Medication adherence challenges among HIV positive substance abusers: the role of food and housing insecurity

Exploring Correlates of Resource Insecurity Among Older Black or African Americans with HIV in Ohio

OBJECTIVES

Resource insecurity is a social determinant of health that can impact people with HIV (PWH), in particular older African Americans (AA) or blacks with HIV. The purpose of this study was to identify resource insecurities among older Blacks or AA PWH specifically related to food and housing. Secondary focus was to find associations between resource insecurity and substance use history, stigma, and various forms of discrimination.

METHODS

Eligible participants (N = 52) of this cross-sectional study were 50 years old or older, identified as Black or AA, diagnosed with HIV, and living in Ohio. Food insecurity was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and housing insecurity was defined as not having stable housing. Resource insecurity was categorized into food and housing secure, food or housing insecure, and food and housing insecure.

RESULTS

Almost half (48.1%) of participants reported housing insecurity, with approximately 58.0% experiencing food insecurity, and 38.5% facing both. Current substance use, particularly opiates, showed significant association with resource insecurity (OR = 5.54; 95% CI = 1.91-17.30). Moreover, experiences of everyday (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.10-1.30) or major forms (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.33-2.39) of discrimination, as well as HIV stigma (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.01-1.55), were also linked to increased odds of resource insecurity among participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight how social factors contribute to resource insecurity among older AA PWH. Understanding the factors offers insight for targeted intervention in the fight against HIV transmission.

Understanding the impact of a residential housing program for people living with HIV/AIDS: results from a realist evaluation

BACKGROUND

In Canada, the Public Health Agency surveillance of new HIV cases has demonstrated annual increasing rates since 2020. The rates of new HIV cases are highest in the province of Saskatchewan.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project was to conduct a resident-oriented realist evaluation of an innovative supportive housing programme, Sanctum, for people living with HIV/AIDS who also face social care issues, such as homelessness. This project took place in Saskatchewan, a province that is seeking innovative approaches to improve quality of life and HIV/AIDS management for its citizens. Our evaluation addressed how and why participants were successful (or not) within the Sanctum programme.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Sanctum is a housing programme located in an inner-city location within the province of Saskatchewan. A unique component of this evaluation was the inclusion of an individual with lived experience, a resident partner, as a member of the research team.

PARTICIPANTS

11 recent Sanctum graduates, seven men and four women, were recruited for client partner-led in-depth, semistructured interviews.

INTERVENTIONS

Prior to the evaluation, we developed a realist programme theory with potential causal explanations, known as context-mechanism-outcomes (CMO) configurations. Interview data from the evaluation and ongoing discussions with Sanctum board members and our resident partner were used to test, refine and validate the final programme theory and CMO configurations.

RESULTS

CMO configurations at the micro (individual), meso (interpersonal) and macro (community) levels complement the over-arching programme theory. Key findings were the importance of Sanctum's harm reduction philosophy, accompanied by a non-judgmental and patient-oriented approach. Participants were supported to reduce risky behaviour, improve self-care management and develop healthier relationships within a 'safe' home-like setting. Underlying mechanisms that contributed to participants' success in the programme included: intrinsic motivation, self-worth, belongingness, empowerment and self-efficacy. Evidence-informed recommendations are offered to support Sanctum-like programme development for individuals with holistic health needs related to HIV/AIDS diagnoses and lack of access to necessary social determinants of health.

CONCLUSIONS

Stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and living circumstances, such as homelessness, were successfully addressed using harm reduction principles and judgement-free approaches within a family-like environment.

Patient Education and Decision Support for Long-Acting Injectable HIV Antiretroviral Therapy: Protocol for Tool Development and Pilot Testing with Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Medical Case Management Programs in New York

BACKGROUND

Long-acting injectable (LAI) HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) presents a major opportunity to facilitate and sustain HIV viral suppression, thus improving health and survival among people living with HIV and reducing the risk of onward transmission. However, realizing the public health potential of LAI ART requires reaching patients who face barriers to daily oral ART adherence and thus can clinically benefit from alternative treatment modalities. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A medical case management (MCM) programs provide an array of services to address barriers to HIV care and treatment among economically and socially marginalized people living with HIV. These programs have demonstrated effectiveness in improving engagement along the continuum of care, but findings of limited program impact on durable viral suppression highlight the need to further innovate and hone strategies to support long-term ART adherence.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to adapt and expand Ryan White MCM service strategies to integrate LAI ART regimen options, with the larger goal of improving health outcomes in the populations that could most benefit from alternatives to daily oral ART regimens.

METHODS

In 3 phases of work involving patient and provider participants, this study uses role-specific focus groups to elicit perceptions of LAI versus daily oral ART; discrete choice experiment (DCE) surveys to quantify preferences for different ART delivery options and related supports; and a nonrandomized trial to assess the implementation and utility of newly developed tools at 6 partnering Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A MCM programs based in urban, suburban, and semirural areas of New York. Findings from the focus groups and DCEs, as well as feedback from advisory board meetings, informed the design and selection of the tools: a patient-facing, 2-page fact sheet, including frequently asked questions and a side-by-side comparison of LAI with daily oral ART; a patient-facing informational video available on YouTube (Google Inc); and a patient-provider decision aid. Implementation outcomes, measured through provider interviews, surveys, and service reporting, will guide further specification of strategies to integrate LAI ART options into MCM program workflows.

RESULTS

The study was funded in late April 2021 and received approval from the institutional review board in May 2021 under protocol 20-096. Focus groups were conducted in late 2021 (n=21), DCEs ran from June 2022 to January 2023 (n=378), and tools for piloting were developed by May 2023. The trial (May 2023 through January 2024) has enrolled >200 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is designed to provide evidence regarding the acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, and utility of a package of patient-oriented tools for comparing and deciding between LAI ART and daily oral ART options. Study strengths include formative work to guide tool development, a mixed methods approach, and the testing of tools in real-world safety-net service settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05833542; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05833542.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/56892.

A Focus on Aging, HIV/AIDS, and Neurocognitive Challenges: Examining Southern Nevada HIV Sector Providers' Awareness and Prospective Roles

Although abundant research has been carried out to investigate the underlying mechanisms that may cause neurocognitive challenges among middle-aged and older people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH), to monitor the prevalence rates of HIV-related neurocognitive deficits, and to identify factors related to the improvement of diagnostic screening tools, classification and nosology, and clinical and rehabilitative treatment of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND); to date, there have been only a few studies that have explored and examined the awareness and work experiences HIV sector healthcare and service providers have related to HAND. To address this research gap, we conducted a qualitative, community-based participatory research study and interviewed 12 HIV sector providers in Southern Nevada, USA, from January to April 2022. After performing a thematic analysis of our interviews, we were able to identify two major themes and several sub-themes. Under our first major theme, provider awareness and knowledge, we identified four sub-themes: (1) prior knowledge and current awareness; (2) lived experiences of patients and clients with neurocognitive challenges; (3) lack of knowledge as a barrier to providing needed care; and (4) continuing education and professional development. Under our second major theme, prospective provider roles, we identified three sub-themes: (1) early detection; (2) direct and practical support; and (3) appropriate and timely referrals. In this article, we discuss our findings and lessons learned from our study, as well as their implications for the future work of researchers and providers in the HIV sector related to improving care and support for people aging with HIV/AIDS and experiencing neurocognitive challenges.

Treatment Initiation, Substance Use Trajectories, and the Social Determinants of Health in Persons Living With HIV Seeking Medication for Opioid Use Disorder

BACKGROUND

People living with HIV and opioid use disorder (OUD) are disproportionally affected by adverse socio-structural exposures negatively affecting health, which have shown inconsistent associations with uptake of medications for OUD (MOUD). This study aimed to determine whether social determinants of health (SDOH) were associated with MOUD uptake and trajectories of substance use in a clinical trial of people seeking treatment.

METHODS

Data are from a 2018 to 2019 randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of different MOUD to achieve viral suppression among people living with HIV and OUD. SDOH were defined by variables mapping to Healthy People 2030 domains: education (Education Access and Quality), income (Economic Stability), homelessness (Neighborhood and Built Environment), criminal justice involvement (Social and Community Context), and recent SUD care (Health Care Access and Quality). Associations between SDOH and MOUD initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards models, and SDOH and substance use over time with generalized estimating equation models.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 114) averaged 47 years old, 63% were male, 56% were Black, and 12% Hispanic. Participants reported an average of 2.3 out of 5 positive SDOH indicators (SD = 1.2). Stable housing was the most commonly reported SDOH (61%), followed by no recent criminal justice involvement (59%), having a high-school level education or greater (56%), income stability (45%), and recent SUD care (13%). Each additional favorable SDOH was associated with a 25% increase in the likelihood of MOUD initiation during the study period [adjusted HR = 1.25, 95% CI = (1.01, 1.55), P = .044]. Positive SDOH were also associated with a decrease in the odds of baseline opioid use and a greater reduction in opioid use during subsequent weeks of the study (P < .001 for a joint test of baseline and slope differences).

CONCLUSIONS

Positive social determinants of health, in aggregate, may increase the likelihood of MOUD treatment initiation among people living with HIV and OUD.

Population prevalence of antiretroviral therapy sharing and its association with HIV viremia in rural Uganda: a cross-sectional population-based study

INTRODUCTION

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) sharing has been reported among fishermen and sex workers in Uganda and South Africa. However, no population-based studies have documented ART diversion prevalence (including sharing [giving/receiving], buying and selling) or its relationship with viremia among men and women living with HIV in Africa.

METHODS

In 2018-2020, we surveyed people living with HIV aged 15-49 years in 41 communities in the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a population-based cohort in south-central Uganda. We assessed the prevalence and correlates of self-reported lifetime and past-year ART diversion, stratifying by age and gender and documenting sources of diverted drugs. We used log-binomial regression to quantify the relationship between diversion patterns and viremia (viral load >40 copies/ml), reported as unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Of 2852 people living with HIV and self-reporting current ART use, 266 (9.3%) reported lifetime ART diversion. Giving/receiving drugs were most common; few participants reported buying, and none reported selling. Men (12.9%) were more likely to report lifetime diversion than women (7.4%), with men aged 25-34 reporting high levels of sharing (18.9%). Friends were the most common sources of shared drugs, followed by spouses/sexual partners. Patterns of lifetime and past-year diversion were similar. Among participants with viral load results, 8.6% were viraemic. In adjusted analyses, people who reported only giving ART were nearly twice as likely to be viraemic than those who reported no diversion (aPR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.10-3.44), and those reporting only receiving ART were less likely to exhibit viremia (aPR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.12-1.79), although the latter was not statistically significant. Reporting both giving and receiving ART was not associated with viremia (aPR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.43-1.46). Reporting buying ART, though rare, was also correlated with higher rates of viremia, but this relationship was not statistically significant (aPR: 1.98, 95% CI: 0.72-5.45).

CONCLUSIONS

ART sharing is common among persons reporting ART use in rural Uganda, particularly among men. Sharing ART was associated with viremia, and receiving ART may facilitate viral suppression. HIV programmes may benefit from considering ART sharing in counselling messages.

Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada

OBJECTIVE

To examine prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity among people who use drugs (PWUD) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the overdose crisis.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study employs multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with self-reported food insecurity.

PARTICIPANTS

PWUD who are part of three community-recruited cohorts.

SETTING

Interviews conducted in Vancouver, Canada, via phone between July and November 2020 in adherence to COVID-19 safety procedures.

RESULTS

Among 765 participants, including 433 (56·6 %) men, eligible for this study, 146 (19·1 %; 95 % CI: 16·3 %, 21·9 %) reported food insecurity in the past month. Of the participants reporting food insecurity, 114 (78·1 %) reported that their hunger levels had increased since the beginning of the pandemic. In multivariable analyses, factors independently and positively associated with food insecurity included: difficulty accessing health or social services (adjusted OR (AOR) = 2·59; 95 % CI: 1·60, 4·17); having mobility difficulties (AOR = 1·59; 95 % CI: 1·02, 2·45) and engaging in street-based income generation (e.g. panhandling and informal recycling) (AOR = 2·31; 95 % CI: 1·45, 3·65).

CONCLUSION

Approximately one in five PWUD reported food insecurity during this time. PWUD with mobility issues, who experienced difficulty accessing services and/or those engaged in precarious street-based income generation were more likely to report food insecurity. Food security is paramount to the success of interventions to prevent COVID-19 and drug toxicity deaths. These findings suggest a need for a more unified state response to food insecurity that prioritises and incorporates accessibility and autonomy of the communities they serve.

Reproductive health syndemics impact retention in care among women living with HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Syndemic psychosocial and reproductive factors affecting women's retention in HIV care remain understudied. We analyzed correlates of non-retention in a cohort of women with HIV in Brazil from 2000‒2015. Participants self-reported exposure to physical/sexual violence, illicit drug use, adolescent pregnancy, or induced abortion. Lifetime history of these psychosocial stressors were used to create a syndemic score based on the presence or absence of these conditions. All dichotomous variables were summed (range 0 to 4), with greater scores indicating more syndemic factors experienced. Logistic regression models identified predictors of non-retention, defined as < 2 HIV viral load or CD4 results within the first year of enrollment. Of 915 women, non-retention was observed for 18%. Prevalence of syndemic factors was adolescent pregnancy (53.2%), physical/sexual violence (38.3%), induced abortion (27.3%), and illicit drug use (17.2%); 41.2% experienced ≥ 2 syndemic conditions. Syndemic scores of 2 and 3 were associated with non-retention, as well as low education, years with HIV and seroprevalent syphilis. Psychosocial and reproductive syndemics can limit women's retention in HIV care. Syphilis infection predicted non-retention and could be explored as a syndemic factor in future studies.

Religiosity and Engagement in HIV Care Among African American People Living with HIV

HIV continues to disproportionately impact Black/African Americans. New and innovative strategies are needed to increase and enhance engagement in HIV care. The Black/African American church is a powerful institution with the potential to enhance HIV care among congregants. This study examines perceptions on incorporating religiosity into engagement in HIV care for African Americans living with HIV among Black/African Americans persons living with HIV, church leaders and members, and HIV health and service providers. Findings indicated Black/African Americans living with HIV would be willing to engage in religiously tailored, joint church-health initiatives to increase engagement in care. Church leaders and members and HIV health and service providers also reported a willingness to provide religiously tailored services, and that providing these services would be both acceptable and feasible for implementation. These findings should be considered in future research designed to enhance engagement in HIV care for Black/African Americans living with HIV.

Effect of substance use on premature mortality among severely hypertensive African Americans

Low‐income African Americans residing in impoverished neighborhoods confront myriad barriers to adhering to antihypertensive regimens. Substance use may thwart medication adherence and lifestyle modification efforts, which has implications for excess cardiovascular disease mortality. The Inner‐City Hypertension and Body Organ Damage (ICHABOD) Study was a longitudinal cohort study that evaluated causes of mortality among African Americans who lived in urban areas, had severe, poorly controlled hypertension, and were admitted to a local hospital between 1999–2001 and 2002–2004. The authors employed Cox proportional hazards models to assess mortality associated with illicit substance use, including use of heroin and cocaine, as well as by use of tobacco and alcohol. Among192 participants with poorly controlled hypertension, 30% were active illicit substance users (specifically, 22.7% heroin users, 19.8% were cocaine users, and 30.7% were both cocaine and heroin users). The mean age among substance non‐users was 52.3 years versus 48.7 years among those reporting current use. Mortality over 7.6 years of follow‐up was 52.5% among substance users and 33.8% among nonusers (p‐value, 0.01). After adjusting for potential confounders, the hazard ratio (HR) for cocaine use was 2.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38–4.59), while the HR for heroin use was 2.47 (95% CI 1.42–4.28) and the HR for both was 2.75 (95% CI 1.60–4.73). Substance use was associated with increased mortality among urban black Americans with poorly controlled hypertension. These data suggest the need for targeted interventions to support African Americans who have poorly controlled hypertension and use illicit substances, as a means of reducing excess mortality.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Coping Strategies in a Cohort Study of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Naïve Patients Adherence

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study was to describe the perceived quality of life (QoL) in patients living with AIDS (PLWA) and their chosen coping strategies in a cohort of individuals managed with HAART.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study conducted at the Medication Dispensing Unit of a university hospital (MDU-UH) located in southeastern Brazil. Study population comprised HIV/AIDS patients starting antiretroviral treatment at MDU. The final sample comprised 99 participants. Patients were followed up for 24 months from their recruitment. We used a face-to-face questionnaire to determine sociodemographic and behavioural variables. Quality of life (QoL) and coping strategies (CS) were measured through validated instruments.

RESULTS

Regarding the QoL dimensions, the general perception of QoL among these participants was considered good. Regarding CS, the adherent patients scored higher than the nonadherents.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that the perceived QoL can be maintained in individuals treated for HIV/AIDS. There is an association between high score of coping strategies and adherence to HAART.

Food access among people who inject drugs in West Virginia

BACKGROUND

The substance use epidemic in the United States continues to drive high levels of morbidity and mortality, particularly among people who inject drugs (PWID). Poor access to food often co-occurs with drug use and contributes to associated sequelae, such as risks for HIV and diabetes. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with adequate food access among PWID in a rural Appalachian community.

METHODS

Cross-sectional surveys were used to collect data among PWID aged 18 and older in Cabell County, West Virginia. Frequency of hunger and sociodemographic, structural and drug use characteristics were measured. Adequate food access was defined as reporting 'never' going to bed hungry at night in the past six months. Pearson's χ2 and t-tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with food access.

RESULTS

Only 71 individuals (17%) reported never going to bed hungry at night in the past six months. Adjusted odds of having adequate food access were higher among PWID who completed high school (aOR 2.94; P = 0.010) and usually used drugs alone (aOR 1.97; P = 0.025), and lower among PWID who were female (aOR 0.51; P = 0.037), experienced homelessness (aOR 0.23, P < 0.001), were recently arrested (aOR 0.50 P = 0.047), and engaged in receptive sharing of injection equipment (aOR 0.52, P = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS

We found extremely low food access in a population of PWID in Appalachia who are vulnerable to overdose and infectious disease transmission. Integrated interventions promoting food access are needed to improve the public health and wellbeing of people who inject drugs in Appalachia.

Single Room Occupancy Residence: Processes Linking Housing to Not Engaging in HIV Outpatient Care

Homelessness and housing instability undermine engagement in medical care, adherence to treatment and health among persons with HIV/AIDS. However, the processes by which unstable and unsafe housing result in adverse health outcomes remain understudied and are the focus of this manuscript. From 2012 to 2014, we conducted qualitative interviews among inpatients with HIV disengaged from outpatient care (n = 120). We analyzed the content of the interviews with participants who reported a single room occupancy (SRO) residence (n = 44), guided by the Health Lifestyle Theory. Although SROs emerged as residences that were unhygienic and conducive to drug use and violence, participants remained in the SRO system for long periods of time. This generated experiences of living instability, insecurity and lack of control that reinforced a set of tendencies (habitus) and behaviors antithetical to adhering to medical care. We called for research and interventions to transform SROs into housing protective of its residents' health and wellbeing.

Sublingual Buprenorphine-Naloxone Compared With Injection Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder: Potential Utility of Patient Characteristics in Guiding Choice of Treatment

OBJECTIVE

Sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone and extended-release injection naltrexone are effective treatments, with distinct mechanisms, for opioid use disorder. The authors examined whether patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were associated with better response to one medication or the other.

METHODS

In a multisite 24-week randomized comparative-effectiveness trial of assignment to buprenorphine-naloxone (N=287) compared with extended-release naltrexone (N=283) comprising inpatients planning to initiate medication treatment for opioid use disorder, 50 demographic and clinical characteristics were examined as moderators of the effect of medication assignment on relapse to regular opioid use and failure to initiate medication. Moderator-by-medication interactions were estimated using logistic regression with correction for multiple testing.

RESULTS

In the intent-to-treat sample, patients who reported being homeless had a lower relapse rate if they were assigned to receive extended-release naltrexone (51.6%) compared with buprenorphine-naloxone (70.4%) (odds ratio=0.45, 95% CI=0.22, 0.90); patients who were not homeless had a higher relapse rate if they were assigned to extended-release naltrexone (70.9%) compared with buprenorphine-naloxone (53.1%) (odds ratio=2.15, 95% CI=1.44, 3.21). In the subsample of patients who initiated medication, the interaction was not significant, with a similar pattern of lower relapse with extended-release naltrexone (41.4%) compared with buprenorphine (68.6%) among homeless patients (odds ratio=0.32, 95% CI=0.15, 0.68) but less difference among those not homeless (extended-release naltrexone, 57.2%; buprenorphine, 52.0%; odds ratio=1.24, 95% CI=0.80, 1.90). For failure to initiate medication, moderators were stated preference for medication (failure was less likely if the patient was assigned to the medication preferred), parole and probation status (fewer failures with extended-release naltrexone for those on parole or probation), and presence of pain and timing of randomization (more failure with extended-release naltrexone for patients endorsing moderate to severe pain and randomized early while still undergoing medically managed withdrawal).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with opioid use disorder admitted to inpatient treatment, homelessness, parole and probation status, medication preference, and factors likely to influence tolerability of medication initiation may be important in matching patients to buprenorphine or extended-release naltrexone.

Perceived Healthcare Access among Persons with and without HIV Who Use Illicit Stimulants: The Role of Cumulative Risk

Background: Persons who use stimulant drugs have greater morbidity and mortality relative to non-users. HIV infection has the potential to contribute to even great disparity in health outcomes among persons who use stimulants. These health disparities likely result in part due to poorer access to healthcare. Our study used a cumulative risk model to examine the impact of multiple risk factors on healthcare access in a sample of persons with and without HIV who use stimulants. Method: Our sample included 453 persons who reported recent use of illicit stimulants (102 HIV+, 351 HIV-). Participants completed clinical interviews, questionnaires, and a rapid oral HIV test. We constructed an 8-item cumulative risk index that included factors related to socioeconomic status, homelessness, legal history, and substance use. Results: Participants with HIV (PHW) were older than participants without HIV and more likely to have health insurance. Participants with and without HIV reported similar prior treatment utilization, but PWH reported better healthcare access and lower cumulative risk scores. Regression analyses showed cumulative risk was a significant predictor of healthcare access (β = -0.20, p < 0.001) even after controlling for age, HIV status, and health insurance status. We did not observe an interaction of HIV status by cumulative risk. Conclusions: Access to care among persons who use stimulants, both with and without HIV, is negatively impacted by the accumulation of risk factors from a number of different domains. Understanding the cumulative effects of these factors is critical for developing interventions to facilitate access to care, thus reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes.

The Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Medication Adherence: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Medication adherence (MA) is critical to successful chronic disease management. It is not clear how social determinants of health (SDH) impact MA. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence on the relationship between SDH and MA.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of the literature using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) format. A literature search was performed using three databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Clinical Trials Register in December of 2018. Included studies were completed in the USA, included adults aged 18 years and older, measured at least one social determinant of health, and medication adherence was the primary outcome measure. Data from included full texts were independently extracted using a standardized data extraction form. We then conducted a meta-analysis and pooled the odds ratios from the included studies for each social determinant as well as for all SDH factors collectively.

RESULTS

A total of 3137 unduplicated abstracts were identified from our database searches. A total of 173 were selected for full text review after evaluating the abstract. A total of 29 articles were included for this systematic review. Economic-related SDH factors and MA were mostly commonly examined. The meta-analysis revealed a significant relationship between food insecurity (aOR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.42-0.7), housing instability (aOR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.44-0.93), and social determinants overall (aOR = 0.75; 95% CI 0.65-0.88) and medication adherence.

DISCUSSION

Food insecurity and housing instability most consistently impacted medication adherence. Although included studies were heterogenous and varied widely in SDH and MA measurements, adverse social determinants overall were significantly associated with lower MA. The relationship between SDH and MA warrants more attention and research by health care providers and policymakers.

Medication Adherence and Characteristics of Patients Who Spend Less on Basic Needs to Afford Medications

INTRODUCTION

Among individuals with low income, cost is a well-established barrier to medication adherence. Spending less on basic needs to pay for medication is a particularly concerning cost-coping strategy and may be associated with worse health outcomes. The aims of this study were (1) to describe the demographic and health status characteristics of those who report spending less on basic needs to pay for medication, and (2) to understand the associated psychosocial and financial challenges of these individuals.

METHODS

We administered a survey to primarily low-income adults (n = 270) in St. Louis, MO, as part of a larger study from 2016 to 2018. Logistic regression was used to model odds of reporting spending less on basic needs to pay for medication.

RESULTS

Spending less on basic needs to pay for medication was significantly more likely in individuals with fair or poor health status, greater number of chronic conditions, greater medication expenditure, and difficulty paying bills. Individuals who spent less on basic needs were less likely to be fully adherent to their medication regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening for unmet basic needs and offering referrals to social safety net programs in the primary care setting may help patients achieve sustainable medication adherence.

Personality and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adult patients

OBJECTIVE

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been able to transform HIV infection into a chronic disease. However, ART adherence remains an important barrier and personality traits have been postulated as a factor to be considered. This study aims to identify personality traits that can affect ART adherence, taking into account other potentially influencing factors.

METHODS

Case-control study. Controls and cases were classified using the percentage ART dispensation as recorded in the Hospital Pharmacy database. Controls were defined as people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with percentage ART dispensation during the last year >95% and cases were defined as PLWHA with percentage ART dispensation during the last year <90%. Sociodemographic, clinical parameters of HIV infection, psychopathological and neuropsychological factors were collected. Personality was assessed using the NEO PI-R Personality Inventory, questionnaire based on the Five Factor Model of Personality. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression (SPSS v.22).

RESULTS

125 PLWHA were included: 79 controls and 46 cases. After adjusting for confounding variables, logistic regression analysis showed that poor adherence was associated with Neuroticism (OR 1.2, 95%CI: 1.021-1.385) and Impulsivity (N5) (OR 1.5, 95%CI: 1.066-2.163). In contrast, each additional point in Order (C2) (OR 0.8, 95%CI: 0.679-0.992) or Values (O6) (OR 0.8, 95%CI: 0.710-0.974) were associated with good ART adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality is a variable to be considered in ART adherence. Implementation of the personality in the assessment of PLWHA helps identify those individuals potentially more likely to exhibit poorer ART adherence.

A qualitative investigation of HIV treatment dispensing models and impacts on adherence among people living with HIV who use drugs

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) dispensing is strongly associated with treatment adherence. Among illicit drug-using populations, whom experience greater structural barriers to adherence, directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAAT) is often regarded as a stronger predictor of optimal adherence over self-administered medications. In Vancouver, Canada, people living with HIV (PLHIV) who use drugs and live in low-income housing are a critical population for treatment support. This group is typically able to access two key DAAT models, daily delivery and daily pickup, in addition to ART self-administration. This ethno-epidemiological qualitative study explores how key dispensing models impact ART adherence among PLHIV who use drugs living in low-income housing, and how this is framed by structural vulnerability. Semi-structured interviews lasting 30-45 minutes were conducted between February and May 2018 with 31 PLHIV who use drugs recruited from an ongoing prospective cohort of PLHIV who use drugs. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using QSR International's NVivo 12 software. Interviews focused on housing, drug use, and HIV management. Models that constrained agency were found to have negative impacts on adherence and quality of life. Treatment interruptions were framed by structural vulnerabilities (e.g., housing vulnerability) that impacted ability to maintain adherence under certain dispensing models, and led participants to consider other models. Participants using DAAT models which accounted for their structural vulnerabilities (e.g., mobility issues, housing instability), credited these models for their treatment adherence, but also acknowledged factors that constrained agency, and the negative impacts this could have on both adherence, and quality of life. Being able to integrate ART into an established routine is key to supporting ART adherence. ART models that account for the structural vulnerability of PLHIV who use drugs and live in low-income housing are necessary and housing-based supports could be critical, but the impacts of such models on agency must be considered to ensure optimal adherence.

Prevalence and correlates of prescription drug diversion and misuse among people living with HIV in the eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

BACKGROUND

Prescription drug diversion, and misuse has increased over the past decade and is notably in high-income-countries and significantly contributes to the opioid epidemic. People living with HIV (PLWH) are particularly vulnerable to prescription drug diversion, and misuse as most experience chronic pain, mental health problems and HIV-related illnesses. The researchers investigated the prevalence and correlates of prescription drug diversion, and misuse among PLWH in the eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 392 PLWH, conveniently recruited from the public healthcare facilities located in rural, semi-urban and urban areas of the eThekwini district. Participants answered questions about their background, prescription medications, substance use, and prescription drug diversion, and misuse. Descriptive analysis was performed to estimate the prevalence of prescription drug diversion, and misuse. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of prescription drug diversion, and misuse.

FINDINGS

Overall, 13% of the participants reported lifetime prescription drug diversion. The most common type of diversion was using prescription medication not prescribed by a healthcare provider (11%), followed by sharing of prescription medication (9%) and buying prescription medication without a medical script (5%). Twenty-three per cent of the participants reported prescription drug misuse in the past 90 days, with using prescription medication without a healthcare providers' guidance (9%) and not following the scheduled time periods (8%) being the most common reported types of misuse. Self-medicating was identified as a risk factor for prescription drug misuse. There was no association between ART adherence and prescription drug diversion, and misuse.

CONCLUSION

The study findings contribute to improving the limited data available on prescription drug diversion, and misuse among PLWH in South Africa. The prevalence underscores a need for urgent interventions when prescribing medications with potential risks. Addressing the risk of self-medicating is imperative for HIV care outcomes and to avert death.

Risk factors for prescription drug diversion among people living with HIV: a systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

In addition to numerous infections and frequent pain constantly affecting people living with HIV (PLWH), various risk factors might contribute to prescription drug diversion. The purpose of the study is to map existing evidence on risk factors contributing to prescription drug diversion among PLWH.

METHODS

Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the recommendation by Levac et al. (2010) guided this study. We searched for relevant literature from the following databases: PubMed; Google Scholar; EBSCOhost (Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE and Newspaper Source), Cochrane, WHO, HIV, ScienceDirect and Open Access Theses and Dissertations. Studies reporting evidence on risk factors contributing to prescription drug diversion and published in the period January 1996 to July 2017 were included. Thematic content analysis was performed to summarize the findings.

RESULTS

The search identified 734 studies. After full-text screening of the eligible studies, risk factors contributing to prescription drug diversion among PLWH were reported in 20 included studies. It was found that there is limited research on prescription drug diversion among PLWH in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Risk factors contributing to prescription drug diversion were being a substance user or substance dependent; being male; young in age; being stigmatized; not disclosed HIV status; diagnosed with mental health problems; being HIV infected; poor health and well being; being White; being homeless or not owing a home; having low educational level; having history of diversion, misuse or abuse; in possession of addictive prescriptions; being unemployed and living in high neighbourhood disorder.

CONCLUSION

Evidence shows that there is limited research on prescription drug diversion among PLWH in LMICs. The study findings show that the risk factors contributing to prescription drug diversion are related with risk factors for HIV transmission and infection.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017074076.

Racial disparities in medication use: imperatives for managed care pharmacy

The COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest pervading U.S. cities in response to the killings of George Floyd and other Black citizens at the hands of police are historically significant. These events exemplify dismaying truths about race and equality in the United States. Racial health disparities are an inexcusable lesion on the U.S. health care system. Many health disparities involve medications, including antidepressants, anticoagulants, diabetes medications, drugs for dementia, and statins, to name a few. Managed care pharmacy has a role in perpetuating racial disparities in medication use. For example, pharmacy benefit designs are increasingly shifting costs of expensive medications to patients, creating affordability crises for lower income workers, who are disproportionally persons of color. In addition, the quest to maximize rebates serves to inflate list prices paid by the uninsured, among which Black and Hispanic people are overrepresented. While medication cost is a foremost barrier for many patients, other factors also propagate racial disparities in medication use. Even when cost sharing is minimal or zero, medication adherence rates have been documented to be lower among Blacks as compared with Whites. Deeper understandings are needed about how racial disparities in medication use are influenced by factors such as culture, provider bias, and patient trust in medical advice. Managed care pharmacy can address racial disparities in medication use in several ways. First, it should be acknowledged that racial disparities in medication use are pervasive and must be resolved urgently. We must not believe that entrenched health system, societal, and political structures are impermeable to change. Second, the voices of community members and their advocates must be amplified. Coverage policies, program designs, and quality initiatives should be developed in consultation with those directly affected by racial disparities. Third, the industry should commit to dramatically reducing patient cost sharing for essential medication therapies. Federal and state efforts to limit annual out-of-pocket pharmacy spending should be supported, even though increased premiums may be an undesirable (yet more equitable) consequence. Finally, information about race should be incorporated into all internal and external reporting and quality improvement activities. DISCLOSURES: No funding was received for the development of this manuscript. Kogut is partially supported by Institutional Development Award Numbers U54GM115677 and P20GM125507 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, which funds Advance Clinical and Translational Research (Advance-CTR), and the RI Lifespan Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) on Opioids and Overdose, respectively. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Preferred Methods of HIV and Sexually Transmissible Infection Screening Delivery Among a Rural Sample of Men Who Have Sex with Men

Despite the national HIV and sexually transmissible infection (STI) rates growing in rural areas, rural populations-particularly men who have sex with men (MSM), have limited access to secondary (i.e., HIV/STI screening) prevention activities compared with their urban counterparts. We conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with 23 rural MSM residing in Oklahoma and Arkansas to assess their (1) experiences with HIV and STI testing; (2) perceptions of at-home testing; and (3) preferences for receiving results and care. Barriers to accessing HIV/STI screening included lack of medical providers within rural communities, privacy and confidentiality concerns, and perceived stigma from providers and community members. To overcome these barriers, all participants recognized the importance of screening paradigms that facilitated at-home screening, medical consultation, and care. This included the ability to request a testing kit and receive results online, to access affirming and competent providers utilizing telemedicine technology, as well as prompt linkage to treatment. These narratives highlight the need for systems of care that facilitate HIV and STI screening within rural communities, which do not require participants to access services at traditional physical venues.

Healthcare Utilization, Unmet Service Needs, and Medication Adherence Among People Living with HIV/AIDS

BACKGROUND

Comorbidity rates and service needs are high among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The effects of service utilization and unmet service needs on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations among PLWHA's service utilization, unmet service needs, and ART adherence.

METHODS

PLWHA (N=162) 18 years or older were recruited from a Nevada statewide needs assessment project in 2016. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire on paper or online. The independent variables were service utilization and unmet service needs. The outcome variable was ART adherence. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between the amount of utilized services and unmet service needs with ART adherence.

RESULTS

Only 12 (7.5%) participants reported they received all the needed services. The ART nonadherence group showed significantly higher unmet medical service needs compared to the ART adherence group (p=0.007). Unmet medical service needs (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.69, CI 0.53-0.90) and unmet support service needs (AOR 0.68, CI 0.48-0.97) were negatively associated with ART adherence. However, utilizing medical services (AOR 1.06, CI 0.87-1.30) and support services (AOR 0.88, CI 0.74-1.04) in the current year were not significantly associated with ART adherence.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that health promotion programming should focus not only on introducing new services at the community level, but also work to optimize the availability and awareness of current services. Furthermore, health promotion programs should focus on filling service coverage gaps and improving the facilitation of services.

Material security and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive people who use illicit drugs

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between poverty, operationalized using a novel material security measure, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) in a context of universal access to HIV care.

DESIGN

We analyzed data from a community-recruited prospective cohort in Vancouver, Canada (n = 623), from 2014 to 2017.

METHODS

We used multivariable generalized mixed-effects analyses to estimate longitudinal factors associated with mean material security score. We then estimated the association between achieving at least 95% adherence to ART and overall mean material score, as well as mean score for three factors derived from a factor analysis. The three-factor structure, employed in the current analyses, were factor 1 (basic needs); factor 2 (housing-related variables) and factor 3 (economic resources).

RESULTS

Recent incarceration [β-coefficient (β) = -0.176, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -0.288 to -0.063], unmet health needs [β = -0.110, 95% CI: -0.178 to -0.042), unmet social service needs (β = -0.264, 95% CI: -0.336 to -0.193) and having access to social services (β= -0.102, 95% CI: -0.1586 to -0.0465) were among the factors associated with lower material security scores. Contrary to expectations that low levels of material security in this population would lead to poor ART adherence, we did not observe a significant relationship between adherence and overall material security score, or for each factor individually.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the potentially important role of no-cost, universal access to HIV prevention and treatment, in mitigating the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on ART adherence.

"Worn out": Coping strategies for managing antiretroviral treatment fatigue among urban people of color living with HIV who were recently disengaged from outpatient HIV care

Antiretroviral-related treatment fatigue is inconsistently defined in the literature on barriers to ART adherence. Research suggests that treatment fatigue is a salient challenge for people struggling with antiretroviral therapy adherence, but little is known about how people living with HIV attempt to manage this fatigue. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with low-income people of color living with HIV in NYC that were currently, or recently, disengaged from HIV care. The findings from this exploratory study suggest that treatment fatigue was common and that participants devised personal strategies to overcome it. These strategies included using reminder programs, requesting weekly rather than monthly pill quantities, and taking "pill holidays". The varied nature- and varying levels of effectiveness- of these strategies highlight the need for specific programming to provide tailored support. Future research should examine treatment fatigue as a specific subtype of adherence challenge, and aim to define pill fatigue clearly.

Home and health among people living with HIV who use drugs: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Housing is a critical determinant of HIV-related outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who use drugs, including on HIV treatment adherence. Research shows that sense of home may have important implications for mitigating harms associated with low-income housing environments among PLHIV who use drugs, but how this shapes treatment is poorly understood.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 PLHIV who use drugs recruited from an ongoing prospective cohort in Vancouver, Canada. Recruitment was targeted towards individuals living in single room occupancy housing who had previously reported low treatment adherence. Interviews were co-led with a peer research assistant, and focused on housing conditions, drug use patterns, and HIV management. Interviews were transcribed, analyzed thematically, and interpreted by drawing on concepts of home and place-making.

RESULTS

The ability to exert control over housing environments contributed to participants' perceptions of home by fostering feelings of safety and allowing for creation of personalized space. Participants readily identified the importance of housing stability and quality in maintaining health (e.g. food storage, pest-free), including HIV care. However, informed by social-structural mechanisms that undermined agency, negative experiences of home adversely impacted treatment adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that sense of home may enable ability to manage HIV care, and is promoted through feelings of security within, and control over, housing environments. Supports in navigating competitive housing markets are needed to address the role that home plays in HIV treatment adherence.

What do HIV-positive drug users' experiences tell us about their antiretroviral medication-taking? An international integrated literature review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

HIV-positive drug users' poor adherence to antiretroviral regimens can pose a significant and negative impact on individual and global health. This review aims to identify knowledge gaps and inconsistencies within the current evidence base and to measure HIV-positive drug users' adherence rates and the factors that influence their adherence.

METHODS

A search of quantitative and qualitative studies in relation to HIV-positive drug users' adherence to antiretroviral treatment was performed using five databases: Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstract (ASSIA), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Embase and PsycINFO (Ovid interface). Relevant studies were retrieved based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria stated in the review. Findings were compared, contrasted and synthesized to provide a coherent account of HIV-positive drug users' adherence rates and the factors that influence their adherence.

RESULTS

The proportion of HIV-positive drug users who achieved ≥ 95% adherence across the studies varied widely, from 19.3 to 83.9%. Adherence rates changed over the course of HIV treatment. The factors that influenced adherence were reported as follows: stigmatization, motivation, active drug use, accessibility and conditionality of HIV and addiction care, side effects and complexity of treatment regimens, forgetfulness and non-incorporation of dosing times into daily schedules.

CONCLUSIONS

HIV-positive drug users' medication-taking is a dynamic social process that requires health professionals to assess adherence to HIV treatment on a regular basis.

Social Risk Factors for Medication Nonadherence: Findings from the CARDIA Study

Objectives: Nonadherence to medications has been documented, but the combined effect of social risk factors on medication nonadherence has not been investigated. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a population-based prospective cohort. The sample (N = 1506) included subjects who at Year 20 (2005-06) were taking prescription medications and completed a 4-item Medication Adherence Scale. Social risk factors were education of high school or less, annual household income <$25,000, high financial strain, high chronic stress, low social support, and high social strain. Results: In a fully adjusted logistic regression model, income <$25,000 (OR = 2.37 [95% CI 1.12-4.98], p < .05) and high chronic stress (OR = 2.07 [95% CI 1.09-3.94], p < .05) were significantly associated with medication nonadherence. Individuals with ≥3 social risk factors had >3 times higher odds of nonadherence than counterparts with no social risk factors (OR = 3.26 [95% CI 1.72-6.19], p < .001). Conclusion: Low income and chronic stress are associated with medication nonadherence, and the odds of nonadherence increase with the accumulation of social risk factors. Findings may be used to develop risk prediction tools to identify individuals who can benefit from adherence-promoting interventions.

Resilience and Beliefs in the Effectiveness of Current Antiretroviral Therapies Among Recently Disengaged Low-Income People of Color Living with HIV

Consistent antiretroviral adherence is key to viral suppression, but many low-income people of color living with HIV are not optimally adherent due to a wide variety of interrelated social and structural factors. Previous studies have found that HIV medication beliefs are an important facet of adherence. In contrast to the AZT era , currently available antiretroviral therapies are significantly safer and more effective, but research suggests that negative beliefs may persist among racial and ethnic minority people. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with low-income Black and Latinx people living with HIV in New York City that were currently, or had been recently, disengaged from outpatient HIV medical care. This research suggests that socially and economically marginalized people living with HIV, many long-term survivors who lived through the AZT era, recognized that current treatments are very effective in making HIV a chronic, manageable illness and a significant improvement compared to the therapies early in the epidemic. Most importantly, the data suggests that people demonstrate great resilience despite their experiences of social and economic exclusion. Both clinical practice and public health interventions can benefit from these findings. HIV care providers should speak with patients about their beliefs related to HIV medication, and public health interventions should specifically address HIV medication-related beliefs in order to enhance adherence. In order to avoid reifying people's marginalization, public health should endeavor to recognize and support people's resilience.

Prescription drug diversion among people living with HIV: a systematic scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Globally, people living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for various infections and chronic pain, therefore, vulnerable to prescription drug diversion which might negatively impact HIV care. The study purpose is to gather evidence on prescription drug diversion among PLWH.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a systematic scoping review.

METHODS

Arksey and O'Malley's framework and recommendation by Levac et al. were used to guide this study. Literature was searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost (Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE and Newspaper Source) and Open Access Theses and Dissertations. Studies reporting evidence of prescription drug diversion from January 1996 to July 2017 were included. Thematic content analysis was performed to summarize data on the prevalence.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine studies were eligible for data synthesis. Twenty-six studies were conducted in the United States of America (USA), one study in France and two multicountry studies; one study in Kenya and Uganda and the other study in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa; Zimbabwe, India, Thailand, Brazil and the USA. Research evidence shows high prevalence of prescription drug diversion for analgesics and antiretroviral drugs; meanwhile, stimulants and erectile dysfunction drugs were the least diverted drugs among PLWH. There is a research gap in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) investigating prescription drug diversion among PLWH.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal that diversion of various prescription drug classes among PWLH exists. There is lack of research in LMICs. We recommend research in LMICs where there is high HIV prevalence.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017074076.

Comorbid mental health disorders in persons living with HIV: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy

This is a secondary data analysis exploring adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in persons living with HIV (PLWH) with a comorbid mental health disorder. Logistic regression analyses indicated that PLWH who had reliable housing were over six times more adherent than those with unreliable housing. Descriptive odds ratio analyses showed directional relationships for ART adherence with coping, employment, and social support. These results indicate areas for future investigation in PLWH and comorbid mental health disorders, and the potential to find ways to foster certain emotional or living conditions that promote ART adherence.

Food Insecurity and Unmet Needs Among Youth and Young Adults Living With HIV in the San Francisco Bay Area

PURPOSE

Little is known about food insecurity and unmet subsistence needs and their association with antiretroviral therapy adherence among youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH).

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey to examine this association in 101 YLWH (aged 18-29 years). Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Approximately 51.7% of participants experienced at least one unmet subsistence need (difficulty finding enough to eat [36.6%], clothing [22.8%], place to sleep [21.8%], place to wash [17.8%], and bathroom [15.8%]), and 64.2% reported being food insecure. For every additional unmet need, the risk of very good/excellent adherence was reduced by 15% (RR = .85; 95% CI = .72-.99; p value = .04). The risk of very good/excellent adherence was lowered by 39% (RR = .61; 95% CI = .43-.87; p value = .005) among food insecure youth, compared with those who were food secure.

CONCLUSIONS

These data highlight the need for more research and structural interventions targeting food assistance strategies among YLWH.

Demand and Supply Motivations for Antiretroviral Drugs in Illicit Street Markets: The Case of Atlanta, Georgia

We studied the motivations behind supply and demand of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in the illicit street markets of the metropolitan statistical area of Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Roswell, Georgia. We found that these two market actions were largely interdependent: 39.53% of participants said that they sold their ARVs to pay for personal needs, and 20.93% said that they bought ARVs because they had previously sold them to pay for personal needs. The pattern that emerged suggests that illicit street markets have become mechanisms through which HIV patients cooperate to achieve competing goals: cover personal needs and keep up, however imperfectly, with their medication regime. We also found that HIV patients used illicit street markets because they faced institutional deficiencies, such as exclusion from the Ryan White/ADAP program, long waiting times to see a doctor, and prescription delays.

Smoking Predicts Food Insecurity Severity among Persons Living with HIV

Food insecurity is a key social and health issue among persons living with HIV (PLHIV). Food insecurity oftentimes co-occurs with substance use, but little is known about the relationship between tobacco use and food insecurity particularly among PLHIV. In this study, we prospectively examined the association of cigarette smoking with food insecurity in a cohort of 108 individuals seeking vocational rehabilitation services. Over the 12-month study period, smokers at baseline reported consistently higher levels of food insecurity compared to non-smokers. Smoking remained an independent risk factor for greater food insecurity, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and known confounders (e.g., substance use, depression). Food insecurity is a key structural and socioeconomic barrier that may partially explain HIV-related health disparities observed among smokers. Further research is needed to characterize the bio-behavioral mechanisms linking smoking and food insecurity as well as test whether smoking cessation can reduce food insecurity in PLHIV who smoke.

Factors Associated with the Separate and Concurrent Experiences of Food and Housing Insecurity Among Women Living with HIV in Canada

People living with HIV are disproportionately affected by food and housing insecurity. We assessed factors associated with experiencing food and/or housing insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Canada. In our sample of WLHIV (N = 1403) 65% reported an income less than $20,000 per year. Most (78.69%) participants reported food and/or housing insecurity: 27.16% reported experiencing food insecurity alone, 14.26% reported housing insecurity alone, and 37.28% reported experiencing food and housing insecurity concurrently. In adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses, experiencing concurrent food and housing insecurity was associated with: lower income, Black ethnicity versus White, province of residence, current injection drug use, lower resilience, HIV-related stigma, and racial discrimination. Findings underscore the urgent need for health professionals to assess for food and housing insecurity, to address the root causes of poverty, and for federal policy to allocate resources to ameliorate economic insecurity for WLHIV in Canada.

HIV-Related Stress and Life Chaos Mediate the Association Between Poverty and Medication Adherence Among People Living with HIV/AIDS

HIV treatment depends on high-levels of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, which is severely impeded by poverty. Men and women living with HIV infection (N = 92) completed computerized interviews of demographic and health characteristics, poverty markers, stressful life events, and life chaos, as well as unannounced pill counts to determine prospective medication adherence and medical record chart abstractions for HIV viral load. Poverty markers were associated with both stressors and chaos, and the direct effects of all three factors predicted ART non-adherence. The multiple mediation model showed that accounting for stressors and chaos resulted in a non-significant association between poverty markers and ART adherence. The indirect effect of poverty markers on adherence through life chaos was significant, whereas the indirect effect of poverty markers on adherence through stressors was not significant. Factors that render HIV-related stress and create chaos offer intervention targets that are more amenable to change than poverty itself.

Rapid organizational network analysis to assess coordination of services for HIV testing clients: an exploratory study

Recognizing that HIV testing provides a gateway opportunity to connect with at-risk populations, we explored an approach to collect, analyze and present data on the network of connections between HIV testing organizations and other health and social service agencies operating in Durham County, NC. We surveyed 26 health and social service organizations, including 6 providing HIV testing services, and presented the results including frequency tabulations, network visualizations and metrics, and GIS maps to the participating organizations. Mapping the landscape of organizational relationships was seen as a practical and expedient approach to facilitating cross-sector collaborative efforts to improve community health.

Food Insecurity, HIV Disease Progression and Access to Care Among HIV-Infected Russians not on ART

Food insecurity (FI) has been associated with HIV disease progression among people on antiretroviral therapy (ART), presumably a consequence of poor medication adherence. We assessed whether there is a longitudinal association between FI and two primary outcomes reflecting on HIV disease progression (i.e., CD4 count and time to ART initiation) among people not on ART. Analyses used linear mixed effects and Cox models controlling for confounders. In this cohort (n = 310) FI was common (53%). Most (71.3%) reported past month heavy alcohol use and 37.1% reported past month injection drug use. Only 50 participants initiated ART during the study and mean time to ART was 128 days (SD 120). There were no significant differences in CD4 cell count between the groups with mild/moderate FI or severe FI versus those with no FI [adjusted mean difference, mild/moderate insecurity versus no FI -32.5 (95% CI -94.3, 29.3); severe versus no FI -45.5 (95% CI -124.1, 33.0); global p = 0.42]. We found no significant association between FI and longer time to ART initiation (p = 0.36). Food security is a desirable goal for overall health and shown beneficial for those on ART, however it does not appear to be associated with HIV disease progression among those with high prevalence of substance use and not yet on ART.

Understanding interactions of formerly incarcerated HIV-positive men and transgender women with substance use treatment, medical, and criminal justice systems

BACKGROUND

Low levels of medical care engagement have been noted for HIV-positive people leaving systems of incarceration in the United States. Substance misuse frequently co-occurs with criminal justice involvement in individuals who are living with HIV.

METHODS

We analyzed data from in-depth interviews with 19 HIV-positive individuals who were currently or formerly incarcerated in order to elucidate challenges faced in accessing care and maintaining HIV treatment regimens when cycling out of (and often back into) custody. Our thematic analysis used an ecosocial framework to describe participants' shifts between substance use treatment, medical care, and criminal justice systems.

RESULTS

Dominant themes included the dramatic increase in HIV-treatment-related autonomy required following release from jail because of differences in care delivery between custody-based and community-based care systems; the important, but temporary stabilization provided by residential substance use treatment programmes; and the inconsistency of substance use treatment approaches with chronic care models of disease management.

CONCLUSION

Enhanced integration of criminal justice, medical care, and substance use treatment institutions in planning for reentry of HIV populations may ease the impact of the dramatic shifts in context that often dissuade linkage and retention. This integration should include coordination with custody release processes, periodic assessments for active substance misuse in HIV treatment settings, support for (re)establishing health-promoting social networks, and options for long-term, residential substance use treatment programmes.

Food insecurity, sexual risk behavior, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among women living with HIV: A systematic review

Gender inequalities shape the experience of food insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV). We systematically reviewed the impact of food insecurity on sexual risk behaviors and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among WLHIV. We included qualitative or quantitative peer-reviewed articles, extracted data in duplicate, and assessed rigor. Seven studies, from sub-Saharan Africa, North America, and Europe, met inclusion criteria. Food insecurity was associated with increased sexual risk through transactional sex and inability to negotiate safer sex. Hunger and food insecurity were barriers to ART initiation/adherence. Multidimensional programming and policies should simultaneously address poverty, gender inequality, food insecurity, and HIV.

Impact of food, housing, and transportation insecurity on ART adherence: a hierarchical resources approach

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed HIV into a manageable illness. However, high levels of adherence must be maintained. Lack of access to basic resources (food, transportation, and housing) has been consistently associated with suboptimal ART adherence. Moving beyond such direct effects, this study takes a hierarchical resources approach in which the effects of access to basic resources on ART adherence are mediated through interpersonal resources (social support and care services) and personal resources (self-efficacy). Participants were 915 HIV-positive men and women living in Atlanta, GA, recruited from community centers and infectious disease clinics. Participants answered baseline questionnaires, and provided prospective data on ART adherence. Across a series of nested models, a consistent pattern emerged whereby lack of access to basic resources had indirect, negative effects on adherence, mediated through both lack of access to social support and services, and through lower treatment self-efficacy. There was also a significant direct effect of lack of access to transportation on adherence. Lack of access to basic resources negatively impacts ART adherence. Effects for housing instability and food insecurity were fully mediated through social support, access to services, and self-efficacy, highlighting these as important targets for intervention. Targeting service supports could be especially beneficial due to the potential to both promote adherence and to link clients with other services to supplement food, housing, and transportation. Inability to access transportation had a direct negative effect on adherence, suggesting that free or reduced cost transportation could positively impact ART adherence among disadvantaged populations.

Forget about forgetting: structural barriers and severe non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy

HIV infection is now clinically manageable with antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, a significant number of people with HIV do not benefit from ART because of non-adherence. This study examined the use of adherence strategies and barriers to adherence among persons at substantial risk for developing resistant virus (less than 75% adherent). People living with HIV (n = 556) who were less than 95% adherent to ART completed computerized interviews, were screened for active drug use, provided medical records for HIV viral load, and completed unannounced pill counts to monitor ART adherence and an assessment of adherence barriers. Based on pill counts, participants were defined as severely non-adherent (≤75% medications taken) and moderately non-adherent (>75% and <95% adherent). Results showed a broad array of memory devices were used to no avail across non-adherence groups. Individuals who were severely non-adherent were significantly more likely to attribute missing medications due to substance use and structural barriers, including running out of medications, inability to get to pharmacy, and inability to afford medications. Results suggest that interventions focused on memory lapses will be insufficient and should rather concentrate on substance use treatment and providing case management to resolve structural barriers to adherence.

Socioeconomic status and response to antiretroviral therapy in high-income countries: a literature review

It has been shown that socioeconomic factors are associated with the prognosis of several chronic diseases; however, there is no recent systematic review of their effect on HIV treatment outcomes. We aimed to review the evidence regarding the existence of an association of socioeconomic status with virological and immunological response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We systematically searched the current literature using the database PubMed. We identified and summarized original research studies in high-income countries that assessed the association between socioeconomic factors (education, employment, income/financial status, housing, health insurance, and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic factors) and virological response, immunological response, and ART nonadherence among people with HIV-prescribed ART. A total of 48 studies met the inclusion criteria (26 from the United States, six Canadian, 13 European, and one Australian), of which 14, six, and 35 analysed virological, immunological, and ART nonadherence outcomes, respectively. Ten (71%), four (67%), and 23 (66%) of these studies found a significant association between lower socioeconomic status and poorer response, and none found a significant association with improved response. Several studies showed that adjustment for nonadherence attenuated the association between socioeconomic status and ART response. Our review provides strong support that socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with poorer response to ART. However, most studies have been conducted in settings such as the United States without universal free healthcare access. Further study in settings with free access to ART could help assess the impact of socioeconomic status on ART outcomes and the mechanisms by which it operates.

Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infections Among Urban Homeless and Marginalized People in the United States and Europe, 1990-2014

INTRODUCTION

In high-income countries, homeless individuals in urban areas often live in crowded conditions with limited sanitation and personal hygiene. The environment of homelessness in high-income countries may result in intensified exposure to ectoparasites and urban wildlife, which can transmit infections. To date, there have been no systematic evaluations of the published literature to assess vector-borne and zoonotic disease risk to these populations.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of this study were to identify diversity, prevalence, and risk factors for vector-borne and zoonotic infections among people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in urban areas of high-income countries.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of published epidemiologic studies of zoonotic and vector-borne infections among urban homeless and very poor people in the United States and Europe from 1990 to 2014.

RESULTS

Thirty-one observational studies and 14 case studies were identified (n = 45). Seroprevalence to the human louse-borne pathogen Bartonella quintana (seroprevalence range: 0-37.5%) was identified most frequently, with clinical disease specifically observed among HIV-positive individuals. Seropositivity to Bartonella henselae (range: 0-10.3%) and Rickettsia akari (range: 0-16.2%) was noted in multiple studies. Serological evidence of exposure to Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella elizabethae, West Nile virus, Borellia recurrentis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Wohlfartiimonas chitiniclastica, Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), and Leptospira species was also identified in published studies, with SEOV associated with chronic renal disease later in life. HIV infection, injection drug use, and heavy drinking were noted across multiple studies as risk factors for infection with vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens.

CONCLUSIONS

B. quintana was the most frequently reported vector-borne infection identified in our article. Delousing efforts and active surveillance among HIV-positive individuals, who are at elevated risk of complication from B. quintana infection, are advised to reduce morbidity. Given documented exposure to rodent-borne zoonoses among urban homeless and marginalized people, reducing human contact with rodents remains an important public health priority.

Multiple syndemic psychosocial factors are associated with reduced engagement in HIV care among a multinational, online sample of HIV-infected MSM in Latin America

Latin America has some of the highest levels of antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage of any developing region in the world. Early initiation and optimal adherence to ART are necessary for improved health outcomes and reduction in onward transmission. Previous work has demonstrated the role of psychosocial problems as barriers to uptake and adherence to ART, and recently, a syndemic framework has been applied to the role of multiple psychosocial syndemic factors and adherence to ART, in the USA. However, to our knowledge, these associations have not been investigated outside of the USA, nor in a multi-country context. To address these gaps, we assessed the association between multiple co-occurring psychosocial factors and engagement in HIV-related medical care and adherence to ART among a large, multinational sample of sexually-active HIV-infected men who have sex with men in Latin America.

Among the 2020 respondents, 80.7% reported currently receiving HIV-related medical care, 72.3% reported currently receiving ART; among those, 62.5% reported 100% adherence. Compared with experiencing no psychosocial health problems, experiencing five or more psychosocial health problems is associated with 42% lower odds of currently receiving HIV-related medical care (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.36, 0.95) and of currently receiving ART (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.38, 0.91). The number of psychosocial health problems experienced was associated with self-reported ART adherence in a dose–response relationship; compared to those with none of the factors, individuals with one syndemic factor had 23% lower odds (aOR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.60, 0.97) and individuals with five or more syndemic factors had 72% lower odds (aOR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.14, 0.55) of reporting being 100% adherent to ART. Addressing co-occurring psychosocial problems as potential barriers to uptake and adherence of ART in Latin America may improve the effectiveness of secondary prevention interventions.

Structural community factors and sub-optimal engagement in HIV care among low-income women in the Deep South of the USA

This study describes the ways in which poverty and other structural factors create a risk environment for sub-optimal engagement in HIV care among low-income women living with HIV in the Southern USA, contributing to existing health disparities. We conducted a qualitative study in 2012, involving in-depth interviews with 14 stakeholders (service providers and representatives of community-based organisations) and 7 focus-group discussions with 46 women living with HIV (89% African American). A thematic approach in the context of the social ecological model guided data analysis. Data were coded and analysed using NVivo qualitative software. The findings suggested that structural community factors, such as poverty, poor employment opportunities, limited access to healthcare resources, stigma, transportation challenges and access to illicit substances, may work independently and in synergy to impact women's health seeking behaviour and decision-making, thereby influencing their ability to engage in HIV care. Interventions designed to improve engagement in HIV care should address structural factors to bolster low-income women's ability to engage in care.

The Association Between Food Insufficiency and HIV Treatment Outcomes in a Longitudinal Analysis of HIV-Infected Individuals in New York City

BACKGROUND

To date, there have been few longitudinal studies of food insecurity among people living with HIV (PLWH). Food insufficiency (FI) is one dimension of the food insecurity construct that refers to periods of time during which individuals have an inadequate amount of food intake because of limited resources. The aim of this analysis was to examine the relationship between FI and HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-infected individuals in New York City (NYC).

METHODS

Associations between FI ("consistent"--food insufficient on both of the last 2 assessments, "inconsistent"--food insufficient on 1 of the last 2 assessments, or neither) and clinical indicators of HIV disease progression (viral load > 200 copies per milliliter, CD4 count < 200 cells per cubic millimeter) were analyzed for NYC Ryan White Part A food and nutrition program clients who were matched to the NYC HIV Surveillance Registry and completed 2 FI assessments between November 2011 and June 2013.

RESULTS

Among 2,118 PLWH in food and nutrition programs, 61% experienced consistent FI and 25% experienced inconsistent FI. In multivariate analyses controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, consistent FI was independently associated with unsuppressed viral load (adjusted odds ratio = 1.6, confidence interval: 1.1 to 2.5). Consistent FI was only associated with low CD4 counts at the bivariate level.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies should examine biological, structural, and psychosocial factors that may explain the relationship between FI and HIV treatment outcomes to inform intervention development. Persistent FI among food and nutrition program clients suggests that services are needed to address underlying needs for financial stability (eg, vocational counseling) for PLWH.

Characterizing retention in HAART as a recurrent event process: insights into 'cascade churn'

OBJECTIVE

The benefits of HAART rely on continuous lifelong treatment retention. We used linked population-level health administrative data to characterize durations of HAART retention and nonretention.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

We considered individuals initiating HAART in British Columbia (1996-2012). An HAART episode was considered discontinued if individuals had a gap of at least 30 days between days in which medication was prescribed. We considered durations of HAART retention and nonretention separately, and used Cox proportional hazards frailty models to identify demographic and treatment-related factors associated with durations of HAART retention and nonretention.

RESULTS

Six thousand one hundred fifty-two individuals were included in the analysis; 81.2% were male, 40.6% were people who inject drugs, and 42.8% initiated treatment with CD4 cell count less than 200 cells/μl. Overall, 29% were continuously retained on HAART through the end of follow-up. HAART episodes were a median 6.8 months (25th, 75th percentile: 2.3, 19.5), whereas off-HAART episodes lasted a median 1.9 months (1.2, 4.5). In Cox proportional hazards frailty models, durations of HAART retention improved over time. Successive treatment episodes tended to decrease in duration among those with multiple attempts, whereas off-HAART episodes remained relatively stable. Younger age, earlier stages of disease progression, and injection drug use were all associated with shorter durations of HAART retention and longer off-HAART durations.

CONCLUSION

Metrics to monitor HAART retention, dropout, and reentry should be prioritized for HIV surveillance. Clinical strategies and public health policies are urgently needed to improve HAART retention, particularly among those at earlier stages of disease progression, the young, and people who inject drugs.

Implementation challenges for long-acting antivirals as treatment

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (ART) formulations hold great promise in helping to close the significant gap between efficacy and effectiveness in HIV treatment by eliminating the requirement for lifelong daily pills. However, significant systems-level and individual challenges to implementation of long-acting ART in HIV treatment are anticipated.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies of long-acting ART formulations are burgeoning, but the drugs are still in early phases of investigation and key knowledge gaps in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, as well as their effectiveness in settings with the largest burden of HIV disease and in key populations, remain. Extrapolating from the literature on implementation barriers to using long-acting contraception on a global scale, we explore the implementation barriers to rolling-out long-acting ART, including country approval and endorsements; prioritization of patient populations for preferred use, clinic infrastructure requirements, steady supply chains, decentralization of care, provider and patient training programs, and laboratory monitoring; and the need to examine patient preferences and conduct rigorous implementation science research to effectively scale-up this intervention.

SUMMARY

Long-acting ART for HIV treatment harbors exciting potential to shift treatment paradigms. Current knowledge gaps in the use of these agents remain, leading to multiple anticipated systems-level and individual-level barriers to implementation. Addressing these gaps and barriers will help fulfill the promise of these agents against the pandemic.