-up appointment. TDF levels consistent with ±4 doses/week were found in 90% of these patients. There was a significant correlation between self-reported adherence and drug concentrations (r = 0.49, p = 0.02). One patient who had been prescribed PrEP seroconverted at his three-month follow-up visit. The patient’s drug concentrations were consistent with daily dosing. Population sequencing and ultrasensitive allele-specific PCR detected the M184V mutation, but no other TDF- or FTC-associated mutations, including those present as minor variants. Conclusion In this clinical PrEP program, adherence was high, and self-reported drug adherence accurately reflected drug concentrations as measured by DBS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madeline C. Montgomery
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Catherine E. Oldenburg
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Amy S. Nunn
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Leandro Mena
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Peter Anderson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Teri Liegler
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kenneth H. Mayer
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA; Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rupa Patel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Alexi Almonte
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Philip A. Chan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|