Integration of HIV services with primary care in Yangon, Myanmar: a retrospective cohort analysis

Integrating methadone into primary care settings in Ukraine: effects on provider stigma and knowledge

INTRODUCTION

Stigma has undermined the scale-up of evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment. Negative beliefs influence clinicians' discriminatory behaviour and ultimately have wide-ranging effects across the HIV prevention and treatment continuum. Stigma among clinicians can be mitigated in several ways, including through interpersonal contact. In this study, we test whether interactions with people who inject drugs (PWID) influence attitudes of both direct and indirect providers of opioid agonist therapies (OATs) within the same primary care clinics (PCCs) where OAT is newly introduced.

METHODS

In a cluster randomized controlled trial integrating OAT and HIV care into PCCs in Ukraine, clinicians at 24 integrated care sites (two sites in 12 regions) from January 2018 to August 2022 completed a structured survey at baseline, 12 and 24 months. The survey included feeling thermometers and standardized scales related to clinician attitudes towards patients and evidence-based care. Nested linear mixed-effects models were used to examine changes in mean scores over three timepoints for both direct and indirect clinicians.

RESULTS

There were fewer significant changes in any of the scales for direct providers (n = 87) than for indirect providers (n = 155). Direct providers became less tough-minded about substance use disorders (p = 0.002), had less negative opinions about PWID (p = 0.006) and improved their beliefs regarding OAT maintenance (p<0.001) and medical information (p = 0.004). Indirect providers reported improvements in most stigma constructs, including a significant decrease in prejudice (p<0.001), discrimination (p = 0.001), shame (p = 0.007) and fear (p = 0.001) towards PWID.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating OAT services within primary settings was associated with significantly reduced stigma constructs and improved attitudes towards PWID, possibly through increased intergroup contact between PWID and general clinical staff. Unlike most stigma reduction interventions, re-engineering clinical processes so that PWID receive their care in PCCs emerges as a multilevel stigma reduction intervention through the integration of specialized services in PCCs. Integration influences different types of stigma, and has positive effects not only on health outcomes, but also improves clinician attitudes and efficiently reduces clinician stigma.

Near point-of-care HIV viral load testing: Cascade after high viral load in suburban Yangon, Myanmar

INTRODUCTION

HIV viral load (VL) testing in resource-limited settings is often centralised, limiting access. In Myanmar, we assessed outcomes according to VL access and the VL cascade (case management after a first high VL result) before and after near point-of-care (POC) VL was introduced.

METHODS

Routine programme data from people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) were used. We assessed the odds of getting a VL test done by year. Attrition and mortality two years after ART initiation were compared between three groups of PLHIV with different access to VL testing using Kaplan-Meier analysis. We compared VL cascades in those with a first VL result before and after near POC VL testing became available. With logistic regression, predictors of confirmed virological failure after a first high VL in the POC era were explored.

RESULTS

Among 4291 PLHIV who started ART between July 2009 and June 2018, 794 (18.5%) became eligible for VL testing when it was not available, 2388 (55.7%) when centralised laboratory-based VL testing was available, and 1109 (25.8%) when near POC VL testing was available. Between 2010 and 2019, the odds of getting a VL test among those eligible increased with each year (OR: 5.21 [95% CI: 4.95-5.48]). Attrition and mortality were not different in the three groups. When comparing PLHIV with a first VL result before and after implementation of the near POC VL testing, in the latter, more had a first VL test (92% versus 15%, p<0.001), less had a first high VL result (5% versus 14%, p<0.001), and more had confirmed virological failure (67% versus 47%, p = 0.013). Having a first VL ≥5000 copies/mL after near POC implementation was associated with confirmed virological failure (adjusted OR: 2.61 [95% CI: 1.02-6.65]).

CONCLUSION

Near POC VL testing enabled rapid increase of VL coverage and a well-managed VL cascade in Myanmar.

Ambulatory induction phase treatment of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV integrated primary care clinics, Yangon, Myanmar

BACKGROUND

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a common HIV-associated opportunistic-infection worldwide. Existing literature focusses on hospital-based outcomes of induction treatment. This paper reviews outpatient management in integrated primary care clinics in Yangon.

METHOD

This retrospective case note review analyses a Myanmar HIV-positive patient cohort managed using ambulatory induction-phase treatment with intravenous amphotericin-B-deoxycholate (0.7-1.0 mg/kg) and oral fluconazole (800 mg orally/day).

RESULTS

Seventy-six patients were diagnosed between 2010 and 2017. The median age of patients diagnosed was 35 years, 63% were male and 33 (45%) were on concurrent treatment for tuberculosis. The median CD4 count was 60 at the time of diagnosis. Amphotericin-B-deoxycholate infusions precipitated 56 episodes of toxicity, namely hypokalaemia, nephrotoxicity, anaemia, febrile reactions, phlebitis, observed in 44 patients (58%). One-year survival (86%) was higher than existing hospital-based treatment studies.

CONCLUSION

Ambulation of patients in this cohort saved 1029 hospital bed days and had better survival outcomes when compared to hospital-based studies in other resource constrained settings.