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Ntimana CB, Mashaba RG, Seakamela KP, Netshapapame T, Maimela E. Risky sexual behaviors and associated factors among adult patients on antiretroviral treatment at Mankweng Hospital in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1245178. [PMID: 37900040 PMCID: PMC10602805 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1245178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Worldwide, it is estimated that 38 million people are HIV-positive and that over 36 million people have died from the virus. In South Africa, the prevalence of HIV was reported to be 20.6% with Limpopo Province having 17% HIV. Given the high rate of new HIV infection in Limpopo, there is therefore a need to assess factors promoting risky sexual behavior among people living with HIV in order to help design and develop behavioral interventions aimed at reducing risky behaviors among people living with HIV. Methods This was a quantitative cross-sectional prospective study, conducted in Mankweng Hospital. The study consisted of 116 participants of which 40 were males and 76 were females aged 18 years and above. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27. A comparison of proportions was performed using Chi-Square. The association between risky sexual practice and sociodemographic factors was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results The proportion of risky sexual practices in the total population was 48.3%. Participants who were married, those aged 35-44, and those with tertiary qualifications were more likely to engage in risky sexual practices. Multivariate logistic regression showed widowed participants were less likely to practice risky sexual practices. Conclusion The present study reported a high prevalence of risky sexual practices of 48.3%. Risky sexual behavior was determined by age, marital status, and level of education. The proportion of married participants was higher in risky sexual behavior. Based on the findings of the present study, it is recommended that targeted interventions and educational programs should be implemented to reduce risky sexual behavior among married individuals, individuals aged 35-44, and individuals with tertiary qualifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cairo B. Ntimana
- DIMAMO Population Health Research Centre, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
| | - Reneilwe G. Mashaba
- DIMAMO Population Health Research Centre, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
| | - Kagiso P. Seakamela
- DIMAMO Population Health Research Centre, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
| | | | - Eric Maimela
- DIMAMO Population Health Research Centre, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
- Department of Public Health, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
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Matovu JKB, Kisa R, Malek AM, Vrana-Diaz C, Mukama SC, Musoke W, Korte JE, Wanyenze RK. Coping Mechanisms of Previously Diagnosed and New HIV-Discordant, Heterosexual Couples Enrolled in a Pilot HIV Self-Testing Intervention Trial in Central Uganda. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2021; 3:700850. [PMID: 36304056 PMCID: PMC9580743 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2021.700850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Learning that a couple has HIV-discordant results can create tensions in the relationship including separation. We explored the coping mechanisms of HIV-discordant, heterosexual couples enrolled in an HIV self-testing (HIVST) intervention trial in Central Uganda. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was nested within a pilot HIVST intervention trial targeting pregnant women and their male partners in central Uganda. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 individuals from 13 HIV-discordant couples between July and September 2018; 18 months after the end of the main trial. Data were collected on the couples' initial reactions after learning about their HIV-discordant status, mechanisms adopted by couples to cope with HIV-discordance, and suggestions on how couples in similar situations can be supported. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed manually following a thematic framework approach. Findings: Of the 13 HIV-discordant couples, the female partner was HIV-positive (M–F+) in seven, while the male partner was HIV-positive (F–M+) in six. The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 32.6 (±6.4) years and participants had stayed together for an average of 5.5 (±3.6) years. Fourteen participants from nine couples already knew about their HIV-discordant status by the time they participated in the HIVST trial. After learning about their HIV-discordant status, most individuals (15) thought of abandoning their relationship; three (3) thought of committing suicide. To cope with HIV-discordance, some couples reported that they sought professional counselling support from healthcare providers, and this was particularly true for couples that were already aware of their HIV-discordant status by the time they participated in the HIVST trial. However, new couples that learnt about their HIV-discordant status after participating in the trial reported that they sought psycho-social support from friends or relatives. In the majority of cases, couples reported that they reduced the frequency of sex or abstained from sex. Some couples temporarily separated from their partners, while a few others resorted to using condoms to reduce HIV infection risk. Conclusion: Couples used a variety of approaches to cope with HIV-discordance. Study findings underscore the importance of ongoing professional counselling and psycho-social support in helping couples to cope with HIV-discordance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K. B. Matovu
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Community and Public Health, Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale, Uganda
- *Correspondence: Joseph K. B. Matovu
| | - Rose Kisa
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Angela M. Malek
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Caroline Vrana-Diaz
- Department of Community and Public Health, Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale, Uganda
| | | | | | - Jeffrey E. Korte
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Rhoda K. Wanyenze
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
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Irungu EM, Ngure K, Mugwanya KK, Awuor M, Dollah A, Ongolly F, Mugo N, Bukusi E, Wamoni E, Odoyo J, Morton JF, Barnabee G, Mukui I, Baeten JM, O'Malley G. "Now that PrEP is reducing the risk of transmission of HIV, why then do you still insist that we use condoms?" the condom quandary among PrEP users and health care providers in Kenya. AIDS Care 2020; 33:92-100. [PMID: 32207327 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2020.1744507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Communication around condom use in the context of PrEP services presents a potential conundrum for patients and providers. Within the Partners Scale-Up Project, which supports integration of PrEP delivery in HIV care clinics, we interviewed 41 providers and 61 PrEP users and identified themes relating to condom messaging and use. Most providers counselled PrEP initiators to always use both PrEP and condoms, except when trying to conceive. However, others reported contexts and rationales for not emphasizing condom use. Providers reported that PrEP users were sometimes confused, even frustrated, with their insistence on using condoms in addition to PrEP. PrEP users generally regarded PrEP as a more feasible and desirable HIV prevention method than condoms, enabling increased sexual pleasure and conception, and reducing the conflict and stigma associated with condom use. Innovative approaches to condom counselling in PrEP programs are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Irungu
- Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington
| | - Kenneth Ngure
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington.,School of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
| | | | - Merceline Awuor
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute
| | - Annabelle Dollah
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute
| | - Fernandos Ongolly
- Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nelly Mugo
- Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington
| | - Elizabeth Bukusi
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington.,Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute
| | - Elizabeth Wamoni
- Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Josephine Odoyo
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute
| | | | - Gena Barnabee
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington
| | | | - Jared M Baeten
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington
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Nkhoma K, Ahmed A, Alli Z, Sherr L, Harding R. Does sexual behaviour of people with HIV reflect antiretroviral therapy as a preventive strategy? A cross-sectional study among outpatients in Kenya. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:1254. [PMID: 31510974 PMCID: PMC6739960 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organisation (WHO) advocates early initiation of HIV treatment as a prevention strategy among people living with HIV. There is strong evidence for the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) as a preventive tool for HIV transmission. We aimed to determine the sexual behaviour of HIV outpatients and assess if it reflects the current preventive strategy for HIV transmission. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among adult (aged at least 18 years) patients with confirmed HIV diagnosis, and aware of their diagnosis, attending HIV outpatient care in Kenya. Data were gathered through self-report (using validated questionnaires) and file extraction. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the association between sexual risk taking behaviour controlling for gender, HIV clinical stage, HIV treatment status, Tuberculosis (TB) treatment status, and CD4 count. Results We recruited n = 400 participants (n = 280[70%] female gender). The mean age was 39.4 (SD = 9.9) years. The mean CD4 count was 393.7 (SD = 238.2) and ranged from 2 to 1470 cells/mm3. N = 61 (15.64%) were on TB treatment. The majority (n = 366, 91.5%) were on ART. Just over half (n = 202, 50.5%) reported having a sexual partner. Of these n = 33 (16.1%) reported having unprotected sexual intercourse with a person of unknown HIV status in the previous 3 months. Multivariate analysis showed that participants not on ART (HIV treatment) were more likely to report unprotected sexual intercourse compared to those who were on ART (odds ratio .25, 95% CI .09 to .69; P = 0.007). Participants at early stage of HIV infection (stages 1/2) were more likely to report unprotected sexual intercourse compared to participants at advanced HIV infection (stages 3/4) (odds ratio .34, 95% CI .13 to .92; P = 0.035). Males participants were more likely to be involved in sexual risk taking behaviours compared to female participants (odds ratio .36, 95% CI .16 to .82; P = 0.015). TB treatment status, and CD4 count were not significantly associated with sexual risk taking. Conclusion Participants not on ART have more unprotected sexual intercourse than those who are on ART. This calls for the need to scale up coverage and early ART initiation in order to reduce transmission of HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy Nkhoma
- Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care Policy and Rehabilitation, Denmark Hill Campus, King's College London, Bessemer Road, London, SE5 9PJ, UK.
| | | | - Zipporah Alli
- Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Richard Harding
- Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care Policy and Rehabilitation, Denmark Hill Campus, King's College London, Bessemer Road, London, SE5 9PJ, UK
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Koff A, Goldberg C, Ogbuagu O. Condomless sex and HIV transmission among serodifferent couples: current evidence and recommendations. Ann Med 2017; 49:534-544. [PMID: 28409656 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2017.1320423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a global pandemic. The primary driver of HIV incidence is sexual transmission between serodifferent individuals. Condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are effective at preventing sexually transmitted HIV infections and are considered an integral component of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention. However, the demonstrated effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent HIV transmission, known as treatment as prevention and of pre-exposure prophylaxis, have raised an intriguing dilemma on the necessity and additive preventive benefit of condom use among individuals in serodifferent relationships utilizing these prevention strategies. Recent published evidence, although of limited follow-up duration, has shown no linked HIV transmissions with condomless sex among serodifferent couples where the infected partner was on ART and virologically suppressed. This paper will review the evidence surrounding HIV transmission risk among serodifferent couples with and without the use of condoms and will highlight factors that increase or attenuate this risk. It will also address the important benefits that condomless sex offers couples. This paper aims to provide a template for providers to have personalized discussions with their patients, particularly those with an HIV-positive sexual partner, around their individual risk of HIV transmission and the role of condom use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Koff
- a Department of Medicine , Norwalk Hospital , Norwalk , CT , USA
| | - Carole Goldberg
- b Department of Mental Health and Counselling , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA
| | - Onyema Ogbuagu
- c Section of Infectious Diseases , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA
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Rehm J, Probst C, Shield KD, Shuper PA. Does alcohol use have a causal effect on HIV incidence and disease progression? A review of the literature and a modeling strategy for quantifying the effect. Popul Health Metr 2017; 15:4. [PMID: 28183309 PMCID: PMC5301358 DOI: 10.1186/s12963-017-0121-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the first part of this review, the nature of the associations between alcohol use and HIV/AIDS is discussed. Alcohol use has been found to be strongly associated with incidence and progression of HIV/AIDS, but the extent to which this association is causal has traditionally remained in question. Experiments where alcohol use has been manipulated as the independent variable have since helped establish a causal effect of alcohol use on the intention to engage in condomless sex. As the intention to engage in condomless sex is a surrogate measure of actual condom use behavior, which itself is linked to HIV incidence and re-infection, the causal chain has been corroborated. Moreover, there are biological pathways between alcohol use and the course of HIV/AIDS, only in part being mediated by adherence to antiretroviral medication. In the second part of the contribution, we provide suggestions on the quantification of the link between alcohol use and HIV incidence, using risk relations derived from experimental data. The biological links between alcohol use and course of HIV/AIDS are difficult to quantify given the current state of knowledge, except for an operationalization for the link via adherence to medication based on meta-analyses. The suggested quantifications are exemplified for South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1 Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8 Canada
- Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8 Canada
- Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8 Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 6th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 3 M7 Canada
| | - Charlotte Probst
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1 Canada
- Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Kevin D. Shield
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1 Canada
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France
| | - Paul A. Shuper
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1 Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 6th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 3 M7 Canada
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