Person-centred interventions to improve patient-provider relationships for HIV services in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Person-centred care (PCC) has been recognized as a critical element in delivering quality and responsive health services. The patient-provider relationship, conceptualized at the core of PCC in multiple models, remains largely unexamined in HIV care. We conducted a systematic review to better understand the types of PCC interventions implemented to improve patient-provider interactions and how these interventions have improved HIV care continuum outcomes and person-reported outcomes (PROs) among people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

We searched databases, conference proceedings and conducted manual targeted searches to identify randomized trials and observational studies published up to January 2023. The PCC search terms were guided by the Integrative Model of Patient-Centeredness by Scholl. We included person-centred interventions aiming to enhance the patient-provider interactions. We included HIV care continuum outcomes and PROs.

RESULTS

We included 28 unique studies: 18 (64.3%) were quantitative, eight (28.6.%) were mixed methods and two (7.1%) were qualitative. Within PCC patient-provider interventions, we inductively identified five categories of PCC interventions: (1) providing friendly and welcoming services; (2) patient empowerment and improved communication skills (e.g. supporting patient-led skills such as health literacy and approaches when communicating with a provider); (3) improved individualized counselling and patient-centred communication (e.g. supporting provider skills such as training on motivational interviewing); (4) audit and feedback; and (5) provider sensitisation to patient experiences and identities. Among the included studies with a comparison arm and effect size reported, 62.5% reported a significant positive effect of the intervention on at least one HIV care continuum outcome, and 100% reported a positive effect of the intervention on at least one of the included PROs.

DISCUSSION

Among published HIV PCC interventions, there is heterogeneity in the components of PCC addressed, the actors involved and the expected outcomes. While results are also heterogeneous across clinical and PROs, there is more evidence for significant improvement in PROs. Further research is necessary to better understand the clinical implications of PCC, with fewer studies measuring linkage or long-term retention or viral suppression.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved understanding of PCC domains, mechanisms and consistency of measurement will advance PCC research and implementation.

The status and outcomes of interprofessional health education in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

The increasing burden of chronic diseases, and shortage of health care workers especially in Low and Middle Income countries (LMICs) requires greater collaborative working between health professions. There is a growing body of evidence that interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional continuous education (IPCE) can improve collaborative practice thus strengthening health care delivery in low resource settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes this educational strategy in these regions as part of wider programs to improve health care. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize IPE and IPCE activities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and its outcomes; including practice, service and patient outcomes. Standard guidelines for conducting and reporting systematic reviews were followed. The online databases searched included MEDLINE, Embase, Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Science Direct. The Kirkpatrick model was used to classify IPE outcomes reported from literature. Following full text screening, 41 articles were selected for data extraction. It was found that IPE/IPCE is still a relatively new concept in SSA with 93% of studies published after 2012. Furthermore, IPE is concentrated predominantly in undergraduate institutions and mainly implemented to improve collaborative practice and address important public health concerns. Positive reaction and outcomes of IPE/IPCE were reported in terms of change of attitude and perception toward collaborative practice as well as knowledge and skills acquisition. Few studies in SSA sought to understand and measure the outcomes of IPE/IPCE relating to health care practice. More work in this important potential outcome of IPE/IPCE is recommended.

Context counts: Investigating pain management interventions in HIV-positive men living in a rural area

BACKGROUND

Pain remains a prevalent and burdensome complaint for people living with human immunodeficiency virus and/or aquired immunodeficiency syndrome (LWHA). Positive Living (PL), a multimodal pain intervention, reduced pain in female South Africans LWHA. We investigated the efficacy of the PL programme in South African males living with human immunodeficiency virus and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MLWA) in a rural community.

AIM

To determine the effects of a multimodal pain intervention in MLWHA.

SETTING

Various primary care clinics in Manguzi, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

METHODOLOGY

Therapeutic relationship (TR) intervention alone or in combination with the PL programme were allocated to HIV-positive men between the ages of 18-40. Pain intensity and interference were the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures included physical function, health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms and self-efficacy.

RESULTS

Forty-seven men (mean age 35 ± 3 years) were recruited with baseline mean pain severity of 5.02 (± 3.01) and pain interference of 4.6 (± 3.18). Nineteen men were allocated to the TR intervention alone, 28 were allocated to the TR intervention and PL programme. Attendance at the intervention sessions varied from 10% to 36%. No changes in any outcomes were recorded.

CONCLUSION

Poor attendance at the intervention and follow-up sessions make these results an unreliable reflection of the intervention. Contextual factors including internal migration and issues around employment were identified. These may influence healthcare utilisation for MLWHA living in rural settings.Contribution: Unmet healthcare needs of MLWHA in a rural community have been identified. If we are to 'leave no one behind', healthcare interventions should account for context and be 'rural-proofed'.

Implementation of HIV Palliative Care: Interprofessional Education to Improve Patient Outcomes in Resource-Constrained Settings, 2004-2012

Palliative care (PC), introduced early in the management of chronic illness, improves patient outcomes. Early integration of a palliative approach for persons with HIV has been documented to be effective in identifying and managing patient-level concerns over the past decade in African settings. The experience of implementing PC in multiple African and other resource-constrained settings (RCSs) emphasizes the need for essential palliative competencies that can be integrated with chronic disease management for patients and their families facing life-limiting illness. This article is an historical description of how basic palliative competencies were observed to be acceptable for health workers providing outpatient HIV care and treatment during eight years of U.S. implementation of "care and support," a term coined to represent PC for persons living with HIV in RCS. The need for team building and interprofessional education is highlighted. The model is currently being tested in one U.S. city and may represent a mechanism for expanding the palliative approach into management of chronic disease. Such competencies may play a role in the development of the patient-centered medical home, a critical component of U.S. health care reform.