Patterns of diagnosis disclosure and its correlates in HIV-Infected North Indian children

Disclosure of HIV status and associated clinical outcomes of children and adolescents living with HIV in Asia

Disclosure of HIV status is an important part of pediatric care. We studied disclosure and clinical outcomes in a multi-country Asian cohort of children and adolescents with HIV. Those 6-19 years of age who initiated combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) between 2008 and 2018, and who had at least one follow-up clinic visit were included. Data up to December 2019 were analyzed. Cox and competing risk regression analyses were used to assess the effect of disclosure on disease progression (WHO clinical stage 3 or 4), loss to follow-up (LTFU; > 12 months), and death. Of 1913 children and adolescents (48% female; median [IQR] age 11.5 [9.2-14.7] years at last clinic visit), 795 (42%) were disclosed to about their HIV status at a median age of 12.9 years (IQR: 11.8-14.1). During follow-up, 207 (11%) experienced disease progression, 75 (3.9%) were LTFU, and 59 (3.1%) died. There were lower hazards of disease progression (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.43 [0.28-0.66]) and death (aHR 0.36 [0.17-0.79]) for those disclosed to compared with those who were not. Disclosure and its appropriate implementation should be promoted in pediatric HIV clinics in resource-limited settings.

Pediatric HIV Disclosure Intervention Improves Immunologic Outcome at 48 Weeks: The Sankofa Trial Experience

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization recommends disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents living with HIV (CALWH). HIV disclosure improves adherence to antiretroviral therapy and immunologic and virologic outcomes. However, the prevalence of HIV disclosure is low in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the longitudinal effect of the Sankofa Pediatric HIV disclosure intervention on immunologic and virologic outcomes among CALWH in Ghana.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a two-arm site-randomized clinical trial among CALWH aged 7-18 years. Data were collected at baseline, 24, and 48 weeks. Generalized linear mixed models were used to compare immunologic (CD4) and virologic (viral load) outcomes as both continuous and categorical variables by disclosure status and by intervention group.

RESULTS

Among participants who had their HIV status disclosed during this study, the proportion with CD4 percent >25% increased from 56.5% at baseline to 75.4% at week 48 ( P = 0.03), with a slight increase in the undisclosed group (69.5% vs. 74.3%, P = 0.56). In the intervention arm, there was a steady increase in proportion with CD4 percent >25% from 47.1% at baseline to 67.8% at week 48 ( P = 0.01) while it remained unchanged in the control arm (80.5% vs. 81.3% [ P = 0.89]). Concurrently, declines in detectable viral load were observed in both disclosed (63.3% vs. 51.5%, P = 0.16) and undisclosed (69.9% vs. 62.0%, P = 0.17) groups while the intervention group experienced a meaningful drop from 72.9% to 57.6% at 24 weeks ( P = 0.04), which was maintained at 48 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

A structured, culturally relevant disclosure intervention can improve clinical outcomes.

Psychosocial Support Programme Improves Adherence and Health Systems Experiences for Adolescents on Antiretroviral Therapy in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

(1) Background: Psychosocial support (PSS) plays a significant role in persistent adherence to and retention in antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adolescents living with the human immunodeficiency virus (ALHIV). This paper qualitatively explores the experiences of ALHIV on ART, who participated in a PSS programme in five public primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: Data were collected through 24 focus group discussions with 173 ALHIV on ART and subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Informed consent was obtained before all data collection. (3) Results: The PSS programme facilitated the process of full HIV disclosure to these adolescents with the support of parents/guardians while motivating adherence through peer support groups and health education for improved treatment literacy. Participants reported positive health systems experiences, improved healthcare provider-client relations, and prompt access to health services. (4) Conclusions: The PSS programme successfully kept ALHIV engaged in ART care despite the health service disruptions encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend rigorous evaluation of the effects of the PSS intervention on adherence to and retention in ART among ALHIV in HIV-endemic settings.

Pediatrics HIV-positive status disclosure and its predictors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

HIV-positive status disclosure for children is challenging for family members, guardians, and healthcare professionals. Disclosure is very challenging, particularly for children, yet no systematic synthesis of evidence accurately measures HIV-positive status disclosure in children. This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to quantify the national prevalence of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure in Ethiopia and identify factors associated with HIV-positive status disclosure.

Method

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science databases, and google scholar for relevant published studies. Studies published in the English language and conducted with cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional designs were eligible for the review. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study were HIV-positive status disclosure and factors associated with HIV-positive status disclosure, respectively. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. A random effect- model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of HIV-positive status disclosure. Heterogeneity and publication bias of included studies was determined using I² and Egger's test, respectively.

Result

From 601 records screened, nine relevant studies consisting of 2,442 HIV-positive children were included in the analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of HIV-positive status disclosure among children living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia was 31.2% (95% CI [23.9-38.5]). HIV-negative status of caregivers (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI [1.28-3.18]), long duration on ART (greater than 5 years) (AOR: 3.2; 95% CI [1.77-5.78]) and older age of the child (>10 years) (AOR: 7.2; 95% CI [4.37-11.88]) were significantly associated with HIV-positive status disclosure.

Conclusion

Low prevalence of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure was observed in Ethiopia. The longer duration of ART, the HIV-negative status of the caregiver, and older age greater than 10 years were the predictors of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure. Health system leaders and policymakers shall design training and counseling programs for healthcare professionals and caregivers to enhance their awareness about HIV-positive status disclosure.

Trial registration

This review was registered under PROSPERO and received a unique registration number, CRD42019119049.

Prevalence, socio-demographics and service use determinants associated with disclosure of HIV/AIDS status to infected children: a systematic review and meta-analysis by 1985-2021

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a public health issue of global importance. To our knowledge, no previous meta-analysis documenting the prevalence, socio-demographic, and service use determinants associated with HIV/AIDS disclosure to infected children has been conducted. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence, socio-demographics and service use determinants associated with the disclosure of HIV/AIDS status to infected children.

METHODS

Studies in English published between 01 January 1985 and 01 November 2021, and available on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases were searched. After reviewing for study duplicates, the full-text of selected articles were assessed for eligibility using Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes (PICO) criteria. We used fixed and random-effects meta-analysis models to estimate the pooled prevalence, pooled odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

After article duplicates were excluded, assessments of abstracts were completed, and full-text papers evaluated, 37 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The prevalence of the disclosure of HIV status to children was measured to be 41% in this research. The odds that a child of 10 years and older is informed that they are HIV-positive is 3.01 time the odds that younger children are informed. Those children who had primary or lower schooling level were 2.41 times more likely to be informed of their HIV-positive status than children with higher levels of schooling. Children who had a non-biological parents were 3.17 times more likely to have been disclose being HIV-positive; social support (OR = 8.29, 95%CI = 2.34, 29.42), children who had higher levels of social supports were 8.29 times more likely to disclose HIV-positive; the primary educational level of caregivers (OR = 2.03, 95%CI = 1.43, 2.89), respondents who had caregivers with primary education level were 2.03 times more likely to disclose HIV-positive; antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence (OR = 2.59, 95%CI = 1.96, 3.42), participants who adhered to ART were 2.59 times more likely to disclose HIV-positive and hospital follow-up (OR = 2.82, 95%CI = 1.85, 4.29), those who had hospital follow-up were 2.82 times more likely to disclose HIV-positive; were all significantly associated with the disclosure of HIV/AIDS status to infected children.

CONCLUSION

Such data are of importance for healthcare pediatrics HIV care professionals. Facilitating HIV diagnosis and disclosure to the infected children and ensuring access to HIV treatment will likely prevent secondary HIV transmission. Healthcare professionals are expected to provide age-appropriate counseling services to this population.

Determinants of HIV status disclosure to children living with HIV in coastal Karnataka, India

The caregivers of HIV-positive children either delay or avoid disclosure of HIV status to the child due to several reasons. Keeping the child's HIV status a secret puts them at considerable risk of stopping therapy and transmitting HIV to others. Hence this study was conducted to assess the determinants of disclosure of HIV status to infected children in coastal Karnataka. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a District Hospital in Coastal Karnataka from October 2014 to July 2015. One hundred eighty-five caregivers were recruited for the study purposively and interviewed using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire after written informed consent. Of the 185 caregivers interviewed, 78 (42%) caregivers had not disclosed the HIV status to the child. The child being too young was the most common reason for non-disclosure of HIV status. The majority of the caregivers intended to disclose the HIV status fully to the child after the child attained ten years of age. Nearly two-thirds of the caregivers wanted to disclose it themselves in their own homes. The significant determinants of disclosure of HIV status were the age of the child, and person involved in childcare, and the venue of the disclosure.

Factors affecting adherence to treatment in children living with HIV

Background:

With the successful introduction of ART, the life expectancy of children living with HIV (CLHIV) is substantially increased. However, strict compliance is a necessary step to begin with as noncompliance is again associated with its own demerits of incomplete suppression and decreasing the overall survival of the patients.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to measure factors associated with adherence to ART among CLHIV.

Materials and Methods:

This is a 1-year follow-up study conducted from November 2012 to December 2013. A total of 171 children between 18 months and 15 years living with HIV and on ART attending the two ART centers of Delhi were enrolled in the study. Adherence and factors affecting adherence were obtained from the study participants using a semi-structured interview schedule.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Collected data were transformed into variables and analyzed into SPSS. All observations were in terms of mean, median, standard deviations, percentages, and proportions. Tests of significance such as Chi-square test and t-test were applied wherever required.

Results:

In nearly 89% of the study participants, adherence to ART was ≥95% at the end of the study. The most common reason for nonadherence was forgetfulness (59%), and 57% of the parents/caretakers were facing monetary problems. Long distance, greater duration to reach center, and unavailability of the parents/caretakers were also quoted as problems.

Conclusion:

Adherence is genesis to successful treatment outcome and is strongly associated with availability of support by their parents/caretakers. Professional help along with guidance and encouragement is required not only at the caretaker level but also to the family as a whole.

Validación de una herramienta para revelar diagnóstico de VIH a niños y adolescentes

Introducción. La revelación del diagnóstico de VIH/Sida a niños y adolescentes ha tenido beneficios y desafíos para las familias afectadas.Objetivo. Validar la herramienta “Mi Dragón Dormido” para el proceso de revelación del diagnóstico de VIH/Sida a menores de 15 años.Materiales y métodos. Se seleccionaron 10 jueces expertos y 40 cuidadores de niños seropositivos y seronegativos para VIH mediante muestreo no probabilístico intencional. Se administraron cuestionarios estructurados para evaluar cinco componentes de eficacia y se realizó análisis descriptivo de los datos y tabulación mediante el programa IBM SPSS Versión 24.Resultados. Jueces expertos y cuidadores determinaron que el formato y los mensajes fueron claros y favorecieron la identificación y aceptación. También indicaron que la herramienta permitió un cambio de comportamiento en el público objetivo.Conclusión. La herramienta es válida para apoyar el proceso de revelación de diagnóstico a niños con VIH y demostró aceptación en población seronegativa, lo que sugiere que puede ser utilizada en hogares y contextos educativos para promover comportamientos que respalden la salud, el bienestar general y la reducción de prácticas discriminatorias hacia las personas con VIH.

Pattern of paediatric HIV status disclosure in coastal Karnataka

Background & objectives:

Karnataka is a high HIV prevalent State in India. Although benefits have been shown by disclosing the HIV status to the child, information regarding HIV status disclosure in Karnataka is limited. Hence, this study was conducted to estimate the proportion of children who had been disclosed of their HIV status and its pattern among those who visited the district antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre in coastal Karnataka.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in an ART centre in a district hospital in coastal Karnataka between October 2014 and July 2015. Caregivers of paediatric HIV patients were approached and willing participants were administered a pre-formed, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire developed for the study.

Results:

A total of 185 caregivers of the HIV-positive children were interviewed. Mean age of the children was 11±4 years. Only 107 (57.8%) children were aware of their HIV status. Of these, 95 were disclosed fully. Counsellors in rehabilitation centres were the most probable person to disclose and planned events. Children were told of their HIV status for their knowledge and were more likely to be disclosed if they were around 11-15 yr of age and staying in rehabilitation centres.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Older children were more likely to be disclosed of their HIV status by counsellors. Steps need to be taken to counsel and encourage caregivers to fully disclose the HIV status to the children at least when they attain the age more than 11 years.

Pediatric HIV Disclosure in Northern India: Evaluation of Its Prevalence, Perceptions amongst Caregivers, and Its Impact on CLHIV

Background

With improving standards of care of children living with HIV (CLHIV), pediatric HIV related mortality rates are declining. New challenges like HIV status disclosure are emerging which need to be addressed to ensure their smooth transition into adulthood. Poor disease disclosure rates are observed in CLHIV globally.

Aims

This study was done to assess the prevalence of HIV disclosure in North Indian CLHIV, know the perceptions of caregivers regarding disclosure, and evaluate the impact of disclosure on CLHIV.

Methods

It was a questionnaire based cross-sectional study carried out amongst 144 caregivers of CLHIV aged 6-16 years attending the pediatric HIV clinic of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Results

Though the majority (93.8%) caregivers felt that it is important to disclose but only 33% of the children were actually disclosed. Eighty five percent felt that disclosure must be done by one of the family members and correspondingly 73% of the disclosed children were actually disclosed by their parents. Forty seven percent believed that the most appropriate age for disclosure is 10-12 years. The mean age at which disclosure was actually done was 11.06 ± 1.62 years. Comparison of the disclosed and undisclosed CLHIV revealed that the disclosed group had significantly higher age, longer duration of taking ART, and higher proportion of paternal orphans. Age of the CLHIV was the only significant factor for disclosure. Several reasons were cited by the caregivers for nondisclosure. The caregivers observed improved drug adherence in 47.9% of the children following disclosure.

Conclusions

There is a need to develop region specific pediatric HIV disclosure guidelines keeping in mind the caregivers' perceptions. The guidelines must be age appropriate, systematic, and socioculturally acceptable. The most suitable age for disclosure appears to be 10-12 years. Involvement of caregivers and health care providers in the process is a must.

Perinatally acquired HIV-positive status disclosure and associated factors in Dire Dawa and Harar, Eastern Ethiopia: a health facility-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the level and factors associated with caregivers' disclosure of perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) children's seropositive status.

DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study in five public health facilities providing HIV treatment and care in Dire Dawa and Harar, Eastern Ethiopia. The data were collected from 310 caregivers through face-to-face interviews and record reviews. Data analyses were done using STATA V.14.2 and statistical significance was declared at p value <0.05.

RESULTS

The study revealed that the level of PHIV+ diagnosis disclosure was 49.4% (95% CI 43.8 to 54.9). Mean age at disclosure was 11.2 years. Disclosure level was higher among children who frequently asked about their health status (aOR (adjusted OR) 2.04, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.03) and when caregivers knew other people who had a disclosure experience (aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.17 to 5.32). Disclosure level was less among children of 12 years or below (aOR 0.04, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09) and among caregivers practising deception about the children's HIV positive status (aOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.74).

CONCLUSION

Only half of the caregivers disclosed their child's PHIV+ diagnosis. To facilitate disclosure, caregivers should be counselled about the appropriate age of disclosure and related misconceptions that hinder it. It is also apparent that caregivers need to be guided as to how to address children's frequent questions about their health status. These interventions can be made in a one-on-one approach or through patient group counselling when they come to get healthcare services.

Models of support for disclosure of HIV status to HIV-infected children and adolescents in resource-limited settings

INTRODUCTION

Disclosure of HIV status to HIV-infected children and adolescents is a major care challenge. We describe current site characteristics related to disclosure of HIV status in resource-limited paediatric HIV care settings within the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium.

METHODS

An online site assessment survey was conducted across the paediatric HIV care sites within six global regions of IeDEA. A standardized questionnaire was administered to the sites through the REDCap platform.

RESULTS

From June 2014 to March 2015, all 180 sites of the IeDEA consortium in 31 countries completed the online survey: 57% were urban, 43% were health centres and 86% were integrated clinics (serving both adults and children). Almost all the sites (98%) reported offering disclosure counselling services. Disclosure counselling was most often provided by counsellors (87% of sites), but also by nurses (77%), physicians (74%), social workers (68%), or other clinicians (65%). It was offered to both caregivers and children in 92% of 177 sites with disclosure counselling. Disclosure resources and procedures varied across geographical regions. Most sites in each region reported performing staff members' training on disclosure (72% to 96% of sites per region), routinely collecting HIV disclosure status (50% to 91%) and involving caregivers in the disclosure process (71% to 100%). A disclosure protocol was available in 14% to 71% of sites. Among the 143 sites (79%) routinely collecting disclosure status process, the main collection method was by asking the caregiver or child (85%) about the child's knowledge of his/her HIV status. Frequency of disclosure status assessment was every three months in 63% of the sites, and 71% stored disclosure status data electronically.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the sites reported offering disclosure counselling services, but educational and social support resources and capacities for data collection varied across regions. Paediatric HIV care sites worldwide still need specific staff members' training on disclosure, development and implementation of guidelines for HIV disclosure, and standardized data collection on this key issue to ensure the long-term health and wellbeing of HIV-infected youth.

Caregivers' perspectives on disclosure, care, and treatment among pediatric HIV/AIDS patients in South India: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has helped to achieve the increased life span among pediatric HIV patients. The psychosocial aspects of parents or caregivers can affect the treatment adherence in children and the disease outcome.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This study aims at understanding the perspectives on disclosure of HIV status, stigma, antiretroviral treatment, and compliance among caregivers of children attending ART clinic in South India and to explore the barriers to treatment-seeking behavior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This facility-based qualitative study was carried out among caregivers of pediatric HIV patients <15 years of age. In-depth interview was conducted on caregivers after informed consent in the absence of the child, focusing on stigma, disclosure of HIV status to children, adherence, and coping strategies followed by the parents. The complete interviews were transcribed in English, and content analysis was done to identify the emergence of codes. Interview was conducted among mothers of affected child. The disease status of the children was known only to the parents and not to the children themselves (excepting one) or siblings. Parents intended to keep it confidential for the affected children as long as possible. Nevertheless, to maintain adherence and to prevent disclosure of HIV status, mothers traveled to this ART center from very far places, medical records were hidden, and tablets were removed from the strips and said to be medicines for energy and protection.

CONCLUSION

Mothers of HIV-positive children faced many difficulties to prevent the disclosure of the diagnosis from the affected children and others, which is not very conducive to adherence to the ART regimen. Effective disclosure strategies to manage this emotionally vulnerable group are an urgent need.

Factors impacting antiretroviral therapy adherence among human immunodeficiency virus-positive adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Eighty-two percent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive adolescents live in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence levels are suboptimal, leading to poor outcomes. This systematic review investigated factors impacting ART adherence among adolescents in SSA, including religious beliefs and intimate relationships.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted between June and August 2016 using eight electronic databases, including Cochrane and PubMed. Published, ongoing and unpublished research, conducted in SSA from 2004 to 2016, was identified and thematic analysis was used to summarise findings.

RESULTS

Eleven studies from eight SSA countries, published in English between 2011 and 2016, reported on factors impacting ART adherence among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). Forty-four barriers and 29 facilitators to adherence were identified, representing a complex web of factors. The main barriers were stigma, ART side-effects, lack of assistance and forgetfulness. Facilitators included caregiver support, peer support groups and knowledge of HIV status.

CONCLUSIONS

Stigma reflects difficult relations between ALHIV and their HIV-negative peers and adults. Most interventions target only those with HIV, suggesting a policy shift towards the wider community could be beneficial. Recommendations include engaging religious leaders and schools to change negative societal attitudes. Limitations of the review include the urban settings and recruitment of predominantly vertically infected participants in most included studies. Therefore, the findings cannot be extrapolated to ALHIV residing in rural locations or horizontally infected ALHIV, highlighting the need for further research in those areas.

HIV knowledge, stigma, and illness beliefs among pediatric caregivers in Ghana who have not disclosed their child's HIV status

The majority of HIV-infected children in sub-Saharan Africa have not been informed of their HIV status. Caregivers are reluctant to disclose HIV status to their children because of concern about the child’s ability to understand, parental sense of guilt, and fear of social rejection and isolation. We hypothesized that the low prevalence of pediatric HIV disclosure in Ghana is due to lack of accurate HIV information and high HIV stigma among caregivers. This is a preliminary analysis of baseline data of an HIV pediatric disclosure intervention study in Ghana (“Sankofa”). “Sankofa” – is a two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial comparing disclosure intervention plus usual care (intervention arm) vs usual care (control arm) at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH; control arm) and Komfo-Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH; intervention arm). We enrolled HIV-infected children, ages 7–18 years who do not know their HIV status, and their caregivers. Baseline data of caregivers included demographic characteristics; Brief HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18); Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire; and HIV Stigma Scale. Simple and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between caregiver characteristics and HIV knowledge, stigma, and illness perception. Two hundred and ninety-eight caregivers were enrolled between January 2013 and July 2014 at the two study sites; KBTH (n = 167) and KATH (n = 131). The median age of caregivers was 41 years; 80.5% of them were female and about 60% of caregivers were HIV-positive. Seventy-eight percent of caregivers were self-employed with low household income. In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, HIV negative status and lower level of education were associated with poor scores on HIV-KQ. HIV positive status remained significant for higher level of stigma in the adjusted analyses. None of the caregiver’s characteristics predicted caregiver’s illness perception. Intensification of HIV education in schools and targeted community campaigns are needed.

Disclosure of HIV Status to Infected Children in South India: Perspectives of Caregivers

This study was designed to examine the rates of HIV serostatus disclosure in a sample of HIV-infected children in the state of Karnataka in South India, their reactions to learning their HIV-positive status and the reasons for and barriers to disclosure from the point of view of their caregivers. We enrolled 233 HIV-infected children, aged 5-18 years and their caregivers between July 2011 and February 2013 at HIV clinics in three tertiary care centers. Caregiver interviews included information about demographic characteristics, medical history, type of disclosure to the child and other related factors, including disclosure barriers. Three quarters (n = 185) of the caregivers reported that there had been no disclosure to the child, 15.4% (n = 38) reported partial disclosure (e.g. telling the child he or she had a 'chronic illness') and only 9.7% (n = 24) reported full disclosure, at a mean age of 10.9 (SD: 2.5) years. Caregivers, who planned to disclose in the future, stated on average that 16 years would be the right age. Those who favored a later disclosure reported that they feared strong negative emotional reactions from the child (p = 0.03) and social isolation (p < 0.001) following disclosure. These results show that that the level of full disclosure is low among South Indian youth living with HIV, and that when disclosure occurs, it is most likely to be partial. The majority of children who learned their status had been informed by a health-care provider, possibly reflecting the difficulty for a caregiver of having this conversation. The caregivers reported multiple disadvantages of disclosure, mostly because of fears of stigma and discrimination. Despite some evidence from the literature that disclosure can have positive effects on a child's health, it is thus clear that we need to develop, implement and evaluate community-based stigma reduction programs to reduce the social barriers to disclosure.

Talking to children about their HIV status: a review of available resources, tools, and models for improving and promoting pediatric disclosure

As children living with HIV (CLHIV) grow into adolescence and adulthood, caregivers and healthcare providers are faced with the sensitive challenge of when to disclose to a CLHIV his or her HIV status. Despite WHO recommendations for CLHIV to know their status, in countries most affected by HIV, effective resources are often limited, and national guidance on disclosure is often lacking. To address the need for effective resources, gray and scientific literature was searched to identify existing tools and resources that can aid in the disclosure process. From peer-reviewed literature, seven disclosure models from six different countries were identified. From the gray literature, 23 resources were identified including children's books (15), job aides to assist healthcare providers (5), and videos (3). While these existing resources can be tailored to reflect local norms and used to aid in the disclosure process, careful consideration must be taken in order to avoid damaging disclosure practices.

Impact of HIV-Status Disclosure on Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among HIV-Infected Children in Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review

Pediatric HIV remains a significant global health dilemma, especially in resource-constrained nations. As access to ART increases around the world, areas of concern in pediatric HIV treatment include age-appropriate disclosure of HIV status to children and development of adherence habits over time. This review was conducted to synthesize quantitative associations reported between disclosure and adherence among children living with HIV in resource-limited settings. An electronic database search of PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane returned 1348 results after removal of duplicates, 14 of which were found to meet inclusion criteria. Review of these reports showed conflicting results regarding the impact of disclosure on adherence, with 5 showing no association, 4 showing a negative impact of disclosure on adherence, and 5 showing positive benefits of disclosure for adherence habits. Thus, there was no clear consensus on the effect, if any, that disclosure has on medication adherence. Longitudinal, prospective research needs to be conducted to evaluate further impacts that disclosure may have on adherence habits over time, and interventions must be structured to link the two processes together in order to maximize health benefit to the child or adolescent.

Why Tell Children: A Synthesis of the Global Literature on Reasons for Disclosing or Not Disclosing an HIV Diagnosis to Children 12 and under

While the psychological and health benefits of knowing one's HIV diagnosis have been documented for adults and adolescents, practice is still in development for younger children. Moderating conditions for whether or not to tell a child he/she has HIV vary by region and local context. They include accessibility of treatment, consideration of HIV as a stigmatizing condition, prevalence of HIV, and an accompanying presumption that any illness is HIV-related, parent or caregiver concerns about child reactions, child's worsening health, assumptions about childhood and child readiness to know a diagnosis, and lack of policies such as those that would prevent bullying of affected children in schools. In this systematic review of the global literature, we summarize the reasons caregivers give for telling or not telling children 12 and under their HIV diagnosis. We also include articles in which children reflect on their desires for being told. While a broad number of reasons are given for telling a child - e.g., to aid in prevention, adaptation to illness (e.g., primarily to promote treatment adherence), understanding social reactions, and maintaining the child-adult relationship - a narrower range of reasons, often related to immediate child or caregiver well-being or discomfort, are given for not telling. Recommendations are made to improve the context for disclosure by providing supports before, during, and after disclosure and to advance the research agenda by broadening samples and refining approaches.

Issues around childhood disclosure of HIV status - findings from a qualitative study in West Bengal, India

INTRODUCTION

Informing the children living with HIV (CLH) about their disease (disclosure) is important from the perspective of disease treatment and overall psychosocial development. There are no published studies that qualitatively explored HIV disclosure-related issues among CLH in India. Our aim was to provide insights into the perceptions of informal caregivers of CLH regarding childhood disclosure.

METHODS

Children were defined as those aged <16 years. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 primary caregivers of CLH aged 8 to 15 years old who were residing in West Bengal, India. The participants were recruited with the help of a community-based organization that provides need-based services to people living with HIV.

RESULTS

We obtained caregivers' perspectives on the motivators and barriers of childhood disclosure. Health benefits such as medication adherence emerged as an important motivator, while distress caused by disclosure and potential for stigma were identified as barriers. Health care providers were the preferred disclosers for most caregivers, followed by the caregivers themselves. Some caregivers wanted their child to learn about his/her HIV status by him/herself. There was no consensus among the caregivers about the ideal age for disclosure. Many preferred to wait until the child attained maturity or was of marriageable age.

DISCUSSION

Disclosure of HIV status to children is an emotional issue, both for the caregiver and the child. Like most low-or middle-income countries, no standardized, age-appropriate disclosure guidelines exist in India. Our findings advocate adoption of a multi-faceted approach, including increased availability of social and familial support, for childhood HIV disclosure.

Parental concerns on disclosure of HIV status to children living with HIV: children's perspective

Disclosure is an important component of comprehensive management of children living with HIV infection (CLHIV). Many parental concerns are barriers for disclosure in children and only few studies addresses children's perspective on these concerns. Our study aims to understand children's perspective on parental concerns for disclosure and assess the knowledge of HIV. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study involving CLHIV between 10 and 18 years attending HIV clinic in southern India, was conducted. Data were collected by directly interviewing only the children after obtaining consent from parents/caregivers. Initial open-ended questions were asked to assess the disclosure status and only fully disclosed children were included. Out of 362 enrolled eligible children, the prevalence of full and partial disclosure was 36.7% and 24%, respectively. The mean age of disclosure was 10.4 years (SD ± 2.6) and non-parental family members in an informal setting were the most common source of disclosure (38.3%). Forty-six percentages of parents were unaware of their child's disclosure status. Only 2% had disclosed their status to others who were not part of their care. Among disclosed children, 33.8% became upset or sad upon knowing their status, 12% faced discrimination and 41.4% had complete knowledge about their illness. Though the prevalence of disclosure among CLHIV was high, a majority of them had incomplete knowledge about HIV infection. The parental concerns as reported in literature like the child is too young to disclose, concerns about coping, fear of stigma and discrimination and child disclosing to others were not expressed by children.

Necessity of Systematic HIV Disclosure in HIV-infected Families: Committed Communities Development Trusts Approach and Intervention

Due to greater access to antiretroviral therapy, telling adolescents that they are HIV-infected and/or affected has become an integral and intricate part of the treatment protocol. Despite growing treatment resources from public and private sectors, there is a lack of systematic disclosure for children and adolescents affected and living with HIV/AIDS. Committed Communities Development Trust, a non-government organization working with children and adults infected with and/or affected by HIV, conducted a mixed-methods, cross-sectional study with 33 families in their home-based care program to evaluate their current disclosure protocol. The findings indicate that these experiences implementing and fine-tuning this protocol provide useful lessons for other Indian non-government organizations working with HIV-positive families.

Prevalence and Correlates of HIV Disclosure Among Children and Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Disclosure of HIV status among children and adolescents living with HIV has both beneficial and challenging aspects. To address existing knowledge gaps and update the literature on childhood disclosure, we conducted a systematic review on caregivers' perceptions and practices of HIV disclosure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

Standard databases were searched for studies conducted in LMICs, published in English between 2004 and 2015. Excluded articles were reviews or case reports, and those not reporting childhood disclosure. Data regarding prevalence, correlates and impact of disclosure, were presented as frequencies.

RESULTS

Two authors independently screened 982 articles. After applying eligibility criteria, 22 articles representing 12 countries and 2,843 children were reviewed. The proportion of fully disclosed children ranged from 1.7% to 41.0%. Up to 49.5% children were provided "deflected" information (use of a non-HIV-related reason for explaining illness and health care visits). Factors associated with full disclosure included antiretroviral treatment initiation and caregivers' felt need for maintaining optimal adherence. Barriers to disclosure included fear of negative psychological reactions and inadvertent disclosure to others. Caregivers perceived a strong need for active participation from health care providers to aid the process of disclosure.

CONCLUSIONS

Full disclosure of HIV status was not common among children and adolescents in LMICs, while the practice of deflected disclosure was prominent. Caregivers perceived the need for support from health care providers during the disclosure process. Evidence-based guidelines incorporating the developmental status of the child, locally prevalent cultures, and caregiver perceptions are prerequisite to enhancing disclosure in these settings.

Cross Sectional Characterization of Factors Associated with Pediatric HIV Status Disclosure in Southern Ethiopia

Background

Disclosure of HIV positive status to children and adolescents is a complex process. However, disclosure has been found to be associated with improved outcomes. The objective of the current study was to identify the predictors that facilitate disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents and to study the reasons for non-disclosure.

Methods

Interviews of caregivers and reviews of records were done to collect data on caregiver and child information and details regarding the disclosure status of children. Bivariate analysis was done to test the association between HIV status disclosure and different caregiver and child factors. To identify the independent predictors of disclosure, we did multivariable logistic regression.

Results

A total of 177 children attending an HIV clinic were included. The mean age of the participants was 10.1 years (SD = 2.8), and about half (50.8%) were female. Most caregivers, 137 (77.8%) stated that disclosure of HIV status to children is important and should be done. However, disclosure had only been made to 59 (33.3%) of the participants. Child age more than 10 years [AOR = 6.7; 95%CI: 1.73–26.01], duration of HIV diagnosis of 5 years or more [AOR = 4.4; 95%CI: 1.26–15.06] and taking a zidovudin (AZT) based regimen [AOR = 3.5; 95%CI: 1.31–9.53] predicted HIV positive status disclosure. Additionally, length of treatment of caregivers of more than 14 years [AOR = 3.9; 95%CI: 1.07–14.61], disclosure of caregiver’s HIV status to children and/or others [AOR = 4.7; 95%CI: 1.19–18.74], and the child’s inquiry about their condition [AOR = 4.5; 95%CI: 1.16–17.43] increased the odds of disclosure.

Conclusion

The rate of disclosure among HIV infected children in southern Ethiopia is low. Primarily time-based factors were associated with the probability of HIV positive status disclosure and a specific regimen which has not been found previously. Further qualitative research may elucidate more on these factors; educational strategies may address some of these determinants.

A model of caregiver paediatric HIV disclosure decision-making

Many of the over 3 million HIV-positive children will only be told of their status as adolescents. Knowing one's status may increase treatment adherence, reduce onward HIV transmission, increase trust in caregivers and maximise available support. Yet deciding whether, what, how and when to tell HIV-positive children about their condition is challenging for caregivers. We systematically review HIV disclosure theories before presenting a process model of caregiver paediatric HIV disclosure decision-making. The model, consisting of both a pre-intention and a post-intention stage, integrates individual and contextual determinants. It aims to be situationally specific, broadly applicable and consistent with the empirical literature. Research and practice implications are discussed.

'Why did you not tell me?': perspectives of caregivers and children on the social environment surrounding child HIV disclosure in Kenya

OBJECTIVE

We sought to better understand how social factors shape HIV disclosure to children from the perspective of caregivers and HIV-infected children in Kenya.

DESIGN

We conducted a qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs) to gain perspectives of caregivers and children on the social environment for HIV disclosure to children in western Kenya. FGDs were held with caregivers who had disclosed the HIV status to their child and those who had not, and with HIV-infected children who knew their HIV status.

METHODS

FGD transcripts were translated into English, transcribed, and analyzed using constant comparison, progressive coding, and triangulation to arrive at a contextualized understanding of social factors influencing HIV disclosure.

RESULTS

Sixty-one caregivers of HIV-infected children participated in eight FGDs, and 23 HIV-infected children participated in three FGDs. Decisions around disclosure were shaped by a complex social environment that included the caregiver-child dyad, family members, neighbors, friends, schools, churches, and media. Whether social actors demonstrated support or espoused negative beliefs influenced caregiver decisions to disclose. Caregivers reported that HIV-related stigma was prominent across these domains, including stereotypes associating HIV with sexual promiscuity, immorality, and death, which were tied to caregiver fears about disclosure. Children also recognized stigma as a barrier to disclosure, but were less specific about the social and cultural stereotypes cited by the caregivers.

CONCLUSION

In this setting, caregivers and children described multiple actors who influenced disclosure, mostly due to stigmatizing beliefs about HIV. Better understanding the social factors impacting disclosure may improve the design of support services for children and caregivers.

Factors affecting disclosure of serostatus to children attending Jinja Hospital Paediatric HIV clinic, Uganda

BACKGROUND

Disclosure of HIV status is important for optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy in children. Identifying factors that affect disclosure of sero-status to children will help improve the process of disclosure. The purpose of the study was to determine the rate of HIV disclosure by the parents/caretakers to their children and other factors affecting disclosure.

METHODS

A cross sectional study among 174 caretakers of children age 5-8 years, twenty children and all (ten) health workers at Jinja Hospital paediatric HIV clinic. Data was collected with standardized questionnaires on socio-demographic factors, disclosure status, health facility factors, fears and perceived benefits of disclosure.

RESULTS

We found disclosure rates in 56% of the children. Among those not disclosed to, non-disclosure was 19% and deception 25%. Factors associated with disclosure of sero-status to a child were age of child (X2 37.4 df 1 p< 0.001), child being on antiretroviral therapy (OR 2.0 CI 1.1-3.6 p=0.024) and child attending psychosocial support group (OR 7.4 CI 3.6-15.3 p < 0.001). There were no appropriate guidelines on disclosure and only half of health providers had training on disclosure of HIV serostatus to children.

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of disclosure was low. Psychosocial support groups promoted disclosure.

'HIV is like a tsotsi. ARVs are your guns': associations between HIV-disclosure and adherence to antiretroviral treatment among adolescents in South Africa

OBJECTIVES

WHO guidelines recommend disclosure to HIV-positive children by school age in order to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. However, quantitative evidence remains limited for adolescents. This study examines associations between adolescent knowledge of HIV-positive status and ART-adherence in South Africa.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study of the largest known community-traced sample of HIV-positive adolescents. Six hundred and eighty-four ART-initiated adolescents aged 10-19 years (52% female, 79% perinatally infected) were interviewed.

METHODS

In a low-resource health district, all adolescents who had ever initiated ART in a stratified sample of 39 health facilities were identified and traced to 150 communities [n = 1102, 351 excluded, 27 deceased, 40 (5.5%) refusals]. Quantitative interviews used standardized questionnaires and clinic records. Quantitative analyses used multivariate logistic regressions, and qualitative analyses used grounded theory for 18 months of interviews, focus groups and participant observations with 64 adolescents, caregivers and healthcare workers.

RESULTS

About 36% of adolescents reported past-week ART nonadherence, and 70% of adolescents knew their status. Adherence was associated with fewer opportunistic infection symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 0.55; 95% CI 0.40-0.76]. Adolescent knowledge of HIV-positive status was associated with higher adherence, independently of all cofactors (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.47-3.24). Among perinatally infected adolescents who knew their status (n = 362/540), disclosure prior to age 12 was associated with higher adherence (OR 2.65; 95% CI 1.34-5.22). Qualitative findings suggested that disclosure was undertaken sensitively in clinical and family settings, but that adults lacked awareness about adolescent understandings of HIV status.

CONCLUSION

Early and full disclosure is strongly associated with improved adherence amongst ART-initiated adolescents. Disclosure may be an essential tool in improving adolescent adherence and reducing mortality and onwards transmission.

Review: an urgent need for research on factors impacting adherence to and retention in care among HIV-positive youth and adolescents from key populations

INTRODUCTION

The 50% increase in HIV-related deaths in youth and adolescents (aged 10-24) from 2005 to 2012 highlights the need to improve HIV treatment and care in this population, including treatment adherence and retention. Youth and adolescents from key populations or young key populations (YKP) in particular are highly stigmatized and may face additional barrier(s) in adhering to HIV treatment and services. We reviewed the current knowledge on treatment adherence and retention in HIV care among YKP to identify gaps in the literature and suggest future directions to improve HIV care for YKP.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive literature search for YKP and their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and retention in HIV care on PsycInfo (Ovid), PubMed and Google Scholar using combinations of the keywords HIV/AIDS, ART, adolescents, young adults, adherence (or compliance), retention, men who have sex with men, transgender, injection drug users, people who inject drugs and prisoners. We included empirical studies on key populations defined by WHO; included the terms youth and adolescents and/or aged between 10 and 24; examined adherence to or retention in HIV care; and published in English-language journals. All articles were coded using NVivo.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The systematic search yielded 10 articles on YKP and 16 articles on behaviourally infected youth and adolescents from 1999 to 2014. We found no studies reporting on youth and adolescents identified as sex workers, transgender people and prisoners. From existing literature, adherence to ART was reported to be influenced by age, access to healthcare, the burden of multiple vulnerabilities, policy involving risk behaviours and mental health. A combination of two or more of these factors negatively impacted adherence to ART among YKP. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that future programmes need to be tailored specifically to YKP to ensure adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an urgent need for more systematic research in YKP. Current limited evidence suggests that healthcare delivery should be tailored to the unique needs of YKP. Thus, research on YKP could be used to inform future interventions to improve access to treatment and management of co-morbidities related to HIV, to ease the transition from paediatric to adult care and to increase uptake of secondary prevention methods.

Understanding the role of age in HIV disclosure rates and patterns for HIV-infected children in southwestern Uganda

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has enabled HIV-infected children to survive into adolescence and adulthood, creating need for their own HIV diagnosis disclosure. Disclosure has numerous social and medical benefits for the child and family; however, disclosure rates tend to be low, especially in developing countries, and further understanding of the barriers is needed. This study describes the patterns and correlates of disclosure among HIV-infected children in southwestern Uganda. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a referral hospital pediatric HIV clinic between February and April 2012. Interviews were administered to caregivers of HIV-infected children aged 5-17 years. Data collected included socio-demographic characteristics of the child and caregiver, reported disclosure status, and caregivers' reasons for full disclosure or non-full disclosure of HIV status to their children. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was done to establish the socio-demographic correlates of disclosure. Caregivers provided data for 307 children; the median age was eight years (interquartile range [IQR] 7-11) and 52% were males. Ninety-five (31%) children had received full disclosure (48% of whom were >12 years), 22 children (7%) had received partial disclosure, 39 (13%) misinformation, and 151 (49%) no disclosure. Full disclosure was significantly more prevalent among the 9-11 and 12- to 17-year-olds compared to 5- to 8-year-olds (p-value < 0.001). The most frequently stated reason for disclosure was the hope that disclosure would improve medication adherence; the most frequently stated reason for nondisclosure was the belief that the child was too young to understand his/her illness. There was an inverse relationship between age and full disclosure and partial disclosure was rare across all age groups, suggesting a pattern of rapid, late disclosure. Disclosure programs should emphasize the importance of gradual disclosure, starting at younger ages, to maximize the benefits to the child and caregiver.

Using health provider insights to inform pediatric HIV disclosure: a qualitative study and practice framework from Kenya

Optimal pediatric HIV disclosure impacts illness and developmental experiences while improving access to timely treatment. However, disclosure rates in high HIV prevalence countries remain low and there are limited data on best practices. We conducted a qualitative study of disclosure practices and interviewed healthcare providers from five pediatric HIV clinics in Kenya. We identified themes central to disclosure practices, rationale for approaches, barriers to implementing disclosure, and creative strategies to overcome challenges. We used these insights to develop a practice-based framework for disclosure that is sensitive to practical challenges. Overall, providers had limited training but extensive experience in disclosure, endorsed individualized disclosure practices, invested substantial time on disclosure despite clinical burden, and noted adverse outcomes associated with unplanned or abrupt disclosure. Providers advocated for an approach to disclosure that is child-centered but respects caregiver fears and values. Caregiver support was provided to enable caregivers to be the person who ultimately disclosed HIV status to children. Unplanned or abrupt disclosure to children was reported to have severe and persistent adverse impact and was a stimulus to accelerate disclosure in scenarios when providers believed children may be suspecting their diagnosis. Based on these expert insights, the framework we developed incorporates concurrent evaluation of child and caregiver readiness, identifies cues to prompt disclosure discussions, includes caregiver education and support, and utilizes a gradual approach of unveiling HIV diagnosis to the child.

Notification of HIV status disclosure and its related factors in HIV-infected adolescents in 2009 in the Aconda program (CePReF, CHU Yopougon) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, The PRADO-CI Study

Introduction

We studied the frequency of documentation of disclosure of HIV status in medical charts and its correlates among HIV-infected adolescents in 2009, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods

The PRADO-CI is a cross-sectional study aimed at studying HIV-infected adolescents’ social, psychological, and behavioural difficulties and their determinants in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. In this study, we present specific analyses on disclosure. All HIV-infected adolescents aged 13–21 years and followed at least once in 2009 in two urban HIV-care centres in Abidjan (Cepref and Yopougon Teaching Hospital) were enrolled in the study. Standardized data were extracted from medical records to document if there was notification of disclosure of HIV status in the medical record. Frequency of notification of HIV disclosure was estimated with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and correlates were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

In 2009, 229 adolescents were included: 126 (55%) males; 93% on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 61% on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. Their median age was 15 years at the time of the study. Among the 193 patients for whom information on HIV status disclosure was documented (84%), only 63 (32.6%; 95% CI=26.0–39.3%) were informed of their status. The proportion of adolescents informed increased significantly with age: 19% for 13–15 years, 33% for 16–18 years and 86% for 19–21 years (p <0.0001). Adolescents on ART tended to be more likely to be informed of their HIV status (34.5%) than those not treated (13.3%) (p=0.11). Those on cotrimoxazole were significantly more likely to be informed (39.6%) than those not (21.9%) (p=0.01). Disclosure was significantly higher in adolescents with a history of ART regimen change (p=0.003) and in those followed in the Cepref (48.4%) compared to the Yopougon Teaching Hospital (24.8%), (p=0.001). In multivariate analyses, disclosed HIV status was significantly higher in those followed-up in the Cepref compared to the other centre: adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=3.5 (95% CI: 1.1–10.9), and among older adolescents compared to those aged 13–15 years: [16–18 years] aOR=4.2 (95% CI: 1.5–11.5) and [>18 years]: aOR=22.1 (95% CI: 5.2–93.5).

Conclusions

HIV disclosure rate was low among Ivoirian HIV adolescents and was site- and age-dependent. There is a need for practical interventions to support HIV disclosure to adolescents which provides age-appropriate information about the disease.

Disclosure of HIV status to children in resource-limited settings: a systematic review

Introduction

Informing children of their own HIV status is an important aspect of long-term disease management, yet there is little evidence of how and when this type of disclosure takes place in resource-limited settings and its impact.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Databases were searched for the terms hiv AND disclos* AND (child* OR adolesc*). We reviewed 934 article citations and the references of relevant articles to find articles describing disclosure to children and adolescents in resource-limited settings. Data were extracted regarding prevalence of disclosure, factors influencing disclosure, process of disclosure and impact of disclosure on children and caregivers.

Results

Thirty-two articles met the inclusion criteria, with 16 reporting prevalence of disclosure. Of these 16 studies, proportions of disclosed children ranged from 0 to 69.2%. Important factors influencing disclosure included the child's age and perceived ability to understand the meaning of HIV infection and factors related to caregivers, such as education level, openness about their own HIV status and beliefs about children's capacities. Common barriers to disclosure were fear that the child would disclose HIV status to others, fear of stigma and concerns for children's emotional or physical health. Disclosure was mostly led by caregivers and conceptualized as a one-time event, while others described it as a gradual process. Few studies measured the impact of disclosure on children. Findings suggested adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) improved post-disclosure but the emotional and psychological effects of disclosure were variable.

Conclusions

Most studies show that a minority of HIV-infected children in resource-limited settings know his/her HIV status. While caregivers identify many factors that influence disclosure, studies suggest both positive and negative effects for children. More research is needed to implement age- and culture-appropriate disclosure in resource-limited settings.

Disclosure of their HIV status to infected children: a review of the literature

Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1996, HIV-infected children often survive beyond adolescence. To assess worldwide trends in disclosure since ART was introduced, we reviewed articles that refer to disclosure of their status to HIV-infected children, and which described patient, health care provider and/or caregiver opinions about disclosure and/or reported the proportion of children who knew their diagnosis. Most studies (17 [55%]) were performed in low- or middle-income (LMI) countries. In the 21 articles that included information on whether the children knew their status, the proportion who knew ranged from 1.2 to 75.0% and was lower in LMI (median = 20.4%) than industrialized countries (43%; p = 0.04). LMI country study participants who knew their status tended to have learned it at older ages (median = 9.6 years) than industrialized country participants (median = 8.3 years; p = 0.09). The most commonly reported anticipated risks (i.e. emotional trauma to child and child divulging status to others) and benefits (i.e. improved ART adherence) of disclosure did not vary by the country's economic development. Only one article described and evaluated a disclosure process. Despite recommendations, most HIV-infected children worldwide do not know their status. Disclosure strategies addressing caregiver concerns are urgently needed.

HIV status disclosure and retention in care in HIV-infected adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in West Africa

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the effect of HIV status disclosure on retention in care from initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected children aged 10 years or more in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Sénégal.

METHODS

Multi-centre cohort study within five paediatric clinics participating in the IeDEA West Africa collaboration. HIV-infected patients were included in this study if they met the following inclusion criteria: aged 10-21 years while on ART; having initiated ART ≥ 200 days before the closure date of the clinic database; followed ≥ 15 days from ART initiation in clinics with ≥ 10 adolescents enrolled. Routine follow-up data were merged with those collected through a standardized ad hoc questionnaire on awareness of HIV status. Probability of retention (no death or loss-to-follow-up) was estimated with Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard model with date of ART initiation as origin and a delayed entry at date of 10th birthday was used to identify factors associated with death or loss-to-follow-up.

RESULTS

650 adolescents were available for this analysis. Characteristics at ART initiation were: median age of 10.4 years; median CD4 count of 224 cells/mm³ (47% with severe immunosuppression), 48% CDC stage C/WHO stage 3/4. The median follow-up on ART after the age of 10 was 23.3 months; 187 adolescents (28.8%) knew their HIV status. The overall probability of retention at 36 months after ART initiation was 74.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 70.5-79.0) and was higher for those disclosed compared to those not: adjusted hazard ratio for the risk of being death or loss-to-follow-up = 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13-0.39).

CONCLUSION

About 2/3 of HIV-infected adolescents on ART were not aware of their HIV status in these ART clinics in West Africa but disclosed HIV status improved retention in care. The disclosure process should be thus systematically encouraged and organized in adolescent populations.