HIV, tuberculosis, and noncommunicable diseases: what is known about the costs, effects, and cost-effectiveness of integrated care?

Forecasting the effect of HIV-targeted interventions on the age distribution of people with HIV in Kenya

OBJECTIVES

To provide accurate forecasts of the age distribution of people with HIV (PWH) in Kenya from 2025 to 2040.

DESIGN

Development of a compartmental model of HIV in Kenya, calibrated to historical estimates of HIV epidemiology.

METHODS

We forecasted changes in population size and age distribution of new HIV infections and PWH under the status quo and under scale-up of HIV services.

RESULTS

Without scale-up, new HIV infections were forecasted to fall from 34 000 (28 000-41 000) in 2,025 to 29 000 (15 000-57 000) in 2,040; the percentage of new infections occurring among persons over 30 increased from 33% (20-50%) to 40% (24-62%). The median age of PWH increased from 39 years (38-40) in 2025 to 43 years (39-46) in 2040, and the percentage of PWH over age 50 increased from 26% (23-29%) to 34% (26-43%). Under the full intervention scenario, new infections were forecasted to fall to 6,000 (3,000-12 000) in 2,040. The percentage of new infections occurring in people over age 30 increased to 52% (34-71%) in 2,040, and there was an additional shift in the age structure of PWH [forecasted median age of 46 (43-48) and 40% (33-47%) over age 50].

CONCLUSION

PWH in Kenya are forecasted to age over the next 15 years; improvements to the HIV care continuum are expected to contribute to the growing proportion of older PWH.

Mapping the evidence on integrated service delivery for non-communicable and infectious disease comorbidity in sub-Saharan Africa: protocol for a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

The concurrent occurrence of infectious diseases (IDs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) presents complex healthcare challenges in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where healthcare systems often grapple with limited resources. While an integrated care approach has been advocated to address these complex challenges, there is a recognised gap in comprehensive evidence regarding the various models of integrated care, their components and the feasibility of their implementation. This scoping review aims to bridge this gap by examining the breadth and nature of evidence on integrated care models for NCDs and IDs within SSA, thereby updating the current evidence base in the domain.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework for scoping reviews, this study will include peer-reviewed and grey literature reporting on integrated care models for NCD-ID comorbidities in SSA. A comprehensive search of published sources in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Health System Evidence and Research4Life) and grey literature (Google Scholar, EBSCO Open Dissertations and relevant organisational websites) will be conducted to identify sources of information reported in English from 2018 onwards. The review will consider sources of evidence reporting on integrated care model for NCDs such as diabetes; chronic cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney diseases; cancers; epilepsy; and mental illness, and comorbid IDs such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. All sources of evidence will be considered irrespective of the study designs or methods used. The review will exclude sources that solely focus on the differentiated or patient-centred care delivery approach, and that focus on other conditions, populations or settings. The reviewers will independently screen the sources for eligibility and extract data using a JBI-adapted data tool on the Parsifal review platform. Data will be analysed using descriptive and thematic analyses and results will be presented in tables, figures, diagrams and a narrative summary.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required for this review as it will synthesise published data and does not involve human participants. The final report will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings will be used to inform future research.

STUDY REGISTRATION

OSF: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KFVEY.

Tackling syndemics by integrating infectious and noncommunicable diseases in health systems of low- and middle-income countries: A narrative systematic review

The co-occurrence of infectious diseases (ID) and non-communicable diseases (NCD) is widespread, presenting health service delivery challenges especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Integrated health care is a possible solution but may require a paradigm shift to be successfully implemented. This literature review identifies integrated care examples among selected ID and NCD dyads. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, Global Health Database, and selected clinical trials registries. Eligible studies were published between 2010 and December 2022, available in English, and report health service delivery programs or policies for the selected disease dyads in LMICs. We identified 111 studies that met the inclusion criteria, including 56 on tuberculosis and diabetes integration, 46 on health system adaptations to treat COVID-19 and cardiometabolic diseases, and 9 on COVID-19, diabetes, and tuberculosis screening. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most studies on diabetes-tuberculosis integration focused on clinical service delivery screening. By far the most reported health system outcomes across all studies related to health service delivery (n = 72), and 19 addressed health workforce. Outcomes related to health information systems (n = 5), leadership and governance (n = 3), health financing (n = 2), and essential medicines (n = 4)) were sparse. Telemedicine service delivery was the most common adaptation described in studies on COVID-19 and either cardiometabolic diseases or diabetes and tuberculosis. ID-NCD integration is being explored by health systems to deal with increasingly complex health needs, including comorbidities. High excess mortality from COVID-19 associated with NCD-related comorbidity prompted calls for more integrated ID-NCD surveillance and solutions. Evidence of clinical integration of health service delivery and workforce has grown-especially for HIV and NCDs-but other health system building blocks, particularly access to essential medicines, health financing, and leadership and governance, remain in disease silos.

Facility-Based Indicators to Manage and Scale Up Cervical Cancer Prevention and Care Services for Women Living With HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Three-Round Online Delphi Consensus Method

BACKGROUND

Of women with cervical cancer (CC) and HIV, 85% live in sub-Saharan Africa, where 21% of all CC cases are attributable to HIV infection. We aimed to generate internationally acceptable facility-based indicators to monitor and guide scale up of CC prevention and care services offered on-site or off-site by HIV clinics.

METHODS

We reviewed the literature and extracted relevant indicators, grouping them into domains along the CC control continuum. From February 2021 to March 2022, we conducted a three-round, online Delphi process to reach consensus on indicators. We invited 106 experts to participate. Through an anonymous, iterative process, participants adapted the indicators to their context (round 1), then rated them for 5 criteria on a 5-point Likert-type scale (rounds 2 and 3) and then ranked their importance (round 3).

RESULTS

We reviewed 39 policies from 21 African countries and 7 from international organizations; 72 experts from 15 sub-Saharan Africa countries or international organizations participated in our Delphi process. Response rates were 34% in round 1, 40% in round 2, and 44% in round 3. Experts reached consensus for 17 indicators in the following domains: primary prevention (human papillomavirus prevention, n = 2), secondary prevention (screening, triage, treatment of precancerous lesions, n = 11), tertiary prevention (CC diagnosis and care, n = 2), and long-term impact of the program and linkage to HIV service (n = 2).

CONCLUSION

We recommend that HIV clinics that offer CC control services in sub-Saharan Africa implement the 17 indicators stepwise and adapt them to context to improve monitoring along the CC control cascade.

Integration Challenges and Opportunity of Implementing Non-Communicable Disease Screening Intervention with Tuberculosis Patient Care: A Mixed Implementation Study

Background

Despite the comorbidity, early detection and treatment of the two diseases are highly recommended; however, a few pilot studies were conducted, which are mainly focused on diabetes mellitus screening and the integration opportunity and challenges were not known. The study aimed to identify integrated implementation challenges and opportunities of non-communicable disease and risk factors screening intervention with tuberculosis patient care.

Methods

A mixed implementation study design was used. Data were collected from a sample of 443 tuberculosis patients, 21 key informants and facility observations. For quantitative data, descriptive statistics for proportion were summarized in tables and figures. Four distinct implementation frame was adapted for thematic analysis of audio recordings, daily verbatim transcription, and descriptive field notes.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus among tuberculosis patients were 6.55% and 5.64%, respectively. Totally 9 subthemes and 21 new codes were developed, of which 13 and 8 new codes were developed for integrated implementation challenges and opportunities, respectively. The absence of medical equipment, skill and knowledge training, record and report system, cooperative integration, feedback, referral system, shortage of supporting agencies, and services not free were external challenges, whereas lack of trained health workers, focal persons, and increased workload and absence of awareness creation were internal challenges. Despite the challenges, the presence of health extension programs, non-governmental organizations, community health care insurance and associations for diabetes mellitus were external opportunities. Availability of assigned focal persons, trained stakeholders, guidelines, information systems and compatible tuberculosis program structure were internal opportunities.

Conclusion

The majority of TB patients were not comorbid with NCDs. We build a favourable system for integrated implementation developing an integration platform and structural authority at a different organization by addressing identified challenges and applying facilitators is crucial.

Management of chronic conditions in resource limited settings: multi stakeholders' perception and experiences with receiving and providing integrated HIV, diabetes and hypertension services in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) alongside the continuing high burden of HIV poses a serious challenge to middle- and low-income countries' healthcare systems. Pilot studies of integrated models of service delivery for HIV, hypertension and diabetes have demonstrated that they are feasible and acceptable among patients and care providers. This study assessed multi-stakeholders' perspectives of the delivery and receipt of integrated care in Tanzania.

METHODS

A qualitative process evaluation was conducted in Dar es Salaam region of Tanzania where the integrated service delivery model was implemented from July to November 2021. In-depth interviews were held with seven key informants at the national, regional and district levels, eight healthcare providers, two researchers working at the integrated clinic and forty patients benefiting from integrated services at a large hospital. Three focus group discussions were held with community leaders and residents of the hospital's catchment area, and clinic level observations were conducted. Thematic analysis was conducted followed by the use of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to identify factors pertinent to sustaining and scaling up of the integrated model.

RESULTS

Participants of the study at all levels were aware of the increased prevalence of NCDs specifically for hypertension and diabetes and were concerned about the trend of increasing co-morbid conditions among people living with HIV (PLHIV). The integrated service delivery model was positively perceived by stakeholders because of its multiple benefits for both patients and the healthcare system. These include stigma and discrimination reduction, improved quality of care, efficient use of limited resources, cost and time saving, reduced duplication of services and fostering of early detection for undiagnosed conditions. The organisation of the clinic was critical in increased satisfaction. Several challenges were observed, which included costs for NCD services relative to free care for HIV and inconsistent availability of NCD medications.

CONCLUSION

Stakeholders reported numerous benefits of the integrated service delivery model that are fundamental in improving the health of many Tanzanians living with NCDs and HIV. These benefits highlight the need for policy and decision-makers to sustain and expand the integrated service delivery model as a solution to many challenges facing the health system especially at the primary care level.

Estimating the Cost of Delivering Tobacco Cessation Intervention Package at Noncommunicable Disease Clinics in Two Districts of North India

INTRODUCTION

Integrated care is likely to improve outcomes in strained healthcare systems while limiting costs. NCD clinics were introduced under the "National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Stroke" (NPCDCS) in India; however, there is limited literature on the costs of delivering tobacco cessation interventions within NPCDCS. One of the study's objectives was to estimate the cost of delivering a culturally specific patient-centric behavioral intervention package in two district-level NCD clinics in Punjab, India.

METHODS

Costing was undertaken using the health systems perspective. A top-down or financial costing approach and a bottom-up or activity-based approach were employed at each step of development and implementation. The opportunity cost was used to include the cost of human resources, infrastructure, and capital resources used. All infrastructure and capital costs were annualized using a 3% annual discount rate. Four additional scenarios were built up concerning three major components to reduce costs further when rolled out on a large scale.

RESULTS

The cost of intervention package development, human resource training, and unit cost of implementation were estimated to be INR 6,47,827 (USD 8,874); INR 134,002 (USD 1810); and INR 272 (USD 3.67), respectively. Based on our sensitivity analysis results, the service delivery cost varied from INR 184 (USD 2.48) to INR 326 (USD 4.40) per patient.

CONCLUSION

The development costs of the intervention package accounted for the majority proportion of the total cost. Of the total unit cost of implementation, the telephonic follow-up, human resources, and capital resources were the major contributory components.

IMPLICATIONS

The current study aims to fill gaps by estimating the unit-level health systems cost of a culturally sensitive, disease-specific, and patient-centric tobacco cessation intervention package delivered at the outpatient settings of NCD clinics at the secondary level hospital, which represents a major link in the health care system of India. Findings from this study could be used to provide supportive evidence to policymakers and program managers for rolling out such interventions in established NCD clinics through the NPCDCS program of the Indian Government.

Public health benefits of shifting from hospital-focused to ambulatory TB care in Eastern Europe: Optimising TB investments in Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, and Romania

High rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continue to threaten public health, especially in Eastern Europe. Costs for treating DR-TB are substantially higher than treating drug-susceptible TB, and higher yet if DR-TB services are delivered in hospital. The WHO recommends that multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB be treated using mainly ambulatory care, shown to have non-inferior health outcomes, however, there has been a delay to transition away from hospital-focused MDR-TB care in certain Eastern European countries. Allocative efficiency analyses were conducted for three countries in Eastern Europe, Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, and Romania, to minimise a combination of TB incidence, prevalence, and mortality by 2035. A primary focus of these studies was to determine the health benefits and financial savings that could be realised if DR-TB service delivery shifted from hospital-focused to ambulatory care. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of findings from these studies to demonstrate the collective benefit of transitioning from hospital-focused to ambulatory TB care, and to address common regional considerations. We highlight that transitioning from hospital-focused to ambulatory TB care could reduce treatment costs by 20% in Romania, 24% in Moldova, and by as much as 40% in Belarus or almost 35 million US dollars across these three countries by 2035 without affecting quality of care. Improved TB outcomes could be achieved, however, without additional spending by reinvesting these savings in higher-impact TB diagnosis and more efficacious DR-TB treatment regimens. We found commonalities in the large portion of TB cases treated in hospital across these three regional countries, and similar obstacles to transitioning to ambulatory care. National governments in the Eastern European region should examine barriers delaying adoption of ambulatory DR-TB care and consider lost opportunities caused by delays in switching to more efficient treatment modes.

Antiretrovirals Promote Metabolic Syndrome through Mitochondrial Stress and Dysfunction: An In Vitro Study

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome MetS in HIV-infected patients on chronic antiretroviral (ARV) therapy continues to rise rapidly, with an estimated 21% experiencing insulin resistance. The progression of insulin resistance is strongly related to mitochondrial stress and dysfunction. This study aimed to draw links between the singular and combinational use of Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), Lamivudine (3TC), and Dolutegravir (DTG) on mitochondrial stress and dysfunction as an underlying mechanism for insulin resistance following a 120 h treatment period using an in vitro system of human liver cells (HepG2). The relative protein expressions of pNrf2, SOD2, CAT, PINK1, p62, SIRT3, and UCP2, were determined using Western blot. Transcript levels of PINK1 and p62 were assessed using quantitative PCR (qPCR). ATP concentrations were quantified using luminometry, and oxidative damage (malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration) was measured using spectrophotometry. The findings suggest that despite the activation of antioxidant responses (pNrf2, SOD2, CAT) and mitochondrial maintenance systems (PINK1 and p62) in selected singular and combinational treatments with ARVs, oxidative damage and reduced ATP production persisted. This was attributed to a significant suppression in mitochondrial stress responses SIRT3 and UCP2 for all treatments. Notable results were observed for combinational treatments with significant increases in pNrf2 (p = 0.0090), SOD2 (p = 0.0005), CAT (p = 0.0002), PINK1 (p = 0.0064), and p62 (p = 0.0228); followed by significant decreases in SIRT3 (p = 0.0003) and UCP2 (p = 0.0119) protein expression. Overall there were elevated levels of MDA (p = 0.0066) and decreased ATP production (p = 0.0017). In conclusion, ARVs induce mitochondrial stress and dysfunction, which may be closely associated with the progression of insulin resistance.

Antiretrovirals Promote Insulin Resistance in HepG2 Liver Cells through miRNA Regulation and Transcriptional Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a non-communicable disease characterized by a cluster of metabolic irregularities. Alarmingly, the prevalence of MetS in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and antiretroviral (ARV) usage is increasing rapidly. Insulin resistance is a common characteristic of MetS that leads to the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The progression of insulin resistance is strongly linked to inflammasome activation. This study aimed to draw links between the combinational use of Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), Lamivudine (3TC), and Dolutegravir (DTG), and inflammasome activation and subsequent promotion of insulin resistance following a 120 h treatment period in HepG2 liver in vitro cell model. Furthermore, we assess microRNA (miR-128a) expression as a negative regulator of the IRS1/AKT signaling pathway. The relative expression of phosphorylated IRS1 was determined by Western blot. Transcript levels of NLRP3, IL-1β, JNK, IRS1, AKT, PI3K, and miR-128a were assessed using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Caspase-1 activity was measured using luminometry. Following exposure to ARVs for 120 h, NLRP3 mRNA expression (p = 0.0500) and caspase-1 activity (p < 0.0001) significantly increased. This was followed by a significant elevation in IL-1β in mRNA expression (p = 0.0015). Additionally, JNK expression (p = 0.0093) was upregulated with coinciding increases in p-IRS1 protein expression (p < 0.0001) and decreased IRS1 mRNA expression (p = 0.0004). Consequently, decreased AKT (p = 0.0005) and PI3K expressions (p = 0.0007) were observed. Interestingly miR-128a expression was significantly upregulated. The results indicate that combinational use of ARVs upregulates inflammasome activation and promotes insulin resistance through dysregulation of the IRS1/PI3K/AKT insulin signaling pathway.

Efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway of Care in Five European HIV Centres

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to calculate the efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway of Care in five European HIV clinics, developed and implemented for medically stable people living with HIV.

METHODS

Participants were followed up for 1 year before and after implementation of EmERGE, between April 2016 and October 2019. Micro-costing studies were performed in the outpatient services of the clinics. Unit costs for outpatient services were calculated in national currencies and converted to US$ 2018 OECD purchasing parity prices to enable between clinic comparisons in terms of outcomes and costs. Unit costs were linked to the mean use of services for medically stable people living with HIV,  before and after implementation of EmERGE. Primary outcome measures were CD4 count and viral load; secondary outcomes were patient activation (PAM13) and quality of life (PROQOL-HIV). Out-of-pocket expenditure data were collected.

RESULTS

There were 2251 participants: 87-93% were male, mean age at entry was 41-47 years. Medically stable people living with HIV had outpatient visits in four sites which decreased by 9-31% and costs by 5-33%; visits and costs increased by 8% in one site, which had to revert back to face-to-face visits. Antiretroviral drugs comprised 83-91% of annual costs: the Portuguese site had the highest antiretroviral drug costs in US$ purchasing parity prices. Primary and secondary outcome measures of participants did not change during the study.

CONCLUSIONS

EmERGE is acceptable and provided cost savings in different socio-economic settings. Antiretroviral drug costs remain the main cost drivers in medically stable people living with HIV. While antiretroviral drug prices in local currencies did not differ that much between countries, conversion to US$ purchasing parity prices revealed antiretroviral drugs were more expensive in the least wealthy countries. This needs to be taken into consideration when countries negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical vendors. Greater efficiencies can be anticipated by extending the use of the EmERGE Pathway to people with complex HIV infection or other chronic diseases. Extending such use should be systematically monitored, implementation should be evaluated and funding should be provided to monitor and evaluate future changes in service provision.

Integrating hypertension and HIV care in Namibia: A quality improvement collaborative approach

Background

Hypertension (HTN) is highly prevalent among people with HIV (PWH) in Namibia, but screening and treatment for HTN are not routinely offered as part of HIV care delivery. We report the implementation of a quality improvement collaborative (QIC) to accelerate integration of HTN and HIV care within public-sector health facilities in Namibia.

Methods

Twenty-four facilities participated in the QIC with the aim of increasing HTN screening and treatment among adult PWH (>15 years). HTN was defined according to national treatment guidelines (i.e., systolic blood pressure >140 and/or diastolic blood pressure >90 across three measurements and at least two occasions), and decisions regarding initiation of treatment were made by physicians only. Teams from participating hospitals used quality improvement methods, monthly measurement of performance indicators, and small-scale tests of change to implement contextually tailored interventions. Coaching of sites was performed on a monthly basis by clinical officers with expertise in QI and HIV, and sites were convened as part of learning sessions to facilitate diffusion of effective interventions.

Results

Between March 2017 and March 2018, hypertension screening occurred as part of 183,043 (86%) clinical encounters at participating facilities. Among 1,759 PWH newly diagnosed with HTN, 992 (56%) were initiated on first-line treatment. Rates of treatment initiation were higher in facilities with an on-site physician (61%) compared to those without one (51%). During the QIC, facility teams identified fourteen interventions to improve HTN screening and treatment. Among barriers to implementation, teams pointed to malfunctions of blood pressure machines and stock outs of antihypertensive medications as common challenges.

Conclusions

Implementation of a QIC provided a structured approach for integrating HTN and HIV services across 24 high-volume facilities in Namibia. As rates of HTN treatment remained low despite ongoing facility-level changes, policy-level interventions—such as task sharing and supply chain strengthening—should be pursued to further improve delivery of HTN care among PWH beyond initial screening.

Efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway to provide continuity of care for Spanish people living with medically stable HIV

OBJECTIVE

Calculate the efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway of Care for medically stable people living with HIV at the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.

METHODS

546 study participants were followed between 1st July 2016 and 30th October 2019 across three HIV outpatient clinics, but the virtual clinic was closed during the second year. Unit costs were calculated, linked to mean use outpatient services per patient year, one-year before and after the implementation of EmERGE. Costs were combined with primary and secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Annual costs across HIV-outpatient services increased by 8%: €1073 (95%CI €999-€1157) to €1158 (95%CI €1084-€1238). Annual cost of ARVs was €7,557; total annual costs increased by 1% from €8430 (95%CI €8356-8514) to €8515 (95%CI €8441-8595). Annual cost for 433 participants managed in face-to-face (F2F) clinics decreased by 5% from €958 (95%CI 905-1018) to €904 (95%CI 863-945); participants transferred from virtual to F2F outpatient clinics (V2F) increased their annual cost by a factor of 2.2, from €115 (95%CI 94-139) to €251 (95%CI 219-290). No substantive changes were observed in primary and secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

EmERGE Pathway is an efficient and acceptable intervention. Increases in costs were caused by internal structural changes. The cost reduction observed in F2F clinics were off-set by the transfer of participants from the virtual to the F2F clinics due to the closure of the virtual clinic during the second year of the Study. Greater efficiencies are likely to be achieved by extending the use of the Pathway to other PLHIV.

The efficiency of the EmERGE pathway of care for people living with HIV in England

This study estimated the efficiency of implementing the EmERGE Pathway of Care for people living with medically stable HIV in Brighton, UK; an App enables individuals to communicate with caregivers via their smart-phone. Individual data on the use of HIV outpatient services were collected one-year pre- and post-implementation of EmERGE. Unit costs of HIV outpatient services were calculated and linked with mean use of services per patient year. Primary outcomes were CD4 count and viral load; patient activation and quality-of-life measures were secondary outcomes. 565 participants were followed up April 2017 - October 2018: 93% men, mean age at recruitment 47.0 years (95%CI:46.2-47.8). Outpatient visits decreased by 9% from 5.6 (95%CI:5.4-5.8) to 5.1 (95%CI:4.9-5.3). Face-to-face visits decreased and virtual visits increased. Annual costs decreased by 9% from £751 (95%CI: £722-£780) to £678 (95%CI: £653-£705). Including anti-retroviral drugs, total annual cost decreased from £7,343 (95%CI: £7,314-7,372) to £7,270 (95%CI: £7,245-7,297): ARVs costs comprised 90%. EmERGE was a cost-saving intervention, patients remained engaged and clinically stable. Annual costs were reduced, but ARVs continue to dominate costs. Extension of EmERGE to other people with chronic conditions, could produce greater efficiencies but these needs to be evaluated and monitored over time.

Tobacco Use among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Women and Men in Zambia-Demographic and Health Survey, 2018

Country-specific estimates of tobacco use among people living with HIV (PLWH) are lacking for much of sub-Saharan Africa. We aim to evaluate the association between the HIV status and tobacco product use status, frequency, and intensity, using nationally representative data from Zambia. We analyzed data from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey conducted in Zambia among women aged 15–49 years and men aged 15–59 years. We performed logistic regression to assess the associations of HIV status, selected sociodemographic, and other characteristics with indicators of tobacco use (i.e., status, frequency, and intensity). Among women, 14.3% tested positive for HIV and 2.7% reported current smoking or tobacco use; women living with HIV were more likely to report currently smoking or using tobacco than women living without HIV (4.4% vs. 2.4%; aPR: 1.46). Among men, 8.4% tested positive for HIV and 19.5% reported current smoking; men living with HIV were more likely than men living without HIV to report current smoking (27.8% vs. 18.7%; aPR: 1.22). Several sociodemographic characteristics were associated with tobacco use, including age, residence (urban/rural), education level, employment status, and wealth index. The frequency and intensity of smoking among men who currently smoked did not differ by HIV status. Tobacco use was more likely in PLWH than those without HIV in Zambia. Our findings highlight the need to encourage and support tobacco cessation among PLWH, possibly by offering cessation services at existing intersections with health care or integrating cessation support into mHealth and other alternative models of care.

Integrated healthcare services for HIV, diabetes mellitus and hypertension in selected health facilities in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Uganda: A qualitative methods study

Health policies in Africa are shifting towards integrated care services for chronic conditions, but in parts of Africa robust evidence on effectiveness is limited. We assessed the integration of vertical health services for HIV, diabetes and hypertension provided in a feasibility study within five health facilities in Uganda. From November 2018 to January 2020, we conducted a series of three in-depth interviews with 31, 29 and 24 service users attending the integrated clinics within Kampala and Wakiso districts. Ten healthcare workers were interviewed twice during the same period. Interviews were conducted in Luganda, translated into English, and analysed thematically using the concepts of availability, affordability and acceptability. All participants reported shortages of diabetes and hypertension drugs and diagnostic equipment prior to the establishment of the integrated clinics. These shortages were mostly addressed in the integrated clinics through a drugs buffer. Integration did not affect the already good provision of anti-retroviral therapy. The cost of transport reduced because of fewer clinic visits after integration. Healthcare workers reported that the main cause of non-adherence among users with diabetes and hypertension was poverty. Participants with diabetes and hypertension reported they could not afford private clinical investigations or purchase drugs prior to the establishment of the integrated clinics. The strengthening of drug supply for non-communicable conditions in the integrated clinics was welcomed. Most participants observed that the integrated clinic reduced feelings of stigma for those living with HIV. Sharing the clinic afforded privacy about an individual's condition, and users were comfortable with the waiting room sitting arrangement. We found that integrating non-communicable disease and HIV care had benefits for all users. Integrated care could be an effective model of care if service users have access to a reliable supply of basic medicines for both HIV and non-communicable disease conditions.

High Rates of Uncontrolled Blood Pressure in Malawian Adults Living with HIV and Hypertension

Background

Hypertension is among the most commonly diagnosed non-communicable diseases in Africa, and studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of hypertension among individuals with HIV. Despite high prevalence, there has been limited attention on the clinical outcomes of hypertension treatment in this population.

Objective

We sought to characterize rates of and factors associated with blood pressure control over one year among individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and antihypertensive medications.

Methods

We performed a prospective observational cohort study at an HIV clinic in Malawi. We defined uncontrolled hypertension as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg at two or more follow-up visits during the year, while controlled hypertension was defined as <140 mm Hg systolic and <90 mm Hg diastolic at all visits, or at all but one visit. We calculated an antihypertensive non-adherence score based on self-report of missed doses at each visit (higher score = worse adherence) and used rank sum and chi-square tests to compare sociodemographic and clinical factors (including adherence) associated with blood pressure control over the year.

Results

At study entry, 158 participants (23.5%) were on antihypertensive medication; participants had a median age of 51.0 years, were 66.5% female, and had a median of 6.9 years on ART. 19.0% (n = 30) achieved blood pressure control over the year of follow-up. Self-reported non-adherence to hypertension medications was the only factor significantly associated with uncontrolled blood pressure. The average non-adherence score for those with controlled blood pressure was 0.22, and for those with uncontrolled blood pressure was 0.61 (p = 0.009).

Conclusions

Adults living with HIV and hypertension in our cohort had low rates of blood pressure control over one year associated with self-reported non-adherence to antihypertensive medications. Given the high prevalence and incidence of hypertension, interventions to improve blood pressure control are needed to prevent associated long-term cardio- and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality.

A Critical Review of the Biochemical Mechanisms and Epigenetic Modifications in HIV- and Antiretroviral-Induced Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a non-communicable disease characterised by a cluster of metabolic irregularities. Alarmingly, the prevalence of MetS in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and antiretroviral (ARV) usage is increasing rapidly. This study aimed to look at biochemical mechanisms and epigenetic modifications associated with HIV, ARVs, and MetS. More specifically, emphasis was placed on mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, inflammation, lipodystrophy, and dyslipidaemia. We found that mitochondrial dysfunction was the most common mechanism that induced metabolic complications. Our findings suggest that protease inhibitors (PIs) are more commonly implicated in MetS-related effects than other classes of ARVs. Furthermore, we highlight epigenetic studies linking HIV and ARV usage to MetS and stress the need for more studies, as the current literature remains limited despite the advancement in and popularity of epigenetics.

Integrating HIV services and other health services: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Integration of HIV services with other health services has been proposed as an important strategy to boost the sustainability of the global HIV response. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive synthesis of the existing scientific evidence on the impact of service integration on the HIV care cascade, health outcomes, and cost-effectiveness.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We reviewed the global quantitative empirical evidence on integration published between 1 January 2010 and 10 September 2021. We included experimental and observational studies that featured both an integration intervention and a comparator in our review. Of the 7,118 unique peer-reviewed English-language studies that our search algorithm identified, 114 met all of our selection criteria for data extraction. Most of the studies (90) were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in East Africa (55) and Southern Africa (24). The most common forms of integration were (i) HIV testing and counselling added to non-HIV services and (ii) non-HIV services added to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The most commonly integrated non-HIV services were maternal and child healthcare, tuberculosis testing and treatment, primary healthcare, family planning, and sexual and reproductive health services. Values for HIV care cascade outcomes tended to be better in integrated services: uptake of HIV testing and counselling (pooled risk ratio [RR] across 37 studies: 1.67 [95% CI 1.41-1.99], p < 0.001), ART initiation coverage (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.42 [95% CI 1.16-1.75], p = 0.002), time until ART initiation (pooled RR across 5 studies: 0.45 [95% CI 0.20-1.00], p = 0.050), retention in HIV care (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.68 [95% CI 1.05-2.69], p = 0.031), and viral suppression (pooled RR across 9 studies: 1.19 [95% CI 1.03-1.37], p = 0.025). Also, treatment success for non-HIV-related diseases and conditions and the uptake of non-HIV services were commonly higher in integrated services. We did not find any significant differences for the following outcomes in our meta-analyses: HIV testing yield, ART adherence, HIV-free survival among infants, and HIV and non-HIV mortality. We could not conduct meta-analyses for several outcomes (HIV infections averted, costs, and cost-effectiveness), because our systematic review did not identify sufficient poolable studies. Study limitations included possible publication bias of studies with significant or favourable findings and comparatively weak evidence from some world regions and on integration of services for key populations in the HIV response.

CONCLUSIONS

Integration of HIV services and other health services tends to improve health and health systems outcomes. Despite some scientific limitations, the global evidence shows that service integration can be a valuable strategy to boost the sustainability of the HIV response and contribute to the goal of 'ending AIDS by 2030', while simultaneously supporting progress towards universal health coverage.

Leveraging HIV Care Infrastructures for Integrated Chronic Disease and Pandemic Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

In Sub-Saharan Africa, communicable and other tropical infectious diseases remain major challenges apart from the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Recognition and prevalence of non-communicable diseases have risen throughout Africa, and the reimagining of healthcare delivery is needed to support communities coping with not only with HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID-19, but also cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Many non-communicable diseases can be prevented or treated with low-cost interventions, yet implementation of such care has been limited in the region. In this Perspective piece, we argue that deployment of an integrated service delivery model is an urgent next step, propose a South African model for integration, and conclude with recommendations for next steps in research and implementation. An approach that is inspired by South African experience would build on existing HIV-focused infrastructure that has been developed by Ministries of Health with strong support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Response for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. An integrated chronic healthcare model holds promise to sustainably deliver infectious disease and non-communicable disease care. Integrated care will be especially critical as health systems seek to cope with the unprecedented challenges associated with COVID-19 and future pandemic threats.

Efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway to provide continuity of care for Spanish people living with medically stable HIV

OBJECTIVE

Calculate the efficiency of the EmERGE Pathway of Care for medically stable people living with HIV at the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.

METHODS

546 study participants were followed between 1st July 2016 and 30th October 2019 across three HIV outpatient clinics, but the virtual clinic was closed during the second year. Unit costs were calculated, linked to mean use outpatient services per patient year, one-year before and after the implementation of EmERGE. Costs were combined with primary and secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Annual costs across HIV-outpatient services increased by 8%: €1073 (95%CI €999-€1157) to €1158 (95%CI €1084-€1238). Annual cost of ARVs was €7,557; total annual costs increased by 1% from €8430 (95%CI €8356-8514) to €8515 (95%CI €8441-8595). Annual cost for 433 participants managed in face-to-face (F2F) clinics decreased by 5% from €958 (95%CI 905-1018) to €904 (95%CI 863-945); participants transferred from virtual to F2F outpatient clinics (V2F) increased their annual cost by a factor of 2.2, from €115 (95%CI 94-139) to €251 (95%CI 219-290). No substantive changes were observed in primary and secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

EmERGE Pathway is an efficient and acceptable intervention. Increases in costs were caused by internal structural changes. The cost reduction observed in F2F clinics were off-set by the transfer of participants from the virtual to the F2F clinics due to the closure of the virtual clinic during the second year of the Study. Greater efficiencies are likely to be achieved by extending the use of the Pathway to other PLHIV.

Universal HIV Testing and Treatment (UTT) Integrated with Chronic Disease Screening and Treatment: the SEARCH study

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The growing burden of untreated chronic disease among persons with HIV (PWH) threatens to reverse heath gains from ART expansion. Universal test and treat (UTT)'s population-based approach provides opportunity to jointly identify and treat HIV and other chronic diseases. This review's purpose is to describe SEARCH UTT study's integrated disease strategy and related approaches in Sub-Saharan Africa.

RECENT FINDINGS

In SEARCH, 97% of adults were HIV tested, 85% were screened for hypertension, and 79% for diabetes at health fairs after 2 years, for an additional $1.16/person. After 3 years, population-level hypertension control was 26% higher in intervention versus control communities. Other mobile/home-based multi-disease screening approaches have proven successful, but data on multi-disease care delivery are extremely limited and show little effect on clinical outcomes. Integration of chronic disease into HIV in the UTT era is feasible and can achieve population level effects; however, optimization and implementation remain a huge unmet need.

Expanding access to non-communicable disease care in rural Malawi: outcomes from a retrospective cohort in an integrated NCD-HIV model

OBJECTIVES

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for one-third of disability-adjusted life years in Malawi, and access to care is exceptionally limited. Integrated services with HIV are widely recommended, but few examples exist globally. We report descriptive outcomes from an Integrated Chronic Care Clinic (IC3).

DESIGN

This is a retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

The study includes an HIV-NCD clinic across 14 primary care facilities in the rural district of Neno, Malawi.

PARTICIPANTS

All new patients, including 6233 HIV-NCD diagnoses, enrolled between January 2015 and December 2017 were included. This included 3334 patients with HIV (59.7% women) and 2990 patients with NCD (67.3% women), 10% overall under age 15 years.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were seen at their nearest health centre, with a hospital team visiting routinely to reinforce staffing. Data were collected on paper forms and entered into an electronic medical record.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Routine clinical measurements are reported at 1-year post-enrolment for patients with more than one visit. One-year retention is reported by diagnosis.

RESULTS

NCD diagnoses were 1693 hypertension, 668 asthma, 486 epilepsy, 149 diabetes and 109 severe mental illness. By December 2018, 8.3% of patients with NCD over 15 years were also on HIV treatment. One-year retention was 85% for HIV and 72% for NCDs, with default in 8.4% and 25.5% and deaths in 4.0% and 1.4%, respectively. Clinical outcomes showed statistically significant improvement for hypertension, diabetes, asthma and epilepsy. Of the 1807 (80%) of patients with HIV with viral load results, 85% had undetectable viral load.

CONCLUSIONS

The IC3 model, built on an HIV platform, facilitated rapid decentralisation and access to NCD services in rural Malawi. Clinical outcomes and retention in care are favourable, suggesting that integration of chronic disease care at the primary care level poses a way forward for the large dual burden of HIV and chronic NCDs.

Nutritional status and the associated factors among people living with HIV: an evidence from cross-sectional survey in hospital based antiretroviral therapy site in Kathmandu, Nepal

BACKGROUND

Nutritional status is the key concern among the people living with HIV but this issue has been failed to be prioritized in HIV strategic plan of Nepal. This study aims to assess the nutritional status among people living with HIV and determine their associated factors.

METHODS

A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted where 350 people living with HIV attending the ART clinic were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Nutritional status among people living with HIV was assessed through anthropometry, body mass index; Underweight (body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2) and overweight/obesity (body mass index > 23 kg/m2). HIV related clinical factors such CD4 count, WHO stage, opportunistic infection, antiretroviral therapy regimen etc. were collected from the medical records. Socio-demographic data were collected using pretested structured questionnaire through interview technique. Multiple linear regression method was employed to determine the association between different independent factors and body mass index score.

RESULTS

The prevalence of underweight was found to be 18.3% (95% CI: 14.3-22.6). Most of the study participants were overweight/obese (39.1%). After subjection to multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that age, being male, being married, being in business occupation, smoking, hemoglobin level and antiretroviral therapy duration were significantly associated with body mass index score. Majority of the participants in our study lacked diversified food (62.3%).

CONCLUSION

Overweight/obesity is an emerging problem among people living with HIV. This group of participants should be screened for the presence of non-communicable disease. This study also highlights the importance of nutritional program being an integral part of HIV/AIDS continuum of care. Therefore, an effort should be made to address the burden of malnutrition by addressing the identified determinants.

Integrated care experiences and out-of-pocket expenditures: a cross-sectional survey of adults receiving treatment for HIV and hypertension in Malawi

OBJECTIVES

As HIV-positive individuals' life expectancy extends, there is an urgent need to manage other chronic conditions during HIV care. We assessed the care-seeking experiences and costs of adults receiving treatment for both HIV and hypertension in Malawi.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with HIV-positive adults with hypertension at a health facility in Lilongwe that offers free HIV care and free hypertension screening, with antihypertensives available for purchase (n=199). Questions included locations and costs of all medication refills and preferences for these refill locations. Respondents were classified as using 'integrated care' if they refilled HIV and antihypertensive medications simultaneously. Data were collected between June and December 2017.

RESULTS

Only half of respondents reported using the integrated care offered at the study site. Among individuals using different locations for antihypertensive medication refills, the most frequent locations were drug stores and public sector health facilities which were commonly selected due to greater convenience and lower medication costs. Although the number of antihypertensive medications was equivalent between the integrated and non-integrated care groups, the annual total cost of care differed substantially (approximately US$21 in integrated care vs US$90 for non-integrated care)-mainly attributable to differences in other visit costs for non-integrated care (transportation, lost wages, childcare). One-third of those in the non-integrated care group reported no expenditure for antihypertensive medication, and six people in each group reported no annual hypertension care-seeking costs at all.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals using integrated care saw efficiencies because, although they were more likely to pay for antihypertensive medications, they did not incur additional costs. These results suggest that preferences and experiences must be better understood to design effective policies and programmes for integrated care among adults on antiretroviral therapy.

Estimating the costs of HIV clinic integrated versus non-integrated treatment of pre-cancerous cervical lesions and costs of cervical cancer treatment in Kenya

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the modified societal costs of cervical cancer treatment in Kenya; and to compare the modified societal costs of treatment for pre-cancerous cervical lesions integrated into same-day HIV care compared to "non-integrated" treatment when the services are not coordinated on the same day.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A micro-costing study was conducted at Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases and Kenyatta National Hospital from July 1-October 31, 2014. Interviews were conducted with 54 patients and 23 staff. Direct medical, non-medical (e.g., overhead), and indirect (e.g., time) costs were calculated for colposcopy, cryotherapy, Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP), and treatment of cancer. All costs are reported in 2017 US dollars.

RESULTS

Patients had a mean age of 41 and daily earnings of $6; travel time to the facility averaged 2.8 hours. From the modified societal perspective, per-procedure costs of colposcopy were $41 (integrated) vs. $91 (non-integrated). Per-procedure costs of cryotherapy were $22 (integrated) vs. $46 (non-integrated), whereas costs of LEEP were $50 (integrated) and $99 (non-integrated). This represents cost savings of $25 for cryotherapy and $50 for colposcopy and LEEP when provided on the same day as an HIV-care visit. Treatment for cervical cancer cost $1,345-$6,514, depending on stage. Facility-based palliative care cost $59/day.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating treatment of pre-cancerous lesions into HIV care is estimated to be cost-saving from a modified societal perspective. These costs can be applied to financial and economic evaluations in Kenya and similar urban settings in other low-income countries.

Early experiences integrating hypertension and diabetes screening and treatment in a human immunodeficiency virus clinic in Malawi

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) programmes can be leveraged to manage the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Methods

In October 2015, a model of integrated HIV-NCD care was developed at a large HIV clinic in southeast Malawi. Blood pressure was measured in adults at every visit and random blood glucose was determined every 2 y. Uncomplicated antiretroviral therapy (ART)-only care was provided by nurses, integrated HIV-NCD management was provided by clinical officers. Waiting times were assessed using the electronic medical record system. The team met monthly to identify bottlenecks.

Results

All (n=6036) adult HIV patients were screened and 765 were diagnosed with hypertension (prevalence 12.7% [95% confidence interval {CI} 11.9-13.5). A total of 2979 adult HIV patients were screened and 25 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (prevalence 0.8% [95% CI 0.6-1.2]). The mean duration of ART visits by clinical officers increased from 80.5 to 90 min during the first quarter following HIV-NCD integration but returned to 75 min the following quarter. The mean number of patients seen per day by clinical officers increased from 6 to 11 and for nurses decreased from 92 to 82 in that time period. The robust vertical HIV system made the design of integrated tools demanding. Challenges of integrated HIV-NCD care were related to patient flow, waiting times, NCD drug availability, data collection, clinic workload and the timing of diabetes and hypertension screening.

Conclusions

Integrated HIV-NCD services provision was feasible in our clinic.

Noncommunicable disease burden among HIV patients in care: a national retrospective longitudinal analysis of HIV-treatment outcomes in Kenya, 2003-2013

BACKGROUND

Over the last decade, the Kenyan HIV treatment program has grown exponentially, with improved survival among people living with HIV (PLHIV). In the same period, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become a leading contributor to disease burden. We sought to characterize the burden of four major NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus) among adult PLHIV in Kenya.

METHODS

We conducted a nationally representative retrospective medical chart review of HIV-infected adults aged ≥15 years enrolled in HIV care in Kenya from October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2013. We estimated proportions of four NCD categories among PLHIV at enrollment into HIV care, and during subsequent HIV care visits. We compared proportions and assessed distributions of co-morbidities using the Chi-Square test. We calculated NCD incidence rates and their confidence intervals in assessing cofactors for developing NCDs.

RESULTS

We analyzed 3170 records of HIV-infected patients; 2115 (66.3%) were from women. Slightly over half (51.1%) of patient records were from PLHIVs aged above 35 years. Close to two-thirds (63.9%) of PLHIVs were on ART. Proportion of any documented NCD among PLHIV was 11.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.3, 14.1), with elevated blood pressure as the most common NCD 343 (87.5%) among PLHIV with a diagnosed NCD. Despite this observation, only 17 (4.9%) patients had a corresponding documented diagnosis of hypertension in their medical record. Overall NCD incidence rates for men and women were (42.3 per 1000 person years [95% CI 35.8, 50.1] and 31.6 [95% CI 27.7, 36.1], respectively. Compared to women, the incidence rate ratio for men developing an NCD was 1.3 [95% CI 1.1, 1.7], p = 0.0082). No differences in NCD incidence rates were seen by marital or employment status. At one year of follow up 43.8% of PLHIV not on ART had been diagnosed with an NCD compared to 3.7% of patients on ART; at five years the proportions with a diagnosed NCD were 88.8 and 39.2% (p < 0.001), respectively.  CONCLUSIONS: PLHIV in Kenya have a high prevalence of NCD diagnoses. In the absence of systematic, effective screening, NCD burden is likely underestimated in this population. Systematic screening and treatment for NCDs using standard guidelines should be integrated into HIV care and treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Integrated HIV-Care Into Primary Health Care Clinics and the Influence on Diabetes and Hypertension Care: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis in Free State, South Africa Over 4 Years

BACKGROUND

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), specifically diabetes and hypertension, are rising in high HIV-burdened countries such as South Africa. How integrated HIV care into primary health care (PHC) influences NCD care is unknown. We aimed to understand whether differences existed in NCD care (pre- versus post-integration) and how changes may relate to HIV patient numbers.

SETTING

Public sector PHC clinics in Free State, South Africa.

METHODS

Using a quasiexperimental design, we analyzed monthly administrative data on 4 indicators for diabetes and hypertension (clinic and population levels) during 4 years as HIV integration was implemented in PHC. Data represented 131 PHC clinics with a catchment population of 1.5 million. We used interrupted time series analysis at ±18 and ±30 months from HIV integration in each clinic to identify changes in trends postintegration compared with those in preintegration. We used linear mixed-effect models to study relationships between HIV and NCD indicators.

RESULTS

Patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in the 131 PHC clinics studied increased from 1614 (April 2009) to 57, 958 (April 2013). Trends in new diabetes patients on treatment remained unchanged. However, population-level new hypertensives on treatment decreased at ±30 months from integration by 6/100, 000 (SE = 3, P < 0.02) and was associated with the number of new patients with HIV on treatment at the clinics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that during the implementation of integrated HIV care into PHC clinics, care for hypertensive patients could be compromised. Further research is needed to understand determinants of NCD care in South Africa and other high HIV-burdened settings to ensure patient-centered PHC.

Engagement in HIV Care and Access to Cancer Treatment Among Patients With HIV-Associated Malignancies in Uganda

PURPOSE

Health system constraints limit access to HIV and cancer treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Limited access and continuity of care affect morbidity and mortality of patients with cancer and HIV. We assessed barriers in the care cascade of comorbid HIV and cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Structured interviews were conducted with 100 adult patients with HIV infection and new diagnoses of cancer at the Uganda Cancer Institute. Participants completed follow-up questionnaires after 1 year to assess ongoing engagement with and barriers to care.

RESULTS

The median time from new-onset cancer symptoms to initiation of cancer care at the Uganda Cancer Institute was 209 days (interquartile range, 113 to 384 days). Persons previously established in HIV care waited less overall to initiate cancer care ( P = .04). Patients established in HIV care experienced shorter times from initial symptoms to seeking of cancer care ( P = .02) and from seeking of care to cancer diagnosis ( P = .048). Barriers to receiving care for HIV and cancer included difficulty traveling to multiple clinics/hospitals (46%), conflicts between HIV and cancer appointments (23%), prohibitive costs (21%), and difficulty adhering to medications (15%). Reporting of any barriers to care was associated with premature discontinuation of cancer treatment ( P = .003).

CONCLUSION

Patients with HIV-associated malignancies reported multiple barriers to receiving care for both conditions, although knowledge of HIV status and engagement in HIV care before presentation with malignancy reduced subsequent time to the start of cancer treatment. This study provides evidence to support creation and evaluation of integrated HIV and cancer care models.

National scale-up of tuberculosis-human immunodeficiency virus collaborative activities in Myanmar from 2005 to 2016 and tuberculosis treatment outcomes for patients with human immunodeficiency virus-positive tuberculosis in the Mandalay Region in 2015

Background

HIV-associated TB is a serious public health problem in Myanmar. Study objectives were to describe national scale-up of collaborative activities to reduce the double burden of TB and HIV from 2005 to 2016 and to describe TB treatment outcomes of individuals registered with HIV-associated TB in 2015 in the Mandalay Region.

Methods

Secondary analysis of national aggregate data and, for treatment outcomes, a cohort study of patients with HIV-associated TB in the Mandalay Region.

Results

The number of townships implementing collaborative activities increased from 7 to 330 by 2016. The number of registered TB patients increased from 1577 to 139 625 in 2016, with the number of individuals tested for HIV increasing from 432 to 114 180 (82%) in 2016: 10 971 (10%) were diagnosed as HIV positive. Uptake of co-trimoxazole preventive therapy (CPT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) nationally in 2016 was 77% and 52%, respectively. In the Mandalay Region, treatment success was 77% and mortality was 18% in 815 HIV-associated TB patients. Risk factors for unfavourable outcomes and death were older age (≥45 years) and not taking CPT and/or ART.

Conclusion

Myanmar is making good progress with reducing the HIV burden in TB patients, but better implementation is needed to reach 100% HIV testing and 100% CPT and ART uptake in TB-HIV co-infected patients.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among HIV-positive and HIV-negative populations in sub-Saharan Africa-a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is an emerging concern in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, particularly because of an increasingly aging population and lifestyle changes. There is an increased risk of MetS and its components among people living with Human immune deficiency syndrome (HIV) individuals; however, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the SSA population and its differential contribution by HIV status is not yet established. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in people living with HIV and uninfected populations, its variation by sub-components.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive search on major databases-MEDLINE (PubMed), EBSCOhost, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Web of sciences for original epidemiological research articles that compared proportions of the MetS and its subcomponents between people living with HIV and uninfected patients and published between January 1990-December 2017. The inclusion criteria were adults aged ≥ 18 years, with confirmed HIV status. We assessed the risk of bias using a prevalence studies tool, and random effect meta-analyses were used to compute the pooled overall prevalence.

RESULTS

A total of four cross-sectional studies comprising 496 HIV uninfected and 731 infected participants were included in the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of MetS among people living with HIV was 21.5% (95% CI 15.09-26.86) versus uninfected 12.0% (95% CI 5.00-21.00%), with substantial heterogeneity. The reported relative risk estimate for MetS among the two groups was twofold (RR 1.83, 95% CI 0.98-3.41), with an estimated predictive interval of 0.15 to 22.43 and P = 0.055 higher for the infected population. Hypertension was the most prevalent MetS sub-components, with diverse proportions of people living with HIV (5.2-50.0%) and uninfected (10.0-59.0%) populations.

CONCLUSIONS

The high range of MetS prevalence in the HIV-infected population compared to the uninfected population highlights the possible presence of HIV related drivers of MetS. Also, the reported high rate of MetS, irrespective of HIV status, indicates a major metabolic disorder epidemic that requires urgent prevention and management programs in SSA. Similarly, in the era of universal test and treat strategy among people living with HIV cohorts, routine check-up of MetS sub-components is required in HIV management as biomarkers.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42016045727.

Approaches to Improve the Surveillance, Monitoring, and Management of Noncommunicable Diseases in HIV-Infected Persons: Viewpoint

Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are undergoing an epidemiological transition, in which the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is rising and mortality will shift from infectious diseases to NCDs. Specifically, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer are becoming more prevalent. In some regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the dual HIV and NCD epidemics will pose challenges because their joint burden will have adverse effects on the quality of life and will likely increase global inequities. Given the austere clinical infrastructure in many LMICs, innovative models of care delivery are needed to provide comprehensive care in resource-limited settings. Improved data collection and surveillance of NCDs among HIV-infected persons in LMICs are necessary to inform integrated NCD-HIV prevention, care, and treatment models that are effective across a range of geographic settings. These efforts will preserve the considerable investments that have been made to prevent the number of lives lost to HIV, promote healthy aging of persons living with HIV, and contribute to meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Developing and implementing national health identifiers in resource limited countries: why, what, who, when and how?

Many resource-limited countries are scaling up health services and health-information systems (HISs). The HIV Cascade framework aims to link treatment services and programs to improve outcomes and impact. It has been adapted to HIV prevention services, other infectious and non-communicable diseases, and programs for specific populations. Where successful, it links the use of health services by individuals across different disease categories, time and space. This allows for the development of longitudinal health records for individuals and de-identified individual level information is used to monitor and evaluate the use, cost, outcome and impact of health services. Contemporary digital technology enables countries to develop and implement integrated HIS to support person centred services, a major aim of the Sustainable Development Goals. The key to link the diverse sources of information together is a national health identifier (NHID). In a country with robust civil protections, this should be given at birth, be unique to the individual, linked to vital registration services and recorded every time that an individual uses health services anywhere in the country: it is more than just a number as it is part of a wider system. Many countries would benefit from practical guidance on developing and implementing NHIDs. Organizations such as ASTM and ISO, describe the technical requirements for the NHID system, but few countries have received little practical guidance. A WHO/UNAIDS stake-holders workshop was held in Geneva, Switzerland in July 2016, to provide a ‘road map’ for countries and included policy-makers, information and healthcare professionals, and members of civil society. As part of any NHID system, countries need to strengthen and secure the protection of personal health information. While often the technology is available, the solution is not just technical. It requires political will and collaboration among all stakeholders to be successful.

Improving management of tuberculosis in people living with HIV in South Africa through integration of HIV and tuberculosis services: a proof of concept study

BACKGROUND

South Africa's tuberculosis burden is the third highest globally and is closely associated with the country's devastating HIV epidemic. The separation of HIV and TB services in primary healthcare services in South Africa hampers TB case finding in patients who are co-infected with HIV and TB. This operational proof of concept study assessed an approach to improving tuberculosis detection and treatment by integrating tuberculosis management into HIV care.

METHODS

The intervention involved workforce re-engineering accompanied by changes to the physical environment in three primary healthcare facilities in Gert Sibande district, Mpumalanga Province, that allowed HIV providers to test their HIV patients for TB and initiate and monitor TB treatment when indicated. To assess the proof of concept we compared the management of TB patients by HIV and TB providers, by reviewing the records of all facility patients who tested positive for tuberculosis between July 2015 and February 2016. We also considered the perceptions of healthcare providers and facility managers about the intervention through structured interviews.

RESULTS

Approximately 30% of the 1855 patients with presumed TB in the three clinics had been identified by HIV providers. The percentage of patients consecutively tested for TB was 81.0% and 85.0% (p = 0.0551) for HIV and TB providers, respectively. Of the patients identified with TB by HIV and TB providers, 75.4% and 79.2% (p = 0.2876), respectively, were initiated on treatment. The defaulter rate was higher among HIV, compared to TB, providers (12.8% versus 4.2%). Overall, healthcare providers and facility managers had positive views of the intervention but raised concerns regarding potential increase in workload and administrative issues, as well as infection control.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this proof-of-concept study indicate that the full spectrum of TB services can be easily and effectively integrated into existing HIV care programs. However, a possible shift in the service providers' workload, including administrative tasks, must be tackled and effective infection control must be ensured. Further research is needed to assess the impact of TB service integration into the scope of HIV care (or other chronic care programs) on patient outcomes, including analysis of routine data.

Costs and cost-effectiveness of HIV/noncommunicable disease integration in Africa: from theory to practice

: The current article reviews economic aspects of selected HIV/noncommunicable disease (NCD) service delivery integration programs to assess the efficiency of integration in limited capacity settings. We define economies of scope and scale and their relevance to HIV/NCD integration. We summarize the results of a systematic review of cost and cost-effectiveness studies of integrated care, which identified 12 datasets (nine studies) with a wide range of findings driven by differences in research questions, study methods, and health conditions measured. All studies were done in Africa and examined screening interventions only. No studies assessed the cost of integrated, long-term disease management. Few studies estimated the cost-effectiveness of integrated screening programs. The additional cost of integrating NCD screening with HIV care platforms represented a 6-30% increase in the total costs of the programs for noncancer NCDs, with cervical cancer screening costs dependent on screening strategy. We conducted 11 key informant interviews to uncover perceptions of the economics of HIV/NCD integration. None of the informants had hard information about the economic efficiency of integration. Most expected integrated care to be more cost-effective than current practice, though a minority thought that greater specialization could be more cost-effective. In the final section of this article, we summarize research needs and propose a 'minimum economic dataset' for future studies. We conclude that, although integrated HIV/NCD care has many benefits, the economic justification is unproven. Better information on the cost, cost-effectiveness, and fiscal sustainability of integrated programs is needed to justify this approach in limited-resource countries.

Identifying priority technical and context-specific issues in improving the conduct, reporting and use of health economic evaluation in low- and middle-income countries

Background

The use of economic evaluation in healthcare policies and decision-making, which is limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), might be promoted through the improvement of the conduct and reporting of studies. Although the literature indicates that there are many issues affecting the conduct, reporting and use of this evidence, it is unclear which factors should be prioritised in finding solutions. This study aims to identify the top priority issues that impede the conduct, reporting and use of economic evaluation as well as potential solutions as an input for future research topics by the international Decision Support Initiative and other movements.

Methods

A survey on issues regarding the conduct, reporting and use of economic evaluation as well as on potential solutions was conducted using an online questionnaire among researchers who have experience in conducting economic evaluations in LMICs. The respondents were requested to consider the list of issues provided, rank the most important ones and propose solutions. A scoring system was applied to derive the ranking of difficulties according to researchers’ responses. Issues were grouped into technical and context-specific difficulties and analysed separately as a whole and by region.

Results

Researchers considered the lack of quality local clinical data, poor reporting and insufficient data to conduct the analysis from the chosen perspective as the most important technical difficulties. On the other hand, the non-integration of economic evaluations into decision-making was considered the most important context-specific issue. Finally, context-specific issues were considered the larger barrier to the use of economic evaluation.

Conclusion

The technical issues that were considered most important were closely linked with the lack of an appropriately functioning information system as well as the capacity to generate essential contextual information (e.g. data and locally relevant utility values), especially when the methodology is complex. To overcome this, simpler approaches to collect data that yields information of comparable quality to more rigorous methods should be developed. The international community can play a major role through research on methodologies feasible for LMIC settings as well as in building research capacity in countries. Context-specific issues, which were recognised as larger barriers, should be improved in parallel.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12961-018-0280-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Renal outcomes in patients initiated on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based antiretroviral therapy at a community health centre in Malawi

Tenofovir-based antiretroviral therapy (TDF ART) is the first-line regimen for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Africa. However, contemporary data on nephrotoxicity are lacking. We determined the renal outcomes of patients commenced on TDF ART in Malawi. ART-naïve patients initiated on TDF ART at a community health centre between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2015 were included. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, Cockcroft-Gault) was recorded at the initiation of therapy and over 18 months thereafter. The prevalence of renal impairment at ART initiation (eGFR < 60 ml/min) and the incidence of nephrotoxicity (eGFR < 50 ml/min) were determined. A total of 439 patients (median age: 32 years; 317 [72.2%] female) were included. Twenty-one (4.8%) patients had renal impairment at ART initiation; eGFR improved in all during follow-up. Nephrotoxicity occurred in 17 (4.0%) patients with eGFR > 50 ml/min at baseline, predominantly within the first six months of therapy. Increasing age and diastolic hypertension (>100 mmHg) were independent risk factors for nephrotoxicity development. The prevalence of kidney disease at ART initiation was 4.8% and nephrotoxicity occurred in 4.0%. Some eGFR decline may have been due to weight gain. Targeted monitoring of kidney function six months after TDF initiation should be considered in Malawi.

Non-communicable diseases and HIV care and treatment: models of integrated service delivery

OBJECTIVES

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are a growing cause of morbidity in low-income countries including in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Integration of NCD and HIV services can build upon experience with chronic care models from HIV programmes. We describe models of NCD and HIV integration, challenges and lessons learned.

METHODS

A literature review of published articles on integrated NCD and HIV programs in low-income countries and key informant interviews were conducted with leaders of identified integrated NCD and HIV programs. Information was synthesised to identify models of NCD and HIV service delivery integration.

RESULTS

Three models of integration were identified as follows: NCD services integrated into centres originally providing HIV care; HIV care integrated into primary health care (PHC) already offering NCD services; and simultaneous introduction of integrated HIV and NCD services. Major challenges identified included NCD supply chain, human resources, referral systems, patient education, stigma, patient records and monitoring and evaluation. The range of HIV and NCD services varied widely within and across models.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of model of integration, leveraging experience from HIV care models and adapting existing systems and tools is a feasible method to provide efficient care and treatment for the growing numbers of patients with NCDs. Operational research should be conducted to further study how successful models of HIV and NCD integration can be expanded in scope and scaled-up by managers and policymakers seeking to address all the chronic care needs of their patients.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Complementary Strategy for Hypertension Diagnosis and Management in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can assess out-of-clinic blood pressure. ABPM is an underutilized resource in low-income and middle-income countries but should be considered a complementary strategy to clinic blood pressure measurement for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Potential uses for ABPM in low-income and middle-income countries include screening of high-risk individuals who have concurrent communicable diseases, such as HIV, and in task-shifting health care strategies.

Addressing tuberculosis patients' medical and socio-economic needs: a comprehensive programmatic approach

OBJECTIVE

For a cohort of patients with tuberculosis in Carabayllo, Peru, we describe the prevalence of medical comorbidities and socio-economic needs, the efforts required by a comprehensive support programme ('TB Cero') to address them and the success of this programme in linking patients to care.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in Carabayllo underwent evaluations for HIV, diabetes, mental health and unmet basic needs. For patients initiating treatment during 14 September, 2015-15 May, 2016, we abstracted data from evaluation forms and a support request system. We calculated the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the need for socio-economic support at the time of tuberculosis diagnosis, as well as the proportion of patients successfully linked to care or support.

RESULTS

Of 192 patients, 83 (43%) had at least one medical comorbidity other than tuberculosis. These included eight (4%) patients with HIV, 12 (6%) with diabetes and 62 (32%) deemed at risk for a mental health condition. Of patients who required follow-up for a comorbidity, 100% initiated antiretroviral therapy, 71% attended endocrinology consultations and 66% attended psychology consultations. Of 126 (65%) patients who completed the socio-economic evaluation, 58 (46%) reported already receiving food baskets from the municipality, and 79 (63%) were given additional support, most commonly food vouchers and assistance in accessing health care.

CONCLUSION

Carabayllo tuberculosis patients face many challenges in addition to tuberculosis. A collaborative, comprehensive treatment support programme can achieve high rates of linkage to care for these needs.

Noncommunicable Diseases In East Africa: Assessing The Gaps In Care And Identifying Opportunities For Improvement

The prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in East Africa is rising rapidly. Although the epidemiologic, demographic, and nutritional transitions are well under way in low-income countries, investment and attention in these countries remain focused largely on communicable diseases. We discuss existing infrastructure in communicable disease management as well as linkages between noncommunicable and communicable diseases in East Africa. We describe gaps in noncommunicable disease management within the health systems in this region. We also discuss deficiencies in addressing noncommunicable diseases from basic science research and medical training to health services delivery, public health initiatives, and access to essential medications in East Africa. Finally, we highlight the role of collaboration among East African governments and civil society in addressing noncommunicable diseases, and we advocate for a robust primary health care system that focuses on the social determinants of health.

Costs of integrating cervical cancer screening at an HIV clinic in Kenya

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the societal-level costs of integrating cervical cancer screening into HIV clinics in Nairobi, Kenya.

METHODS

A cross-sectional micro-costing study was performed at Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases and Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya, between July 1 and October 31, 2014. To estimate direct medical, non-medical, and indirect costs associated with screening, a time-and-motion study was performed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with women aged at least 18 years attending the clinic for screening during the study period and with clinic staff who had experience relevant to cervical cancer screening.

RESULTS

There were 148 patients and 23 clinic staff who participated in interviews. Visual inspection with acetic acid was associated with the lowest estimated marginal per-screening costs ($3.30), followed by careHPV ($18.28), Papanicolaou ($24.59), and Hybrid Capture 2 screening ($31.15). Laboratory expenses were the main cost drivers for Papanicolaou and Hybrid Capture 2 testing ($11.61 and $16.41, respectively). Overhead and patient transportation affected the costs of all methods. Indirect costs were cheaper for single-visit screening methods ($0.43 per screening) than two-visit screening methods ($2.88 per screening).

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating cervical cancer screening into HIV clinics would be cost-saving from a societal perspective compared with non-integrated screening. These findings could be used in cost-effectiveness analyses to assess incremental costs per clinical outcome in an integrated setting.

Delivery of health care for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases among people living with HIV/AIDS in African countries: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

People living with HIV (PLHIV) in African countries are living longer due to the rollout of antiretroviral drug therapy programs, but they are at increasing risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there remain many gaps in detecting and treating NCDs in African health systems, and little is known about how NCDs are being managed among PLHIV. Developing integrated chronic care models that effectively prevent and treat NCDs among PLHIV requires an understanding of the current patterns of care delivery and the major barriers and facilitators to health care. We present a systematic review protocol to synthesize studies of healthcare delivery for an important subset of NCDs, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CMDs), among African PLHIV.

METHODS/DESIGN

We plan to search electronic databases and reference lists of relevant studies published in African settings from January 2003 to the present. Studies will be considered if they address one or both of our major objectives and focus on health care for one or more of six interrelated CMDs (ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia) in PLHIV. Our first objective will be to estimate proportions of CMD patients along the "cascade of care"-i.e., screened, diagnosed, aware of the diagnosis, initiated on treatment, adherent to treatment, and with controlled disease. Our second objective will be to identify unique barriers and facilitators to health care faced by PLHIV in African countries. For studies deemed eligible for inclusion, we will assess study quality and risk of bias using previously published criteria. We will extract study data using standardized instruments. We will meta-analyze quantitative data at each level of the cascade of care for each CMD (first objective). We will use meta-synthesis techniques to understand and integrate qualitative data on health-related behaviors (second objective).

DISCUSSION

CMDs and other NCDs are becoming major health concerns for African PLHIV. The results of our review will inform the development of research into chronic care models that integrate care for HIV/AIDS and CMDs among PLHIV. Our findings will be highly relevant to health policymakers, administrators, and practitioners in African settings.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42015029375.