Prevalence, socio-demographics and service use determinants associated with disclosure of HIV/AIDS status to infected children: a systematic review and meta-analysis by 1985-2021

Factors Associated with HIV Testing among Male Students Who Have Engaged in Sexual Behaviour in Zhejiang Province, China

Objective

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, identify factors associated with HIV testing among male students who have engaged in sexual behaviour in Zhejiang province, and provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of HIV infection on campus.

Methods

Stratified cluster random sampling analysis was performed, which included general characteristics, sexual attitudes, sexual behaviours, information on HIV testing, and self-risk assessment for HIV infection. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the influencing factors.

Results

Among 2734 male students who have engaged in sexual behaviour, 319 (11.7%) had undergone HIV antibody testing in the previous year. The results of multivariate analysis demonstrated that the participants who were in the junior grade level (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.59, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.10-2.30) exhibited acceptance to male homosexual behaviour (AOR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.19-2.52), had been exposed to testing publicity in the previous year (AOR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.06-2.15), had been exposed to self-risk assessment for HIV infection (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.99-3.55), had male or bisexual partners (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.05-2.46), had a score for the scale indicating awareness of different testing methods between 2 and 5 (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.51-3.16) or greater than 6 (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.01-2.66), and had a score for the scale indicating knowledge of different testing facilities between 3 and 5 (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.00-2.66) were inclined to engage in HIV testing.

Conclusions

In this study, the proportion of HIV-testing among male students who have engaged in sexual behaviour was low. This study revealed that students who exhibited acceptance to male homosexual behaviours had been exposed to publicity for HIV testing or a self-risk assessment for HIV infection which were more inclined to engage in HIV testing. Our study underscores the urgent need to enhance educational interventions concerning HIV risks and warnings as part of the health education curriculum on campus. The graveness of the AIDS epidemic among students necessitates this emphasis. Moreover, we recommend deploying condom-dispensing machines or HIV testing facilities across the campus for easy access to preventive and testing services for HIV.

Anemia is independently associated with mortality in people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome: A propensity score matching-based retrospective cohort study in China

Although previous studies have suggested that hemoglobin is related to the health status of people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (PLWHA), the role of anemia in mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively quantify the effect of anemia on the mortality risk of PLWHA. In this retrospective cohort study, we thoroughly estimated the effect of anemia on PLWHA mortality, using data collected from January 2005 to June 2022 in the Huzhou area, in 450 subjects extracted from the database of the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System and matched them using a propensity score matching approach to balance potential confounding bias. The potential exposure-response relationship between anemia, hemoglobin concentration, and the mortality of PLWHA was also carefully estimated. A series of subgroup analyses, including interaction analysis, was further conducted to validate the robustness of the effect of anemia on PLWHA death risk. Anemia was significantly associated with an elevated death risk in PLWHA, with an increase of 74% (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-2.93; p = 0.038) in those with anemia after adjusting for potential confounders. PLWHA with moderate or severe anemia had a higher risk of death, with an 86% increase (AHR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.01-3.42; p = 0.045). Meanwhile, the AHR tended to increase by 85% on average (AHR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.37-2.50; p < 0.001) with a per standard deviation (SD) decrease in plasma hemoglobin. Consistent relationships between plasma hemoglobin and the risk of death were further observed in the results from multiple quantile regression models, restricted cubic spline regression models, and a series of subgroup analyses. Anemia is an independent risk factor for HIV/AIDS-related mortality. Our findings may provide new insights into the relevance of PLWHA administration to public health policy, which demonstrate that this low-cost and routinely measured marker (hemoglobin) can be a marker of poor prognosis even before the start of HAART.

Factors Influencing Survival Status of HIV/AIDS after HAART in Huzhou City, Eastern China

Background

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can effectively reduce the risk of death and opportunistic infections in patients with HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to analyse the survival status and its influencing factors in HIV/AIDS after HAART.

Methods

The data on patients' sociodemographic characteristics, treatment information, and follow-up results from the Information Management System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention were obtained. Bivariate and stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 1812 participants were included in this study, of which 1716 were still alive (survival group) and 96 had died (death group). The results indicated that respondents who were elderly (HR = 1.053, 95% CI: 1.037–1.069, P < 0.01), who had heterosexual transmission (HR = 2.422, 95% CI: 1.314–4.465, P < 0.01) and whose current WHO clinical stage was stage III or IV (HR = 2.399, 95% CI: 1.215–4.735, P < 0.05) were more likely to have died; respondents whose baseline CD4⁺ T-lymphocyte count was equal to or more than 200 cells/μL (HR = 0.412, 95% CI: 0.275–0.616, P < 0.05) were unlikely to have died.

Conclusions

It is recommended that HAART be provided to HIV/AIDS patients at an early clinical stage and that the health services for HIV/AIDS patients after taking medicines be strengthened, which will help promote adherence to therapeutic regimens and improve quality of life.