Integrating HIV testing into cervical cancer screening in Tanzania: an analysis of routine service delivery statistics

Cervical cancer screening among women with comorbidities: evidence from the 2022 Tanzania demographic and health survey

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to examine cervical cancer screening (CCS) uptake among women living with hypertension and HIV in Tanzania.

METHODS

We used the recently released 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable assessed in the study was CCS, whereas chronic morbidities constituted the main explanatory variable. Data analysis was based on observations from 6,298 women aged 30-49 years. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between hypertension and HIV status, and CCS uptake. The analyses were computed in STATA 18.

RESULTS

Out of the 6,298 respondents, only 805 (12.8%) had undergone CCS with higher screening uptake among those living with either one of the disease (28.5%) than among those living with neither hypertension or HIV. The highest proportion was found among those who had ever been diagnosed with hypertension (24.1%) and among women with positive HIV test results (36.7%). There was a significantly higher likelihood of undergoing screening for cervical cancer among women living with at least one of the diseases [AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.4-2.8], compared to those without these conditions. Women diagnosed with hypertension showed increased likelihood of undergoing CCS [AOR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.1-1.7]. Similarly, women with a positive HIV test result demonstrated higher odds of screening uptake [AOR = 5.2; 95%CI: 4.0-6.7].

CONCLUSION

The study found a positive association between comorbidities and CCS uptake in Tanzanian women. Our findings emphasize the critical importance of ensuring accessibility and adherence to essential screenings for individuals with chronic morbid conditions. Future efforts should focus on strengthening existing integrated services and identifying potential barriers to accessing CCS within these healthcare settings to optimize cervical cancer prevention efforts for individuals with chronic morbidities.

HPV DNA Testing and Mobile Colposcopy for Cervical Precancer Screening in HIV Positive Women: A Comparison Between Two Settings in Ghana and Recommendation for Screening

INTRODUCTION

Women living with HIV (WLHIV) have higher prevalence and persistence rates of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection with a six-fold increased risk of cervical cancer. Thus, more frequent screening is recommended for WLHIV.

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate and compare the prevalence of hr-HPV infection and abnormal findings on mobile colposcopy in two cohorts of WLHIV following cervical screening in rural and urban settings in Ghana.

METHODS

Through the mPharma 10 000 Women Initiative, WLHIV were screened via concurrent hr-HPV DNA testing (MA-6000; Sansure Biotech Inc., Hunan, China) and visual inspection (Enhanced Visual Assessment [EVA] mobile colposcope; MobileODT, Tel Aviv, Israel) by trained nurses. The women were screened while undergoing routine outpatient reviews at HIV clinics held at the Catholic Hospital, Battor (rural setting) and Tema General Hospital (urban setting), both in Ghana.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and fifty-eight WLHIV were included in the analysis (rural, n = 132; urban, n = 126). The two groups were comparable in terms of age, time since HIV diagnosis, and duration of treatment for HIV. The hr-HPV prevalence rates were 53.7% (95% CI, 45.3-62.3) and 48.4% (95% CI, 39.7-57.1) among WLHIV screened in the rural vs urban settings (p-value = .388). Abnormal colposcopy findings were found in 8.5% (95% CI, 5.1-11.9) of the WLHIV, with no significant difference in detection rates between the two settings (p-value = .221). Three (13.6%) of 22 women who showed abnormal colposcopic findings underwent loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), leaving 19/22 women from both rural and urban areas with pending treatment/follow-up results, which demonstrates the difficulty faced in reaching early diagnosis and treatment, regardless of their area of residence. Histopathology following LEEP revealed CIN III in 2 WLHIV (urban setting, both hr-HPV negative) and CIN I in 1 woman in the rural setting (hr-HPV positive).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high prevalence of hr-HPV among WLHIV in both rural and urban settings in this study in Ghana. Concurrent HPV DNA testing with a visual inspection method (colposcopy/VIA) reduces loss to follow-up compared to performing HPV DNA testing as a standalone test and recalling hr-HPV positive women for follow up with a visual inspection method. Concurrent HPV DNA testing and a visual inspection method may also pick up precancerous cervical lesions that are hr-HPV negative and may be missed if HPV DNA testing is performed alone.

Acceptability of Integrated Community-Based HIV and Cervical Cancer Screening in Mayuge District, Uganda

PURPOSE

To assess the acceptability of integrated screening for cervical cancer and HIV in the community setting.

METHODS

We developed surveys for patients and community health workers (CHWs) who participated in the Advances in Screening and Prevention in Reproductive Cancers (ASPIRE) Mayuge trial that compared self-collected human papillomavirus testing at home versus community health meetings in Mayuge district, Uganda. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Open-ended questions were analyzed using an inductive approach with thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

We conducted 102 patient surveys and 31 CHW surveys between June and August 2021. Ninety-nine percent of patients and 100% of CHWs indicated that they would find the addition of an HIV test to their self-collected cervical cancer test acceptable. The most frequently stated reasons in favor of adding an HIV test to the ASPIRE Mayuge cervical cancer screening pathways were time-saving, privacy, and support from other women and CHWs. The most frequently stated reasons against integrated screening were related to concerns about confidentiality, most often in reference to women's family members and other women in their village.

CONCLUSION

Integrated community-based cervical cancer and HIV testing would be highly acceptable to both women and CHWs.

Integration of human papillomavirus associated anal cancer screening into HIV care and treatment program in Pakistan: perceptions of policymakers, managers, and care providers

BACKGROUND

The incidence of anal cancer, largely associated with anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is increasing among men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women living with or without HIV. Screening for anal cancer to detect anal precancerous lesions in high-risk groups is an important opportunity for prevention but still lacking in many low-and-middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to explore the readiness of Pakistan's healthcare system to integrate anal cancer and HPV screening into a national HIV program, as perceived by policymakers, health managers, and healthcare providers.

DESIGN

This qualitative study using key-informant interviews with participants influence in policy making, implementation and advocacy from public and private sector were conducted between March 2021 to August 2021 in Karachi Pakistan.

METHODS

Key informants were purposely selected from different domains of the healthcare system responsible for the target group of interest, MSM and transgender-women in general and people living with HIV in particular. A total of 18 key informants, at different levels of seniority were recruited from governmental and non-governmental organizations, high-level infectious disease healthcare managers, and United Nations Program representatives. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify the manifest and latent themes, based on socioecological framework.

RESULTS

The results were grouped into five major themes; (1) The policy context and priorities, (2) Health systems factors, (3) Community environment, (4) Healthcare setting & providers and (5) Individual-level obstacles. The policy actors expressed their concerns about their limited voice in country's health and health related priority setting. Informants reported a lack of political will and suggested that government should bring a change in the paradigm of healthcare service delivery from reactive to proactive approach. Although, participants unanimously favored integration of HPV preventive services into existing HIV program, they also identified several service delivery barriers including trained workforce shortage, limited capacity of information technology, lack of supplies needed for screening, lack of financing, and lack of services that could meet key-populations needs. Participants also predicted other implementation challenges such as stigma, social victimization, and systemic discrimination against at-risk groups at healthcare facilities.

CONCLUSION

Although policy makers and health providers in Pakistan saw a clear need to scale-up and integrate anal cancer screening for key populations, the feasibility of this is dependent on political will, financing, anti-stigma and discrimination interventions and health system efficiency.

Feasibility and acceptability of integrating hepatitis B care into routine HIV services: a qualitative study among health care providers and patients in West Nile region, Uganda

BACKGROUND

Despite facing a dual burden of HBV and HIV, Africa lacks experience in offering integrated care for HIV and HBV. To contextualize individual and group-level feasibility and acceptability of an integrated HIV/HBV care model, we explored perspectives of health care providers and care recipients on feasibility and acceptability of integration.

METHODS

In two regional hospitals of West Nile region, we performed a demonstration project to assess feasibility and acceptability of merging the care of HBV-monoinfected patients with existing HIV care system. Using interviews with health care providers as key informants, and 6 focus groups discussions with 3 groups of patients, we explored feasibility [(i)whether integration is perceived to fit within the existing healthcare infrastructure, (ii) perceived ease of implementation of HIV/HBV integrated care, and (iii) perceived sustainability of integration] and acceptability [whether the HIV/HBV care model is perceived as (i) suitable, (ii) satisfying and attractive (iii) there is perceived demand, need and intention to recommend its use]. We audio-recorded the interviews and data was analysed using framework analysis.

RESULTS

The following themes emerged from the data (i) integrating HBV into HIV care is perceived to be feasible, fit and beneficial, after making requisite adjustments (ii) integration is acceptable due to the need for both free treatment and anticipated collaboration between HIV and HBV clients in terms of peer-support (iii) there are concerns about the likely rise in stigma and the lack of community awareness about integrated care.

CONCLUSION

The integrated HIV/HBV care model is feasible and acceptable among both providers and recipients. Necessary adjustments to the existing care system, including training, for community sensitization on the reasons and significance of integration are required.

Non-communicable diseases and maternal health: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Non-communicable diseases [NCDs] are leading causes of ill health among women of reproductive age and an increasingly important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Reliable data on NCDs is necessary for accurate measurement and response. However, inconsistent definitions of NCDs make reliable data collection challenging. We aimed to map the current global literature to understand how NCDs are defined, operationalized and discussed during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.  METHODS: For this scoping review, we conducted a comprehensive global literature search for NCDs and maternal health covering the years 2000 to 2020 in eleven electronic databases, five regional WHO databases and an exhaustive grey literature search without language restrictions. We used a charting approach to synthesize and interpret the data.  RESULTS: Only seven of the 172 included sources defined NCDs. NCDs are often defined as chronic but with varying temporality. There is a broad spectrum of conditions that is included under NCDs including pregnancy-specific conditions and infectious diseases. The most commonly included conditions are hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, mental health conditions and malignancy. Most publications are from academic institutions in high-income countries [HICs] and focus on the pre-conception period and pregnancy. Publications from HICs discuss NCDs in the context of pre-conception care, medications, contraception, health disparities and quality of care. In contrast, publications focused on low- and middle-income countries discuss NCDs in the context of NCD prevention. They take a life cycle approach and advocate for integration of NCD and maternal health services.

CONCLUSION

Standardising the definition and improving the articulation of care for NCDs in the maternal health setting would help to improve data collection and facilitate monitoring. It would inform the development of improved care for NCDs at the intersection with maternal health as well as through a woman's life course. Such an approach could lead to significant policy and programmatic changes with the potential corresponding impact on resource allocation.

Correlates of cervical cancer screening participation, intention and self-efficacy among Muslim women in southern Ghana

Background

The World Health Organisation’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 with a target of 70% screening coverage using a high-performance test demand that women increase participation in screening. Factors that impact uptake of screening must therefore be identified and bottlenecks addressed, especially in lower- and middle-income countries where cervical cancer incidence remains high. This study investigated Muslim women, participation in, intention to engage in and self-efficacy about cervical cancer screening.

Methods

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among Muslim women aged 18 years and above in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using appropriate descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, point biserial correlation and binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

The mean age of participants was approximately 31 years (M = 30.9, SD = 10.4). Out of the 431 women, 21 (4.9%) had ever participated in cervical cancer screening. Participants demonstrated very low knowledge about cervical cancer and screening, with a mean knowledge score of 3.68 out of 15. Knowledge about cervical cancer was associated with increased odds of participating in cervical cancer screening (aOR = 1.32, 95%CI 1.11, 1.56). Concerns about similarity with health provider in terms of gender and faith was associated with decreased odds of cervical cancer screening self-efficacy (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.67). Islamic modesty (aOR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.81, 0.96) was associated with decreased self-efficacy about seeking cervical cancer screening, whereas attitude (aOR = 1.32, 95%CI 1.14, 1.53) was significantly associated with increased self-efficacy about seeking cervical cancer screening. Again, Islamic modesty (aOR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.80, 0.97) was associated with decreased intention to participate in screening, whereas attitude (aOR = 1.42, 95%CI 1.20, 1.68) was associated with increased intention to participate in screening.

Conclusions

There are gaps in knowledge of cervical cancer among Muslim women in this study as less than 5% had participated in screening. A positive attitude was found to influence intention to screen and actual participation in screening programmes. Islamic modesty and commitment to the Islamic faith decreased intention and self-efficacy regarding screening. Therefore, comprehensive and appropriate socio-cultural and religion-specific interventions aimed at addressing the barriers to screening are important in improving uptake among Muslim women.

A Landscape Analysis of Offering HIV Testing Services Within Family Planning Service Delivery

Introduction: Offering HIV testing services (HTS) within sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is a priority, especially for women who have a substantial risk. To reach women with HIV who do not know their status and prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends routinely offering HTS as part of family planning (FP) service delivery in high HIV burden settings. We conducted a landscape analysis to assess HTS uptake and HIV positivity in the context of FP/SRH services.

Assessment of Research and Programs: We searched records from PubMed, four gray literature databases, and 13 organization websites, and emailed 24 organizations for data on HTS in FP/SRH services. We also obtained data from International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) affiliates in Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Unique programs/studies from records were included if they provided data on, or barriers/facilitators to, offering HTS in FP/SRH. Overall, 2,197 records were screened and 12 unique programs/studies were eligible, including 10 from sub-Saharan Africa. Four reported on co-delivery of SRH services (including FP), with reported HTS uptake between 17 and 94%. Six reported data on HTS in FP services: four among general FP clients; one among couples; and one among female sex workers, adolescent girls, and young women. Two of the six reported HTS uptake >50% (51%, 419/814 Kenya; 63%, 5,930/9,439 Uganda), with positivity rates of 2% and 4.1%, respectively. Uptake was low (8%, 74/969 Kenya) in the one FP program offering pre-exposure prophylaxis. In the IPPF program, seven countries reported HTS uptake in FP services and ranged from 4% in Eswatini to 90% in Lesotho; between 0.6% (Uganda) and 8% (Eswatini) of those tested were HIV positive.

Implications: Data on providing HTS in FP/SRH service delivery were sparse and HTS uptake varied widely across programs.

Actionable Recommendations: As countries expand HTS in FP/SRH appropriate to epidemiology, they should ensure data are reported and monitored for progress and impact.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV in the Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania

Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer globally among women in incidence and mortality. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) are disproportionately at a higher risk of developing the disease.

Aim

To determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening among WLHIV in the Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania, following the integration of these services in routine HIV care in the country.

Methods and results

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in the Kilimanjaro region among 297 WLHIV attending care and treatment centers (CTC) in Hai district and Mawenzi regional hospitals in northern Tanzania between 21 August and 3 September 2020. A questionnaire was used for data collection using face‐to‐face interviews. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Frequencies and percentages summarized categorical variables and numerical variables summarized using median and interquartile range (IQR). About half (50.2%) of 297 WLHIV in this study had ever screened for cervical cancer, and 64% screened within the past 12 months preceding the survey. Although 90% ever heard of cervical cancer screening, only 20.5% knew when WLHIV should start screening. Over half (52.5%) had adequate knowledge of prevention, 38.4% on risk factors, and 27.9% of cervical cancer signs and symptoms. Two‐thirds (66.7%) had positive attitudes toward cervical cancer screening. A major source of cervical cancer screening information was the health care providers (80.1%) and the mass media (66%), particularly radio.

Conclusions

The WLHIV in this study had inadequate knowledge but favorable attitudes toward cervical cancer screening, while half had screened for cervical cancer. Efforts should be directed to capacity building of health care providers at CTC and scaling up the mass media campaigns as relevant interventions to promote the uptake of cervical cancer screening programs among WLHIV in Tanzania.

Improving uptake of cervical cancer screening services for women living with HIV and attending chronic care services in rural Malawi

Malawi has the second highest age-standardised incidence rate and the highest mortality rate of cervical cancer in the world. Though the prevalence of HIV is currently 11.7% for Malawian women of reproductive age, cervical cancer screening rates remain low. To address this issue, we integrated cervical cancer screening into a dual HIV and non-communicable disease clinic at a rural district hospital in Neno, Malawi. The project was implemented between January 2017 and March 2018 using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model of quality improvement (QI). At baseline (January to December 2016), only 13 women living with HIV were screened for cervical cancer. One year after implementation of the QI project, 73% (n=547) of women aged 25 to 49 years living with HIV enrolled in HIV care were screened for cervical cancer, with 85.3% of these receiving the screening test for the first time. The number of women living with HIV accessing cervical cancer services increased almost 10 times (from four per month to 39 per month, p<0.001). Key enablers in our QI process included: strong mentorship, regular provision of cervical cancer health talks throughout the hospital, nationally accredited cervical cancer prevention training for all providers, consistent community engagement, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and direct provision of resources to strengthen gaps in the public system. This practical experience integrating cervical cancer screening into routine HIV care may provide valuable lessons for scale-up in rural Malawi.

Health care workers' experiences with implementation of "screen and treat" for cervical cancer prevention in Malawi: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer remains a major cause of mortality and morbidity in low- and middle-income countries, despite the availability of effective prevention approaches. "Screen and treat" (a single-visit strategy to identify and remove abnormal cervical cells) is the recommended secondary prevention approach in low-resource settings, but there has been relatively scarce robust implementation science evidence on barriers and facilitators to providing "screen and treat" from the provider perspective, or about thermocoagulation as a lesion removal technique.

METHODS

Informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we conducted interviews with ten experienced "screen and treat" providers in Malawi. We asked questions based on the CFIR Guide, used the CFIR Guide codebook for a descriptive analysis in NVivo, and added recommended modifications for studies in low-income settings.

RESULTS

Seven CFIR constructs were identified as positively influencing implementation, and six as negatively influencing implementation. The two strong positive influences were the relative advantage of thermocoagulation versus cryotherapy (Innovation Characteristics) and respondents' knowledge and beliefs about providing "screen and treat" (Individual Characteristics). The two strong negative influences were the availability of ongoing refresher trainings to stay up-to-date on skills (Inner Setting, Implementation Climate) and insufficient resources (staffing, infrastructure, supplies) to provide "screen and treat" to all women who need it (Inner Setting, Readiness for Implementation). Weak positive factors included perceived scalability and access to knowledge/information, as well as compatibility, leadership engagement, and team characteristics, but these latter three were mixed in valence. Weak negative influences were structural characteristics and donor priorities; and mixed but weakly negative influences were relative priority and engaging clients. Cross-cutting themes included the importance of broad buy-in (including different cadres of health workers and leadership at the facility and in the government) and the opportunities and challenges of offering integrated care (screening plus other services).

CONCLUSIONS

Although "screen and treat" is viewed as effective and important, many implementation barriers remain. Our findings suggest that implementation strategies will need to be multi-level, include a diverse set of stakeholders, and explicitly address both screening and treatment.

Practices and Obstacles to Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) Among Healthcare Providers in Côte d'Ivoire

Practices of Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) remains suboptimal in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim of this survey was to identify the practices and obstacles to PITC among healthcare professionals in Côte d'Ivoire. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2018 by telephone among three separate samples of midwives, nurses and physicians practicing in Côte d'Ivoire. The number of HIV tests proposed during consultation in the month preceding the survey was collected for each professional. Factors associated with the number of proposed tests were identified through ordinal logistic regression models. A total of 298 midwives, 308 nurses and 289 physicians were interviewed. Midwives proposed the test more frequently, followed by nurses and physicians. Among midwives, a higher number of proposed tests was associated with the perception that HIV testing does not require specific consent compared to other diseases (aOR 4.00 [95% CI 1.37–14.29]). Among nurses, having received HIV training and the presence of community HIV counselors were associated with a higher number of proposed tests (aOR 2.01 [1.31–3.09] and aOR 1.75 [1.14–2.70], respectively). For physicians, the presence of a voluntary testing center was associated with a higher number of proposed tests (aOR 1.69 [1.01–2.86]). PITC practices and barriers differed across professions. Beyond improving environmental opportunities such as dedicated staff or services, strengthening the motivations and capabilities of healthcare professionals to propose testing could improve PITC coverage.

Cervical cancer in Tanzania: A systematic review of current challenges in six domains

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Tanzania. After excluding human immunodeficiency virus, lower respiratory infections, malaria, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis, cervical cancer kills more women than any other form of illness in the country. Unfortunately, Tanzania has a low doctor-to-patient ratio (1:50,000) and nearly 7000 women die each year from this disease. The clinical problem is further magnified by the country's lack of resources and prevailing poverty, sporadic cervical cancer screening, prevalence of high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus subtypes, and relatively high rates of human immunodeficiency virus co-infection. In recent years, addressing the cervical cancer problem has become a priority for the Tanzanian government. In this systematic review of 39 peer-reviewed publications that appeared in the PubMed/MEDLINE (NCBI) database from 2013 to 2018, we synthesize the growing body of literature to capture current trends in Tanzania's evolving cervical cancer landscape. Six domains were identified, including risk factors, primary prevention, barriers to screening, treatment, healthcare worker education, and sustainability. In addition to traditional risk factors associated with sexual behavior, acetowhite changes observed during visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid, lower education, rural setting, and HIV positivity also have a noteworthy clinical impact.

Interventions integrating non-communicable disease prevention and reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health: A systematic review

Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) care services could be critical entry points for preventing non-communicable diseases in women and children. In high-income countries, non-communicable diseases screening has been integrated into both the medical and public health systems. To integrate these services in low- and middle-income countries, it is necessary to closely examine its effectiveness and feasibility. In this systematic review, we evaluated the effectiveness of integrating gestational and non-gestational non-communicable diseases interventions and RMNCH care among women and children in low- and middle-income countries. This systematic review included randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials published from 2000 to 2015. Participants included reproductive-age women, children < 5 years old, and RMNCH care providers. The included interventions comprised packaged care/services that integrated RMNCH services with non-communicable disease care. The outcomes were maternal and/or infant mortality and complications, as well as health care service coverage. We analyzed six studies from 7,949 retrieved articles. Yoga exercise (p < 0.01) and nutritional improvements (p < 0.05) were effective in reducing gestational hypertension and diabetes. Additionally, integrating cervical cancer and RMNCH services was useful for identifying potential cervical cancer cases. Interventions that integrate non-communicable disease care/screening and RMNCH care may positively impact the health of women and children in low- and middle-income countries. However, as primary evidence is scarce, further research on the effectiveness of integrating non-communicable disease prevention and RMNCH care is warranted. (Review Registration: PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42015023425).).

Text messages to increase attendance to follow-up cervical cancer screening appointments among HPV-positive Tanzanian women (Connected2Care): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background

Cervical cancer is a major health concern in Tanzania, caused by poor attendance for cervical cancer screening and follow-up of women at risk. Mobile telephone health interventions are proven effective tools to improve health behaviour in African countries. So far, no knowledge exists on how such interventions may perform in relation to cervical cancer screening in low-income settings. This study aims to assess the degree to which a Short Message Service (SMS) intervention can increase attendance at appointments among women who have tested positive for high-risk (HR) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) during cervical cancer screening.

Methods/design

Connected2Care is a non-blinded, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Tanzanian women testing positive to HR HPV at inclusion are randomly assigned in an allocation ratio of 1:1 to the SMS intervention or the control group (standard care). In a period of 10 months, the intervention group will receive 15 one-directional health educative text messages and SMS reminders for their appointment. The total sample size will be 700 with 350 women in each study arm. Primary outcome is attendance rate for follow-up. Secondary objectives are cost-effectiveness, measured through incremental ratios, and knowledge of cervical cancer by a 16-item true/false scale questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. Barriers against implementing the intervention will be assessed in a mixed-methods sub-population study.

Discussion

This study may provide information on the potential effects, costs, and barriers in implementing an SMS intervention targeting a group of women who are followed up after testing positive for HR HPV and are, therefore, at increased risk of developing cervical cancer. This can guide decision-makers on the effective use of mobile technology in a low-income setting. Trial status: recruiting.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02509702. Registered on 15 June 2015.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2215-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Integrating cervical cancer screening and preventive treatment with family planning and HIV-related services

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa-in large part because of inadequate coverage of screening and preventive treatment services. A number of programs have begun integrating cervical cancer prevention services into existing family planning or HIV/AIDS service delivery platforms, to rapidly expand "screen and treat" programs and mitigate cervical cancer burden. Drawing upon a review of literature and our experiences, we consider benefits and challenges associated with such programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. We then outline steps that can optimize uptake and sustainability of integrated sexual and reproductive health services. These include increasing coordination among implementing organizations for efficient use of resources; task shifting for services that can be provided by nonphysicians; mobilizing communities via trusted frontline health workers; strengthening management information systems to allow for monitoring of multiple services; and prioritizing an operational research agenda to provide further evidence on the cost-effectiveness and benefits of integrated service delivery.

Integrating cervical cancer with HIV healthcare services: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a major public health problem. Even though readily preventable, it is the fourth leading cause of death in women globally. Women living with HIV are at increased risk of invasive cervical cancer, highlighting the need for access to screening and treatment for this population. Integration of services has been proposed as an effective way of improving access to cervical cancer screening especially in areas of high HIV prevalence as well as lower resourced settings. This paper presents the results of a systematic review of programs integrating cervical cancer and HIV services globally, including feasibility, acceptability, clinical outcomes and facilitators for service delivery.

METHODS

This is part of a larger systematic review on integration of services for HIV and non-communicable diseases. To be considered for inclusion studies had to report on programs to integrate cervical cancer and HIV services at the level of service delivery. We searched multiple databases including Global Health, Medline and Embase from inception until December 2015. Articles were screened independently by two reviewers for inclusion and data were extracted and assessed for risk of bias.

MAIN RESULTS

11,057 records were identified initially. 7,616 articles were screened by title and abstract for inclusion. A total of 21 papers reporting interventions integrating cervical cancer care and HIV services met the criteria for inclusion. All but one study described integration of cervical cancer screening services into existing HIV services. Most programs also offered treatment of minor lesions, a 'screen-and-treat' approach, with some also offering treatment of larger lesions within the same visit. Three distinct models of integration were identified. One model described integration within the same clinic through training of existing staff. Another model described integration through co-location of services, with the third model describing programs of integration through complex coordination across the care pathway. The studies suggested that integration of cervical cancer services with HIV services using all models was feasible and acceptable to patients. However, several barriers were reported, including high loss to follow up for further treatment, limited human-resources, and logistical and chain management support. Using visual screening methods can facilitate screening and treatment of minor to larger lesions in a single 'screen-and-treat' visit. Complex integration in a single-visit was shown to reduce loss to follow up. The use of existing health infrastructure and funding together with comprehensive staff training and supervision, community engagement and digital technology were some of the many other facilitators for integration reported across models.

CONCLUSIONS

This review shows that integration of cervical cancer screening and treatment with HIV services using different models of service delivery is feasible as well as acceptable to women living with HIV. However, the descriptive nature of most papers and lack of data on the effect on long-term outcomes for HIV or cervical cancer limits the inference on the effectiveness of the integrated programs. There is a need for strengthening of health systems across the care continuum and for high quality studies evaluating the effect of integration on HIV as well as on cervical cancer outcomes.

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.

Experiences in implementation and publication of operations research interventions: gaps and a way forward

INTRODUCTION

According to UNAIDS, the world currently has an adequate collection of proven HIV prevention, treatment and diagnostic tools, which, if scaled up, can lay the foundation for ending the AIDS epidemic. HIV operations research (OR) tests and promotes the use of interventions that can increase the demand for and supply of these tools. However, current publications of OR mainly focus on outcomes, leaving gaps in reporting of intervention characteristics, which are essential to address for the utilization of OR findings. This has prompted WHO and other international public health agencies to issue reporting requirements for OR studies. The objective of this commentary is to review experiences in HIV OR intervention design, implementation, process data collection and publication in order to identify gaps, contribute to the body of knowledge and propose a way forward to improve the focus on "implementation" in implementation research.

DISCUSSION

Interventions in OR, like ordinary service delivery programmes, are subject to the programme cycle, which continually uses insights from implementation and the local context to modify service delivery modalities. Given that some of these modifications in the intervention may influence study outcomes, the documentation of process data becomes vital in OR. However, a key challenge is that study resources tend to be skewed towards documentation and the reporting of study outcomes to the detriment of process data, even though process data is vital for understanding factors influencing the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions in OR should be viewed using the lens of programme evaluation, which includes formative assessment (to determine concept and design), followed by process evaluation (to monitor inputs and outputs) and effectiveness evaluation (to assess outcomes and effectiveness). Study resources should be equitably used between process evaluation and outcome measurement to facilitate inclusion of data about fidelity and dose in publications in order to enable explanation of the relationship between dosing and study outcomes for purposes of scaling up and further refinement through research.

Cervical cancer prevention and treatment research in Africa: a systematic review from a public health perspective

BACKGROUND

Women living in Africa experience the highest burden of cervical cancer. Research and investment to improve vaccination, screening, and treatment efforts are critically needed. We systematically reviewed and characterized recent research within a broader public health framework to organize and assess the range of cervical cancer research in Africa.

METHODS

We searched online databases and the Internet for published articles and cervical cancer reports in African countries. Inclusion criteria included publication between 2004 and 2014, cervical cancer-related content pertinent to one of the four public health categories (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention or quality of life), and conducted in or specifically relevant to countries or regions within the African continent. The study design, geographic region/country, focus of research, and key findings were documented for each eligible article and summarized to illustrate the weight and research coverage in each area. Publications with more than one focus (e.g. secondary and tertiary prevention) were categorized by the primary emphasis of the paper. Research specific to HIV-infected women or focused on feasibility issues was delineated within each of the four public health categories.

RESULTS

A total of 380 research articles/reports were included. The majority (54.6 %) of cervical cancer research in Africa focused on secondary prevention (i.e., screening). The number of publication focusing on primary prevention (23.4 %), particularly HPV vaccination, increased significantly in the past decade. Research regarding the treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancer is emerging (17.6 %), but infrastructure and feasibility challenges in many countries have impeded efforts to provide and evaluate treatment. Studies assessing aspects of quality of life among women living with cervical cancer are severely limited (4.1 %). Across all categories, 11.3 % of publications focused on cervical cancer among HIV-infected women, while 17.1 % focused on aspects of feasibility for cervical cancer control efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical cancer research in African countries has increased steadily over the past decade, but more is needed. Tertiary prevention (i.e. treatment of disease with effective medicine) and quality of life of cervical cancer survivors are two severely under-researched areas. Similarly, there are several countries in Africa with little to no research ever conducted on cervical cancer.

A serum-circulating long noncoding RNA signature can discriminate between patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma and healthy controls

Serum biomarkers have not been fully incorporated into clinical use for the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The recent discovery of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have been reported in a variety of cancer types, suggested a promising new class of biomarkers for tumour diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the levels of circulating lncRNAs could be used as a tumour marker to discriminate between clear cell RCC (ccRCC) patients and healthy controls. Serum samples were collected from 71 ccRCC patients including 62 age- and sex-matched healthy controls and 8 patients with benign renal tumours. Eighty-two cancer-associated lncRNAs were assessed by reverse transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in paired tissues and serum. A 5-lncRNA signature, including lncRNA-LET, PVT1, PANDAR, PTENP1 and linc00963, were identified and validated in the training set and testing set, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curves for this serum 5-lncRNA signature were 0.900 and 0.823 for the two sets of serum samples. Moreover, five-minus-one lncRNA signatures demonstrated that none of the lncRNAs had a higher area under the curve than the others in either set. A risk model for the serum 5-lncRNA signature also determined that benign renal tumours can be distinguished from ccRCC samples. This work may facilitate the detection of ccRCC and serve as the basis for further studies of the clinical value of serum lncRNAs in maintaining surveillance and forecasting prognosis.

Evaluation of Cervical Cancer Screening Programs in Côte d'Ivoire, Guyana, and Tanzania: Effect of HIV Status

Background

HIV infection increases a woman’s risk for cervical cancer, and cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates are higher in countries with high HIV prevalence and limited resources for screening. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) allows screening and treatment of cervical lesions in a single-visit approach (SVA), but data on its performance in HIV-infected women are limited. This study’s objective was to examine cervical cancer screening using VIA/SVA in programs serving HIV-infected women.

Methods

A VIA/SVA program with cryotherapy for VIA-positive lesions was implemented in Côte d’Ivoire, Guyana, and Tanzania from 2009 to 2012. The effect of HIV status on VIA positivity and on presence of cryotherapy-eligible lesions was examined using a cross-sectional study design, with Chi-square tests for comparisons and constructed multivariate logistic regression models. A P-value of < 0.05 was significant.

Findings

VIA was performed on 34,921 women, 10% (3,580) were VIA positive; 2,508 (85%) eligible women received cryotherapy during the same visit; only 234 (52%) of those who postponed returned for treatment; 622 (17%) VIA-positive women had lesions too large to be treated with cryotherapy and were referred for excisional treatment. In multivariate analysis—controlling for HIV status, location of the screening clinic, facility location, facility type, and country—compared to HIV-uninfected/unknown women, HIV-infected women had higher odds of being VIA positive (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.76, 2.16, P<0.0001) and of having large lesions requiring referral (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.49, 2.51, P< 0.0001). Minor treatment complications occurred in 19 of 3,032 (0.63%) women; none required further intervention.

Conclusions

This study found that compared to HIV-uninfected/unknown women, HIV-infected women had nearly twice the odds of being VIA-positive and to require referral for large lesions. SVA was safe and resulted in significant reductions in loss to follow-up. There is increased need for excisional treatment in countries with high HIV prevalence.