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Burns PA, Mutunga C. Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Sexual and Reproductive Health Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. GLOBAL HEALTH, SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2024; 12:GHSP-D-23-00374. [PMID: 38365281 PMCID: PMC10906547 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-23-00374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to better understand the role of climate change on sexual and reproductive health outcomes, particularly among adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries. Stakeholders at all levels should apply a rights-based, gendered approach to climate action and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Burns
- Department of Population Health Science, John D. Bower School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
- U.S. Agency for International Development, Bureau for Global Health, Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Division of Research, Technology and Utilization, Washington, DC
- American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC
| | - Clive Mutunga
- BUILD (Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning & Reproductive Health and Population, Environment and Development Action), The African Institute for Development for Policy, Lilongwe, Malawi
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Shangani S, Masa R, Zimba M, Zimba G, Operario D. Food insecurity and depressive symptoms among young people living with HIV in Eastern Zambia. Int J STD AIDS 2024; 35:25-32. [PMID: 37707955 DOI: 10.1177/09564624231201917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Background: Mental health problems are common among people living with HIV/AIDS and contribute to poor HIV-related outcomes, including AIDS-related mortality. We examined the association between severe food insecurity and depressive symptoms in young people living with HIV (YPLH) in Zambia. Methods: We sampled 120 youth living with HIV aged 18-21 years in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Household food insecurity was measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Mental health was assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form. We fitted linear regression models to assess whether food insecurity is associated with depressive symptoms. Results: The mean age was 19 years, and 63% were female. Overall, 43% were severely food insecure. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables and other confounders, severely food insecure participants were more likely to report depressive symptoms (β = 0.81, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.07-1.55) and engagement in sex work (β = 1.78, 95% CI 0.32-3.25). Conclusion: Almost half of the sample reported severe food insecurity which was associated with depressive symptoms. Interventions aimed at improving food insecurity may have beneficial effects on mental health and HIV outcomes among young people living with HIV in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Shangani
- School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rainier Masa
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mathias Zimba
- Rising Fountains Development Program, Lundazi, Zambia
| | - Gilbert Zimba
- Rising Fountains Development Program, Lundazi, Zambia
| | - Don Operario
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Idrisov B, Lunze K, Cheng DM, Blokhina E, Gnatienko N, Patts G, Bridden C, Rossi SL, Weiser SD, Krupitsky E, Samet JH. Food Insecurity and Transmission Risks Among People with HIV Who Use Substances. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:2376-2389. [PMID: 36670209 PMCID: PMC9859749 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03965-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) impacts people with HIV (PWH) and those who use substances (i.e. drugs and alcohol). We evaluated the longitudinal association between FI and HIV transmission risks (unprotected sexual contacts and shared needles/syringes). Among 351 PWH who use substances in Russia, 51.6% reported FI and 37.0% past month injection drug use. The mean number of unprotected sexual contacts in the past 90 days was 13.4 (SD 30.1); 9.7% reported sharing needles/syringes in the past month. We did not find a significant association between mild/moderate FI (adjusted IRR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.47, 1.61) or severe FI (aIRR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.46, 1.54; global p = 0.85) and unprotected sexual contacts. We observed a significant association between severe FI and sharing needles/syringes in the past month (adjusted OR = 3.27, 95% CI 1.45, 7.39; p = 0.004), but not between mild/moderate FI and sharing needles/syringes in the past month (aOR = 1.40,95% CI 0.58, 3.38; p = 0.45). These findings suggest that severe FI could be a potential target for interventions to lower HIV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bulat Idrisov
- Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa, Russia.
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98195-7660, USA.
| | - Karsten Lunze
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debbie M Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena Blokhina
- Lab of Clinical Pharmacology of Addictions, Pavlov University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalia Gnatienko
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory Patts
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carly Bridden
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah L Rossi
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- Lab of Clinical Pharmacology of Addictions, Pavlov University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Jeffrey H Samet
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Nagata JM, Hampshire K, Epstein A, Lin F, Zakaras J, Murnane P, Charlebois ED, Tsai AC, Nash D, Weiser SD. Analysis of Heavy Rainfall in Sub-Saharan Africa and HIV Transmission Risk, HIV Prevalence, and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2005-2017. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2230282. [PMID: 36074468 PMCID: PMC9459663 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.30282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Extreme precipitation, including heavy rains and flooding, is associated with poor health outcomes mediated in part by decreases in income and food production. However, the association between heavy rains and HIV burden is unknown. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between heavy rainfall, HIV prevalence, and HIV transmission risk over a 12-year span in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional population-based study, using data collected from the 2005-2017 Demographic and Health Surveys, was conducted in 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and analyzed from July 29, 2021, to June 14, 2022. EXPOSURES Heavy rainfall was defined based on the extent to which annual rainfall deviated from the historical average (standardized precipitation index ≥1.5) at the enumeration area level. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES HIV, self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and number of sexual partners. RESULTS The study included 288 333 participants aged 15 to 59 years; 172 344 were women (59.8%), and 183 378 were married (63.6%). Mean (SD) age was 31.9 (10.0) years. Overall, 42.4% of participants were exposed to at least 1 year of heavy rainfall in the past 10 years. Each year of heavy rainfall was associated with 1.14 (95% CI, 1.11-1.18) times the odds of HIV infection and 1.11 (95% CI, 1.07-1.15) times the odds of an STI in the past 12 months. There was also an association between heavy rainfall and the reported number of sexual partners (incident rate ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.10-1.15). The odds were greater for the association between heavy rainfall and HIV prevalence and STIs among participants aged older than 20 years and participants in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The findings of this study suggest that heavy rainfall was associated with a higher HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa. The association between heavy rainfall and STIs and number of sexual partners suggests that an increase in the risk of sexual transmission is a plausible mechanism for the observed findings around HIV prevalence. Heavy rainfall could also worsen food insecurity, increasing the risk of transactional sex, or cause damage to public health infrastructure, reducing access to STI education, HIV testing, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Karly Hampshire
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Adrienne Epstein
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Feng Lin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | - Pamela Murnane
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | - Alexander C. Tsai
- Center for Global Health and Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Denis Nash
- Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, City University of New York, New York
| | - Sheri D. Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
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Low A, Gummerson E, Schwitters A, Bonifacio R, Teferi M, Mutenda N, Ayton S, Juma J, Ahpoe C, Ginindza C, Patel H, Biraro S, Sachathep K, Hakim AJ, Barradas D, Hassani AS, Kirungi W, Jackson K, Goeke L, Philips N, Mulenga L, Ward J, Hong S, Rutherford G, Findley S. Food insecurity and the risk of HIV acquisition: findings from population-based surveys in six sub-Saharan African countries (2016-2017). BMJ Open 2022; 12:e058704. [PMID: 35820770 PMCID: PMC9277378 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the potential bidirectional relationship between food insecurity and HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN Nationally representative HIV impact assessment household-based surveys. SETTING Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Uganda and Tanzania and Namibia. PARTICIPANTS 112 955 survey participants aged 15-59 years with HIV and recency test results. MEASURES Recent HIV infection (within 6 months) classified using the HIV-1 limited antigen avidity assay, in participants with an unsuppressed viral load (>1000 copies/mL) and no detectable antiretrovirals; severe food insecurity (SFI) defined as having no food in the house ≥three times in the past month. RESULTS Overall, 10.3% of participants lived in households reporting SFI. SFI was most common in urban, woman-headed households, and in people with chronic HIV infection. Among women, SFI was associated with a twofold increase in risk of recent HIV infection (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 2.08, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.97). SFI was also associated with transactional sex (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.41), a history of forced sex (aRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.66) and condom-less sex with a partner of unknown or positive HIV status (aRR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14) in all women, and intergenerational sex (partner ≥10 years older) in women aged 15-24 years (aRR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.46). Recent receipt of food support was protective against HIV acquisition (aRR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.88). CONCLUSION SFI increased risk for HIV acquisition in women by twofold. Heightened food insecurity during climactic extremes could imperil HIV epidemic control, and food support to women with SFI during these events could reduce HIV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Low
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gummerson
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amee Schwitters
- Strategic Information, Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Ctr Dis Control, Maseru, Lesotho
| | | | - Mekleet Teferi
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicholus Mutenda
- Directorate for Special Programs, Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Sarah Ayton
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - James Juma
- The Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, National AIDS Control Program, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Claudia Ahpoe
- Needs Assessment and Analysis, World Food Programme, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Hetal Patel
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Samuel Biraro
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karam Sachathep
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Avi J Hakim
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Danielle Barradas
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ahmed Saadani Hassani
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | - Keisha Jackson
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Leah Goeke
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Neena Philips
- ICAP at Columbia, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lloyd Mulenga
- Zambia Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia
- School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Jennifer Ward
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Steven Hong
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - George Rutherford
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sally Findley
- Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Sernick A, Shannon K, Ranville F, Arora K, Magagula P, Shoveller J, Krüsi A. In the midst of plenty: Experiences of food insecurity amongst women living with HIV in Vancouver, Canada. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2022; 30:e138-e147. [PMID: 33978282 PMCID: PMC8586035 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, people living with HIV (PLWH) are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. Yet there is limited understanding of the impacts of food insecurity among cisgender and transgender women living with HIV (WLWH) in high-income countries. Thus, it is critical to examine the lived experiences of WLWH and food insecurity to inform policy and service provision. As part of the community-based SHAWNA (Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS: Women's Longitudinal Needs Assessment) study, we conducted 64 semistructured qualitative interviews with WLWH in Vancouver, Canada (2015-2017). Drawing on a socio-ecological framework, this analysis explores the lived experiences of navigating food security and health among WLWH in Metro Vancouver. Our findings indicate that WLWH relied heavily on food banks and other food-related supportive services. Despite the abundance of programs, access to nutritious foods remained difficult, and women often relied on processed foods that were more affordable and readily available. For many, food insecurity was exacerbated by unresponsive food services regulations that did not reflect the actual needs of food service users in terms of opening hours and locations, and a lack of nutritious food. Additionally, the absence of trauma-aware, women-centred and culturally responsive services, as well as, spatial and material barriers related to the recent loss of funding for HIV-specific support services, impeded food security among WLWH. Our findings emphasise that recognizing and addressing the social and structural disparities that exist for WLWH in high-income setting are essential for addressing food insecurity and ultimately optimal health among this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Sernick
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kate Shannon
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Flo Ranville
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kamal Arora
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patience Magagula
- Afro-Canadian Positive Network of British Columbia, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jean Shoveller
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Andrea Krüsi
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Onono MA, Odhiambo G, Sheira L, Conroy A, Neilands TB, Bukusi EA, Weiser SD. The role of food security in increasing adolescent girls' agency towards sexual risk taking: qualitative findings from an income generating agricultural intervention in southwestern Kenya. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2028. [PMID: 34742285 PMCID: PMC8572417 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12051-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity is an important underlying driver of HIV risk and vulnerability among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, adolescents account for 80% of all new HIV infections. The primary purpose of this analysis is to understand perceived mechanisms for how a multisectoral agricultural intervention influenced sexual risk taking among HIV-affected adolescents in southwestern Kenya. METHODS We conducted semi-structured, individual interviews with 34 adolescent-caregiver dyads who were participants in Adolescent Shamba Maisha (NCT03741634), a sub-study of adolescent girls and caregivers with a household member participating in the Shamba Maisha trial (NCT01548599), a multi-sectoral agricultural and microfinance intervention. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using framework and interpretive description analysis methods. RESULTS Adolescents receiving the Shamba Maisha intervention described no longer needing to engage in transactional sex or have multiple concurrent sexual partners as a way to meet their basic needs, including food. Key mechanisms for these effects include greater sexual agency among adolescent girls, and increased confidence and self-efficacy in overcoming existing reciprocity norms and sexual relationship power inequity; as well as staying in school. The intervention also increased caregiver confidence in talking about adolescent sexual reproductive health issues. In contrast, driven primarily by the need for food and basic needs, girls in the control arms described engaging in transactional sex, having multiple sexual partners, being unable to focus in school, getting pregnant or becoming HIV infected. CONCLUSION These findings emphasize the need to address food insecurity as a part of structural interventions targeting adolescent HIV risk in low-resource countries. We recommend that future interventions build upon the Shamba Maisha model by combining sustainable agricultural production, with household level interventions that deliberately target gender norms that contribute to unequal power dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maricianah A Onono
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Microbiology Research, P.O. Box 19669-40123, Kisumu, Kenya.
| | - Gladys Odhiambo
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Microbiology Research, P.O. Box 19669-40123, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Lila Sheira
- Department of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Amy Conroy
- Division of Prevention Science, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- Division of Prevention Science, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Bukusi
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Microbiology Research, P.O. Box 19669-40123, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Department of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
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Logie CH, Toccalino D, Reed AC, Malama K, Newman PA, Weiser S, Harris O, Berry I, Adedimeji A. Exploring linkages between climate change and sexual health: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e054720. [PMID: 34663670 PMCID: PMC8524293 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The effects of climate change and associated extreme weather events (EWEs) present substantial threats to well-being. EWEs hold the potential to harm sexual health through pathways including elevated exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), disrupted healthcare access, and increased sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The WHO defines four components of sexual health: comprehensive sexuality education; HIV and STI prevention and care; SGBV prevention and care; and psychosexual counselling. Yet, knowledge gaps remain regarding climate change and its associations with these sexual health domains. This scoping review will therefore explore the linkages between climate change and sexual health. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Five electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL) will be searched using text words and subject headings (eg, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), Emtree) related to sexual health and climate change from the inception of each database to May 2021. Grey literature and unpublished reports will be searched using a comprehensive search strategy, including from the WHO, World Bank eLibrary, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The scoping review will consider studies that explore: (a) climate change and EWEs including droughts, heat waves, wildfires, dust storms, hurricanes, flooding rains, coastal flooding and storm surges; alongside (b) sexual health, including: comprehensive sexual health education, sexual health counselling, and HIV/STI acquisition, prevention and/or care, and/or SGBV, including intimate partner violence, sexual assault and rape. Searches will not be limited by language, publication year or geographical location. We will consider quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods and review articles for inclusion. We will conduct thematic analysis of findings. Data will be presented in narrative and tabular forms. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION There are no formal ethics requirements as we are not collecting primary data. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and shared at international conferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen H Logie
- Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Danielle Toccalino
- Rehabilitation Science Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna Cooper Reed
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kalonde Malama
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter A Newman
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sheri Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Orlando Harris
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Isha Berry
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adebola Adedimeji
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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9
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Richterman A, Block JP, Tsai AC, Ivers LC. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility and HIV Incidence in the United States. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab101. [PMID: 34409118 PMCID: PMC8368054 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The connection between food insecurity and HIV outcomes is well established. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the primary food safety net program in the United States, may have collateral impacts on HIV incidence. “Broad-based categorical eligibility” for SNAP is a policy that provides a mechanism for states to increase the income or asset limits for SNAP eligibility. Methods We estimated the association between the number of new HIV diagnoses in 2010–2014 for each state and (1) state income limits and (2) state asset limits for SNAP eligibility. We fitted multivariable negative binomial regression models with number of HIV diagnoses specified as the outcome; SNAP policies as the primary explanatory variable of interest; state and year fixed effects; and time-varying covariates related to the costs of food, health care, housing, employment, other SNAP policies, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families spending. Results HIV diagnoses within states had a statistically significant association with state income limits for SNAP eligibility (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.94 per increase in the income limit by 35% of federal poverty level; 95% CI, 0.91–0.98), but no association with state asset limits (increased asset limit vs no change: IRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94–1.10; eliminated asset limit vs no change: IRR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.99–1.10). Conclusions State income limits for SNAP eligibility were inversely associated with the number of new HIV diagnoses for states between 2010 and 2014. Proposals to eliminate the use of broad-based categorical eligibility to increase the income limit for SNAP may undercut efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Richterman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason P Block
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Louise C Ivers
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Leddy AM, Zakaras JM, Shieh J, Conroy AA, Ofotokun I, Tien PC, Weiser SD. Intersections of food insecurity, violence, poor mental health and substance use among US women living with and at risk for HIV: Evidence of a syndemic in need of attention. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252338. [PMID: 34038490 PMCID: PMC8153505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Food insecurity and intimate partner violence (IPV) are associated with suboptimal HIV prevention and treatment outcomes, yet limited research has explored how food insecurity and IPV intersect to influence HIV-related behaviors. To fill this gap, we conducted a qualitative study with women living with or at risk for HIV in the United States. Methods We conducted 24 in-depth interviews with women enrolled in the San Francisco and Atlanta sites of the Women’s Interagency HIV study (WIHS). Participants were purposively sampled so half were living with HIV and all reported food insecurity and IPV in the past year. Semi-structured interviews explored experiences with food insecurity and IPV, how these experiences might be related and influence HIV risk and treatment behaviors. Analysis was guided by an inductive-deductive approach. Results A predominant theme centered on how food insecurity and IPV co-occur with poor mental health and substance use to influence HIV-related behaviors. Women described how intersecting experiences of food insecurity and IPV negatively affected their mental health, with many indicating using substances to “feel no pain”. Substance use, in turn, was described to perpetuate food insecurity, IPV, and poor mental health in a vicious cycle, ultimately facilitating HIV risk behaviors and preventing HIV treatment adherence. Conclusions Food insecurity, IPV, poor mental health and substance use intersect and negatively influence HIV prevention and treatment behaviors. Findings offer preliminary evidence of a syndemic that goes beyond the more widely studied “SAVA” (substance use, AIDS, and violence) syndemic, drawing attention to additional constructs of mental health and food insecurity. Quantitative research must further characterize the extent and size of this syndemic. Policies that address the social and structural drivers of this syndemic, including multi-level and trauma-informed approaches, should be implemented and evaluated to assess their impact on this syndemic and its negative health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Leddy
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M Zakaras
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Shieh
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Amy A Conroy
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Ighovwerha Ofotokun
- School of Medicine, Emory University and Grady Healthcare System, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Phyllis C Tien
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America.,Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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Obiero J, Ogongo P, Mwethera PG, Wiysonge CS. Topical microbicides for preventing sexually transmitted infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021; 3:CD007961. [PMID: 33719075 PMCID: PMC8092571 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd007961.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This is a updated version of our Cochrane Review published in Issue 6, 2012. Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise worldwide, imposing an enormous morbidity and mortality burden. Effective prevention strategies, including microbicides, are needed to achieve the goals of the World Heath Organization (WHO) global strategy for the prevention and control of these infections. OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness and safety of topical microbicides for preventing acquisition of STIs, including HIV. SEARCH METHODS We undertook a comprehensive search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, CLIB, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and reference lists of relevant articles up to August 2020. In addition, we contacted relevant organisations and experts. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials of vaginal microbicides compared to placebo (except for nonoxynol-9 because it is covered in related Cochrane Reviews). Eligible participants were sexually-active non-pregnant, WSM and MSM, who had no laboratory confirmed STIs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened and selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risks of bias in duplicate, resolving differences by consensus. We conducted a fixed-effect meta-analysis, stratified by type of microbicide, and assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS We included eight trials from the earlier version of the review and four new trials, i.e. a total of 12 trials with 32,464 participants (all WSM). We did not find any eligible study that enrolled MSM or reported fungal STI as an outcome. We have no study awaiting assessment. All 12 trials were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, with one having a study site in the USA, and another having a site in India. Vaginal microbicides tested were BufferGel and PRO 2000 (1 trial, 3101 women), Carraguard (1 trial, 6202 women), cellulose sulphate (2 trials, 3069 women), dapivirine (2 trials, 4588 women), PRO 2000 (1 trial, 9385 women), C31G (SAVVY) (2 trials, 4295 women), and tenofovir (3 trials, 4958 women). All microbicides were compared to placebo and all trials had low risk of bias. Dapivirine probably reduces the risk of acquiring HIV infection: risk ratio (RR) 0.71, (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57 to 0.89, I2 = 0%, 2 trials, 4588 women; moderate-certainty evidence). The other microbicides may result in little to no difference in the risk of acquiring HIV (low-certainty evidence); including tenofovir (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.02, cellulose sulphate (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.95, BufferGel (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.52), Carraguard (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.11), PRO 2000 (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.14), and SAVVY (RR 1.38, 95% CI 0.79 to 2.41). Existing evidence suggests that cellulose sulphate (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.37 to 2.62, 1 trial, 1425 women), and PRO 2000 (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.23) may result in little to no difference in the risk of getting herpes simplex virus type 2 infection (low-certainty evidence). Two studies reported data on tenofovir's effect on this virus. One suggested that tenofovir may reduce the risk (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.82; 224 participants) while the other did not find evidence of an effect (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.03; 1003 participants). We have not reported the pooled result because of substantial heterogeneity of effect between the two studies (l2 = 85%). The evidence also suggests that dapivirine (RR 1.70, 95% CI 0.63 to 4.59), tenofovir (RR 1.27, 95% CI 0.58 to 2.78), cellulose sulphate (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.81), and (Carraguard (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.52) may have little or no effect on the risk of acquiring syphilis (low-certainty evidence). In addition, dapivirine (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.07), tenofovir (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.13), cellulose sulphate (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.99), BufferGel (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.45), Carraguard (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.12), and PRO 2000 (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.22) may result in little to no difference in the risk of acquiring chlamydia infection (low-certainty evidence). The evidence also suggests that current topical microbicides may not have an effect on the risk of acquiring gonorrhoea, condyloma acuminatum, trichomoniasis, or human papillomavirus infection (low-certainty evidence). Microbicide use in the 12 trials, compared to placebo, did not lead to any difference in adverse event rates. No study reported on acceptability of the intervention. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence shows that vaginal dapivirine microbicide probably reduces HIV acquisition in women who have sex with men. Other types of vaginal microbicides have not shown evidence of an effect on acquisition of STIs, including HIV. Further research should continue on the development and testing of new microbicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jael Obiero
- Department of Reproductive Health and Biology, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul Ogongo
- Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Peter G Mwethera
- Head, Reproductive Health & Biology, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Charles S Wiysonge
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
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Horwood C, Haskins L, Hinton R, Connolly C, Luthuli S, Rollins N. Addressing the interaction between food insecurity, depression risk and informal work: findings of a cross-sectional survey among informal women workers with young children in South Africa. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2021; 21:2. [PMID: 33388054 PMCID: PMC7777389 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-020-01147-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background There is a high burden of depression globally, including in South Africa. Maternal depression is associated with poverty, unstable income, food insecurity, and lack of partner support, and may lead to poor outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa one-third of working women are in informal work, which is associated with socioeconomic vulnerability. Methods A cross sectional survey explored work setting and conditions, food security and risk of depression among informal working women with young children (0–3 years). Depression risk was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score (EPDS) and Whooley score. Food insecurity was evaluated using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS and Stata. Results Interviews were conducted with 265 informal women workers. Types of work included domestic work, home-based work, informal employees and own account workers, most of whom were informal traders. Most participants (149/265; 56.2%) earned between US$70–200 per month, but some participants (79/265; 29.8%) earned < US$70 per month, and few earned > US$200 per month (37/265; 14.0%). Many participants experienced mild (38/267; 14.3%), moderate (72/265; 27.2%) or severe (43/265; 16%) food insecurity. Severe food insecurity was significantly higher among participants with the lowest income compared to those with the highest income (p = 0.027). Women who received financial support from the baby’s father were less likely to be food insecure (p = 0.03). Using EPDS scores, 22/265 (8.3%) women were designated as being at risk of depression. This was similar among postnatal women and women with older children. Household food insecurity was significantly associated with depression risk (p < 0.001). Conclusions Informal women workers were shown to be vulnerable with low incomes and high rates of food insecurity, thus increasing the risk for poor maternal health. However, levels of depression risk were low compared to previous estimates in South Africa, suggesting that informal workers may have high levels of resilience. Interventions to improve social protection, access to health services, and support for safe childcare in the workplace could improve the health and wellbeing of these mothers and support them to care for their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Horwood
- Centre for Rural Health, George Campbell Building, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
| | - Lyn Haskins
- Centre for Rural Health, George Campbell Building, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Catherine Connolly
- Centre for Rural Health, George Campbell Building, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Silondile Luthuli
- Centre for Rural Health, George Campbell Building, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nigel Rollins
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Nagata JM, Palar K, Gooding HC, Garber AK, Tabler JL, Whittle HJ, Bibbins-Domingo K, Weiser SD. Food Insecurity, Sexual Risk, and Substance Use in Young Adults. J Adolesc Health 2021; 68:169-177. [PMID: 32682597 PMCID: PMC7755757 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the study was to determine the association between food insecurity, sexual risk behaviors, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and substance use in a nationally representative sample of U.S. young adults. METHODS Cross-sectional nationally representative data of U.S. young adults aged 24-32 years from Wave IV (2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were analyzed. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted with food insecurity as the independent variable and self-reported STIs, sexual risk behaviors, and substance use as the dependent variables, adjusting for covariates and stratifying by sex. RESULTS Of the 14,786 young adults in the sample, 14% of young women and 9% of young men were food insecure. Food-insecure young women had greater odds of any STI, HIV, chlamydia, exchanging sex for money, and multiple concurrent sex partners in the past 12 months compared to young women reporting food security, adjusting for covariates. Food insecurity was associated with higher odds of any STI, chlamydia, and exchanging sex for money among young men who identify as gay or bisexual, but not in the general population of young men. Food insecurity was associated with greater odds of marijuana use, methamphetamine use, and nonmedical use of prescription opioids, sedatives, and stimulants in both young men and women. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity is associated with risk behaviors and self-reported STIs, including HIV, in young adulthood. Health care providers should screen for food insecurity in young adults and provide referrals when appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
| | - Kartika Palar
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Holly C Gooding
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Andrea K Garber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Jennifer L Tabler
- Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Henry J Whittle
- Centre for Psychiatry, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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Wynn A, Rotheram-Borus MJ, Davis E, le Roux I, Almirol E, O'Connor M, Tomlinson M. Identifying fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among South African children at aged 1 and 5 years. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 217:108266. [PMID: 32956976 PMCID: PMC7736512 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are a global health concern. Early intervention mitigates deficits, yet early diagnosis remains challenging. We examined whether children can be screened and meet diagnoses for FASD at 1.5 years compared to 5 years post-birth. METHODS A population cohort of pregnant women in 24 neighborhoods (N = 1258) was recruited and 84.5 %-96 % were reassessed at two weeks post-birth, 0.5 years, 1.5 years, 3 years, and 5 years later. A two-step process was followed to diagnose FASD; first, a paraprofessional screened the children and then a physician evaluated the child. We evaluated FASD symptoms at 1.5 vs. 5 years. We also examined maternal differences in children receiving a positive FASD screening (n = 160) with those who received a negative FASD screening. RESULTS Screening positive for FASD more than doubled from 1.5 years to 5 years (from 6.8 % to 14.8 %). About one quarter of children who screened positive and were evaluated by a physician, were diagnosed as having a FASD. However, half did not complete the 2nd stage screening. Compared to mothers of children with a negative FASD screening, mothers of children with a positive FASD screening were less likely to have a high school education and more likely to have lower incomes, have experienced interpersonal partner violence, and have a depressed mood. Mothers of children who did not follow up for a 2nd stage physician evaluation were more like to live in informal housing compared to those who followed-up (81.3 % vs. 62.5 %, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS We found that children can be screened and diagnosed for FASD at 1.5 and 5 years. As FASD characteristics develop over time, repeated screenings are necessary to identify all affected children and launch preventive interventions. Referrals for children to see a physician to confirm diagnosis and link children to care remains a challenge. Integration with the primary healthcare system might mitigate some of those difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriane Wynn
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92024, USA
| | - Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
| | - Emily Davis
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Ingrid le Roux
- Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project, Khayelitsha, South Africa
| | - Ellen Almirol
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Mary O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Mark Tomlinson
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University, Belfast, UK
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Austin KF, Noble MD, Berndt VK. Drying Climates and Gendered Suffering: Links Between Drought, Food Insecurity, and Women's HIV in Less-Developed Countries. SOCIAL INDICATORS RESEARCH 2020; 154:313-334. [PMID: 33250551 PMCID: PMC7685297 DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02562-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
HIV/AIDS represents the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age globally, and gender inequalities in the burden of HIV/AIDS are most pronounced in poorer countries. Drawing on ideas from feminist political ecology, we explore linkages between suffering from drought, food insecurity, and women's vulnerability to HIV. Using data from 91 less-developed countries, we construct a structural equation model to analyze the direct and indirect influence of these factors, alongside other socio-economic indicators, on the percentage of the adult population living with HIV that are women. We find that droughts are significant in shaping gender inequalities in the HIV burden indirectly through increased food insecurity. We draw on prior research to argue that due to gendered inequalities, food insecurity increases women's vulnerability to HIV by intensifying biological susceptibilities to the disease, reducing access to social and health resources, and motivating women to engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as transactional sex. Overall, our findings demonstrate that droughts serve as an important underlying factor in promoting HIV transmission among vulnerable women in poor countries, and that food insecurity is a key mechanism in driving this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly F. Austin
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, 31 Williams Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA
| | - Mark D. Noble
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Susquehanna University, 322 Fisher Hall, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870 USA
| | - Virginia Kuulei Berndt
- Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of Delaware, 322 Smith Hall, 18 Amstel Avenue, Newark, DE 19716 USA
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Weiser SD, Sheira LA, Palar K, Kushel M, Wilson TE, Adedimeji A, Merenstein D, Cohen M, Turan JM, Metsch L, Adimora AA, Ofotokun I, Wentz E, Tien PC, Frongillo EA. Mechanisms from Food Insecurity to Worse HIV Treatment Outcomes in US Women Living with HIV. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2020; 34:425-435. [PMID: 32941054 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2020.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) contributes to HIV-related morbidity and mortality, but the mechanisms whereby FI negatively impacts HIV health are untested. We tested the hypothesis that FI leads to poor HIV clinical outcomes through nutritional, mental health, and behavioral paths. We analyzed data from Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) among 1803 women living with HIV (WLWH) (8225 person-visits) collected from 2013 to 2015 biannually from nine sites across the United States participating in the WIHS. FI was measured with the US Household Food Security Survey Module. Outcomes included HIV viral nonsuppression, CD4 cell counts, and physical health status (PHS). We used longitudinal logistic and linear regression models with random effects to examine associations adjusting for covariates and path analysis to test nutritional, mental health, and behavioral paths. Increasing severity of FI was associated with unsuppressed viral load, lower CD4 counts, and worse PHS (all p < 0.05). Report of FI 6 months earlier was independently associated with most outcomes after adjusting for concurrent FI. For viral nonsuppression, the nutritional and behavioral paths accounted for 2.09% and 30.66% of the total effect, with the mental health path operating via serial mediation through the behavioral path. For CD4 count, the mental health and behavioral paths accounted for 15.21% and 17.0% of the total effect, respectively. For PHS, depressive symptoms accounted for 60.2% of the total effect. In conclusion, FI is associated with poor health among WLWH through different paths depending on the outcome. Interventions should target FI and its behavioral and mental health mechanisms to improve HIV outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheri D. Weiser
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lila A. Sheira
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kartika Palar
- Division of HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Margot Kushel
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tracey E. Wilson
- Department of Community Health Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Adebola Adedimeji
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Dan Merenstein
- Department of Family Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mardge Cohen
- Department of Medicine, Stroger Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Janet M. Turan
- Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Lisa Metsch
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adaora A. Adimora
- School of Medicine and UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ighovwerha Ofotokun
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Grady Healthcare System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Eryka Wentz
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Phyllis C. Tien
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Medical Service, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward A. Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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Structural determinants of gender inequality: why they matter for adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health. BMJ 2020. [PMCID: PMC7461912 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l6985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Barreto D, Shoveller J, Braschel M, Duff P, Shannon K. The Effect of Violence and Intersecting Structural Inequities on High Rates of Food Insecurity among Marginalized Sex Workers in a Canadian Setting. J Urban Health 2019; 96:605-615. [PMID: 30039301 PMCID: PMC6890872 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-018-0281-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Food security is both a basic human right and a public health necessity. Despite known gendered contexts of food insecurity, there is a dearth of research on prevalence and factors driving increased food insecurity for sex workers in a criminalized setting. The current study longitudinally examines the prevalence and structural and individual factors associated with increased odds of food insecurity among street and off-street sex workers in a Canadian urban setting. Prospective analyses drew on data from a community-based longitudinal cohort of cis and trans women in street and off-street sex work in An Evaluation of Sex Workers Health Access (2010-2014). The primary outcome was a time-updated measure of food insecurity, using the Radimer-Cornell scale. We used bivariable and multivariable logistic regression using generalized estimating equations to prospectively model correlates of food insecurity over a five-year period. Of 761 cis and trans women sex workers, 72.4% (n = 551) were food insecure over the study period. Over a third (35.2%, n = 268) identified as Indigenous and a quarter, 25.6% (n = 195) were of a gender/sexual minority. Within the 11.0% (n = 84) of women living with HIV, 96.4% (n = 81) were food insecure over the follow-up period. In multivariable analysis, Indigenous ancestry (AOR = 1.58 [95% CI 1.18, 2.10]), unstable housing (AOR = 1.27 [95% CI 1.03, 1.57]), stimulant use (AOR = 1.97 [95% CI 1.57, 2.45]), heroin use (AOR = 1.72 [95% CI 1.36, 2.19]), mental health diagnosis (AOR = 2.38 [95% CI 1.85, 3.05]), recent violence (AOR = 1.54 [95% CI 1.24, 1.91]), means of food access: reliant on food services only vs. self-sufficient (AOR = 1.78 [95% CI 1.38, 2.29]), and means of food access: both vs. self-sufficient (AOR = 2.29 [95% CI 1.84, 2.86]) were associated with food insecurity. In separate multivariable models, both recent and lifetime physical and/or sexual violence remained independently associated with food insecurity (AOR 1.54 [95% CI 1.24, 1.91]; AOR 4.62 [95% CI 2.99, 7.14], respectively). Almost all study participants living with HIV reported being food insecure. These intersecting risks demonstrate the negative impacts associated with living with HIV, experiencing food insecurity and/or physical or sexual violence. This study also highlights the potential for interventions that address structural inequities (e.g., decriminalizing sex work) to have crosscutting impacts to reduce barriers to accessing necessities (including food) or health and social services (e.g., methadone; primary care).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Barreto
- Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeannie Shoveller
- Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Melissa Braschel
- Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Putu Duff
- Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kate Shannon
- Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Chronic disease self-management within the monthly benefit cycle of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Public Health Nutr 2019; 22:2248-2259. [PMID: 31104648 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980019001071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study explored chronic disease management over the monthly benefit cycle among primary food shoppers from households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Philadelphia, PA, USA. DESIGN In-depth interviews, participant observation and surveys were conducted with the primary food shopper of SNAP households. SETTING Interviews and surveys were conducted in a clinical setting at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, at participants' homes, and in food procurement settings including grocery stores, food pantries and soup kitchens. PARTICIPANTS Eighteen adults who received SNAP; five with a diet-related chronic condition, five managing the chronic condition of a family member and thirteen with overweight or obesity. RESULTS All households had at least one member with a chronic disease or condition. Households reported that the dietary demands of managing chronic illnesses were expensive and mentally taxing. Food and financial shortfalls at the end of the benefit cycle, as well as reliance on charitable food assistance programmes, often had negative impacts on chronic disease self-management. CONCLUSIONS Drawing from nearly 50 h of in-depth qualitative interviews with SNAP participants, the study highlights the dual cognitive burden of poverty and chronic disease and elucidates the particular challenges of food procurement and maintenance of diet quality throughout the benefit month faced by SNAP households with diet-related chronic diseases. Interventions targeted at reducing the cost of medically appropriate, healthy foods may help to improve chronic disease self-management within SNAP populations.
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Abstract
The connection between gender and health has intrigued health professionals in the last few decades. Silencing-the-self theory has brought a considerable clarity in this matter. After around three decades of the theory, the literature related to the theory has immensely flourished and has covered different branches of psychology. The aim of the present work is to provide a comprehensive picture of the qualitative and quantitative research findings that have connected self-silencing to health and well-being of women. This article presents a critical review of relevant articles. These articles have used the self-silencing theory as an explanation of women's higher vulnerability to certain diseases as well as their experience with them. Self-silencing has been found to explain the gender gap in psychiatric disorders like depression, eating disorders and so on. It also influences the resilience and therapeutic effects among female patients with chronic conditions such as cancer, AIDS and so on. Moreover, self-silencing has also been found to be associated with women's health issues such as pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder. The present study discusses the existing literature in a narrative manner along with suggesting some relevant research gaps that can be worth exploring in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sucharita Maji
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Shikha Dixit
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
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Whittle HJ, Sheira LA, Frongillo EA, Palar K, Cohen J, Merenstein D, Wilson TE, Adedimeji A, Cohen MH, Adimora AA, Ofotokun I, Metsch L, Turan JM, Wentz EL, Tien PC, Weiser SD. Longitudinal associations between food insecurity and substance use in a cohort of women with or at risk for HIV in the United States. Addiction 2019; 114:127-136. [PMID: 30109752 PMCID: PMC6516859 DOI: 10.1111/add.14418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Few longitudinal studies have examined the relationship between food insecurity and substance use. We aimed to investigate this relationship using longitudinal data among women with or at risk for HIV in the United States. DESIGN Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a prospective cohort study. SETTING Nine sites across the United States. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2553 women with or at risk for HIV. MEASUREMENTS Semi-annual structured interviews were conducted during April 2013-March 2016. Food security (FS) was the primary predictor, measured using the Household Food Security Survey Module. Outcomes were: any illicit substance use except cannabis; licit or illicit cannabis use; stimulant use (crack, cocaine, or methamphetamine); opioid use (heroin or methadone in a non-prescribed way); and prescription drug misuse (prescription narcotics, amphetamines, or tranquilizers in a non-prescribed way) since the last visit. We used multivariable logistic regression with random effects to examine longitudinal associations of current and previous FS with the outcomes simultaneously, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, HIV serostatus, physical health and health insurance. FINDINGS Average number of visits was 4.6. At baseline, 71% of participants were HIV-seropositive, 44% reported marginal, low, or very low FS, and 13% were using illicit substances. In adjusted analyses, current low and very low FS were significantly associated with 1.59 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02, 2.46; P = 0.039] and 2.48 (95% CI = 1.52, 4.04; P < 0.001) higher odds of any illicit substance use, compared to high FS, and also with higher odds of cannabis, stimulant and opioid use, exhibiting a consistent dose-response relationship. Marginal, low, and very low FS at the previous visit were associated with 1.66 (95% CI = 1.08, 2.54; P = 0.020), 1.77 (95% CI = 1.14, 2.74; P = 0.011), and 2.28 (95% CI = 1.43, 3.64; P < 0.001) higher odds of current illicit substance use. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity appears to be longitudinally associated with substance use among US women with or at risk for HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lila A. Sheira
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Edward A. Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Educaton, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kartika Palar
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Cohen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Merenstein
- Department of Family Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Tracey E. Wilson
- Department of Community Health Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Adebola Adedimeji
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Adaora A. Adimora
- School of Medicine and UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ighovwerha Ofotokun
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Grady Healthcare System, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lisa Metsch
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janet M. Turan
- Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Eryka L. Wentz
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Phyllis C. Tien
- Department of Medicine, UCSF and Medical Service, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sheri D. Weiser
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA,Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Pellowski JA, Huedo-Medina TB, Kalichman SC. Food Insecurity, Substance Use, and Sexual Transmission Risk Behavior Among People Living with HIV: A Daily Level Analysis. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:1899-1907. [PMID: 28429158 PMCID: PMC5650554 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-0942-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
People living with HIV in poverty have limited tangible and mental resources coupled with competing demands for these resources. Competing demands require individuals to make choices that may be beneficial to them in the short term but not in the long term. Past research has shown that food insecurity is related to sexual risk behaviors among people living with HIV. Individuals who are food insecure may sell sex in order to obtain food or lack of food may lead to a depletion of mental resources to negotiate safe sex. Substance use may also create additional constraints on these already limited resources. The current study tested the relation between food insecurity and day-level sexual risk behavior and the possible mediating role that alcohol/substance use may play. Men and women living with HIV were enrolled in a 28-day prospective study between October 2012 and April 2014 in which they completed daily text message surveys regarding their sex behaviors and substance/alcohol use in the context of sex. A total of 796 participants reported sex on 3894 days. On days in which sex occurred, baseline food insecurity was negatively associated with daily condom use. There was also a significant effect of substance use in the context of sex on the rates of change in condom use over time, and this interaction between substance use and time was a partial mediator of the relation between food insecurity and condom use. Gender did not moderate this mediation. Situation-specific alcohol and drug use should be integrated into interventions that target food insecurity and HIV prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Pellowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 121 South Main Street, 2nd Floor, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - Tania B Huedo-Medina
- Department of Allied Health Sciences and Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Seth C Kalichman
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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Nyamathi A, Ekstrand M, Heylen E, Ramakrishna P, Yadav K, Sinha S, Hudson A, Carpenter CL, Arab L. Relationships Among Adherence and Physical and Mental Health Among Women Living with HIV in Rural India. AIDS Behav 2018; 22:867-876. [PMID: 27990577 PMCID: PMC5476510 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1631-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a cross-sectional examination of the physical and psychological factors related to ART adherence among a sample of 400 women living with HIV/AIDS in rural India. Interviewer-administered measures assessed adherence, internalized stigma, depressive symptoms, quality of life, food insecurity, health history and sociodemographic information. CD4 counts were measured using blood collected at screening. Findings revealed that adherence to ART was generally low, with 94% of women taking 50% or less of prescribed medication in past month. Multivariate analyses showed a non-linear association between numbers of self-reported opportunistic infections (OIs) in past 6 months (p = 0.016) and adherence, with adherence decreasing with each additional OI for 0-5 OIs. For those reporting more than 5 OIs, the association reversed direction, with increasing OIs beyond 5 associated with greater adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Nyamathi
- School of Nursing, University of California, Room 2-250, Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1702, USA.
| | - Maria Ekstrand
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elsa Heylen
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Kartik Yadav
- School of Nursing, University of California, Room 2-250, Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1702, USA
| | - Sanjeev Sinha
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Angela Hudson
- School of Medicine, Cal State University, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Catherine L Carpenter
- School of Nursing, University of California, Room 2-250, Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1702, USA
| | - Lenore Arab
- School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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24
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Derose KP, Payán DD, Fulcar MA, Terrero S, Acevedo R, Farías H, Palar K. Factors contributing to food insecurity among women living with HIV in the Dominican Republic: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181568. [PMID: 28742870 PMCID: PMC5526502 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity contributes to poor health outcomes among people living with HIV. In Latin America and the Caribbean, structural factors such as poverty, stigma, and inequality disproportionately affect women and may fuel both the HIV epidemic and food insecurity. METHODS We examined factors contributing to food insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in the Dominican Republic (DR). Data collection included in-depth, semi-structured interviews in 2013 with 30 WLHIV with indications of food insecurity who resided in urban or peri-urban areas and were recruited from local HIV clinics. In-person interviews were conducted in Spanish. Transcripts were coded using content analysis methods and an inductive approach to identify principal and emergent themes. RESULTS Respondents identified economic instability as the primary driver of food insecurity, precipitated by enacted stigma in the labor and social domains. Women described experiences of HIV-related labor discrimination in formal and informal sectors. Women commonly reported illegal HIV testing by employers, and subsequent dismissal if HIV-positive, especially in tourism and free trade zones. Enacted stigma in the social domain manifested as gossip and rejection by family, friends, and neighbors and physical, verbal, and sexual abuse by intimate partners, distancing women from sources of economic and food support. These experiences with discrimination and abuse contributed to internalized stigma among respondents who, as a result, were fearful and hesitant to disclose their HIV status; some participants reported leaving spouses and/or families, resulting in further isolation from economic resources, food and other support. A minority of participants described social support by friends, spouses, families and support groups, which helped to ameliorate food insecurity and emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS Addressing food insecurity among WLHIV requires policy and programmatic interventions to enforce existing laws designed to protect the rights of people living with HIV, reduce HIV-related stigma, and improve gender equality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn P. Derose
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California, United States of America
| | - Denise D. Payán
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California, United States of America
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - María Altagracia Fulcar
- United Nations World Food Programme, Dominican Republic Country Office, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Sergio Terrero
- United Nations World Food Programme, Dominican Republic Country Office, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Ramón Acevedo
- Consejo Nacional de VIH/SIDA (CONAVIHSIDA), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Hugo Farías
- United Nations World Food Programme - Regional Bureau for Latin American and the Caribbean, Panamá, Rep. de Panama
| | - Kartika Palar
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Chop E, Duggaraju A, Malley A, Burke V, Caldas S, Yeh PT, Narasimhan M, Amin A, Kennedy CE. Food insecurity, sexual risk behavior, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among women living with HIV: A systematic review. Health Care Women Int 2017; 38:927-944. [PMID: 28586273 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2017.1337774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Gender inequalities shape the experience of food insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV). We systematically reviewed the impact of food insecurity on sexual risk behaviors and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among WLHIV. We included qualitative or quantitative peer-reviewed articles, extracted data in duplicate, and assessed rigor. Seven studies, from sub-Saharan Africa, North America, and Europe, met inclusion criteria. Food insecurity was associated with increased sexual risk through transactional sex and inability to negotiate safer sex. Hunger and food insecurity were barriers to ART initiation/adherence. Multidimensional programming and policies should simultaneously address poverty, gender inequality, food insecurity, and HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Chop
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Avani Duggaraju
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Angela Malley
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Virginia Burke
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Stephanie Caldas
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Ping Teresa Yeh
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Manjulaa Narasimhan
- b Department of Reproductive Health and Research , World Health Organization , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Avni Amin
- b Department of Reproductive Health and Research , World Health Organization , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Caitlin E Kennedy
- a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
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26
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Zakaras JM, Weiser SD, Hatcher AM, Weke E, Burger RL, Cohen CR, Bukusi EA, Dworkin SL. A Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of a Livelihood Intervention on Gendered Power and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among HIV-Positive Adults in Rural Kenya. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1121-1133. [PMID: 27507020 PMCID: PMC5299074 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0828-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recognized links between food insecurity, poverty, and the risk of HIV/AIDS, few randomized trials have evaluated the impact of livelihood interventions on HIV risk behaviors. The current study draws upon data collected from a qualitative process evaluation that was embedded into a pilot randomized controlled trial that tested whether a multisectoral agricultural intervention (Shamba Maisha) affected the HIV-related health of HIV-positive adults in rural Kenya. In the current study, we drew upon longitudinal, in-depth interviews with 45 intervention participants and nine control participants (N = 54) in order to examine the impacts of the intervention on gendered power and sexual risk reduction among both women and men. Female and male participants in the intervention described positive changes in sexual practices and gendered power dynamics as a result of intervention participation. Changes included reduced sexual risk behaviors, improved gender-related power dynamics, and enhanced quality of intimate relationships. These findings illuminate how a multisectoral agricultural intervention may affect inequitable gender relations and secondary transmission risk. Further research is needed to explore how to best leverage agricultural interventions to address the important intersections between poverty and inequitable gender relations that shape HIV risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Zakaras
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center of Expertise in Women's Health and Empowerment, University of California Global Health Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Abigail M Hatcher
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Elly Weke
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rachel L Burger
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center of Expertise in Women's Health and Empowerment, University of California Global Health Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Bukusi
- Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Shari L Dworkin
- Center of Expertise in Women's Health and Empowerment, University of California Global Health Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- UCSF School of Nursing, 3333 California Street, LHTS #455, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA.
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Weinhardt LS, Galvao LW, Yan AF, Stevens P, Mwenyekonde TN, Ngui E, Emer L, Grande KM, Mkandawire-Valhmu L, Watkins SC. Mixed-Method Quasi-Experimental Study of Outcomes of a Large-Scale Multilevel Economic and Food Security Intervention on HIV Vulnerability in Rural Malawi. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:712-723. [PMID: 27350305 PMCID: PMC5306183 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1455-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the Savings, Agriculture, Governance, and Empowerment for Health (SAGE4Health) study was to evaluate the impact of a large-scale multi-level economic and food security intervention on health outcomes and HIV vulnerability in rural Malawi. The study employed a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design to compare intervention participants (n = 598) with people participating in unrelated programs in distinct but similar geographical areas (control, n = 301). We conducted participant interviews at baseline, 18–, and 36–months on HIV vulnerability and related health outcomes, food security, and economic vulnerability. Randomly selected households (n = 1002) were interviewed in the intervention and control areas at baseline and 36 months. Compared to the control group, the intervention led to increased HIV testing (OR 1.90; 95 % CI 1.29–2.78) and HIV case finding (OR = 2.13; 95 % CI 1.07–4.22); decreased food insecurity (OR = 0.74; 95 % CI 0.63–0.87), increased nutritional diversity, and improved economic resilience to shocks. Most effects were sustained over a 3-year period. Further, no significant differences in change were found over the 3-year study period on surveys of randomly selected households in the intervention and control areas. Although there were general trends toward improvement in the study area, only intervention participants’ outcomes were significantly better. Results indicate the intervention can improve economic and food security and HIV vulnerability through increased testing and case finding. Leveraging the resources of economic development NGOs to deliver locally-developed programs with scientific funding to conduct controlled evaluations has the potential to accelerate the scientific evidence base for the effects of economic development programs on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance S Weinhardt
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | - Loren W Galvao
- Center for Global Health Equity, College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413 USA
| | - Alice F Yan
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | - Patricia Stevens
- College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413 USA
| | | | - Emmanuel Ngui
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | - Lindsay Emer
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | - Katarina M Grande
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | - Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu
- Department of Economics, Chancellor College, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Susan C Watkins
- Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania and Visiting Scholar, California Center for Population Research, University of California-Los Angeles, 4284 Public Affairs Bldg, PO Box 957236, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7236 USA
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28
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Barreto D, Shannon K, Taylor C, Dobrer S, Jean JS, Goldenberg SM, Duff P, Deering KN. Food Insecurity Increases HIV Risk Among Young Sex Workers in Metro Vancouver, Canada. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:734-744. [PMID: 27752869 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1558-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This research aimed to determine the effect of food insecurity on sexual HIV risk with clients among youth sex workers (YSWs) <30 years in Metro Vancouver, Canada. Data were drawn from a prospective community cohort of sex workers (2010-2013). We examined the independent relationship between YSWs' food insecurity and being pressured into sex without a condom by clients ("client condom refusal"). Of 220 YSWs, 34.5 % (n = 76) reported client condom refusal over the 3.5-year study period and 76.4 % (n = 168) reported any food insecurity. Adjusting for other HIV risk pathways, food insecurity retained an independent effect on client condom refusal (AOR 2.08, 95 % CI 1.23-3.51), suggesting that food insecurity is significantly associated with HIV risk among YSWs. This study indicates a critical relationship between food insecurity and HIV risk, and demonstrates YSWs' particular vulnerability. Public policies for food assistance as a harm reduction measure may be key to addressing this disparity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Barreto
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
- YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society, 205-568 Seymour St, Vancouver, V6B 3J5, Canada
| | - Kate Shannon
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, 10th Floor, Vancouver, V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Chrissy Taylor
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
| | - Sabina Dobrer
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
| | - Jessica St Jean
- YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society, 205-568 Seymour St, Vancouver, V6B 3J5, Canada
| | - Shira M Goldenberg
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Putu Duff
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, 10th Floor, Vancouver, V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Kathleen N Deering
- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, 10th Floor, Vancouver, V5Z 1M9, Canada.
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29
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Conroy AA, Tsai AC, Clark GM, Boum Y, Hatcher AM, Kawuma A, Hunt PW, Martin JN, Bangsberg DR, Weiser SD. Relationship Power and Sexual Violence Among HIV-Positive Women in Rural Uganda. AIDS Behav 2016; 20:2045-53. [PMID: 27052844 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1385-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Gender-based power imbalances place women at significant risk for sexual violence, however, little research has examined this association among women living with HIV/AIDS. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of relationship power and sexual violence among HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy in rural Uganda. Relationship power was measured using the Sexual Relationship Power Scale (SRPS), a validated measure consisting of two subscales: relationship control (RC) and decision-making dominance. We used multivariable logistic regression to test for associations between the SRPS and two dependent variables: recent forced sex and transactional sex. Higher relationship power (full SRPS) was associated with reduced odds of forced sex (AOR = 0.24; 95 % CI 0.07-0.80; p = 0.020). The association between higher relationship power and transactional sex was strong and in the expected direction, but not statistically significant (AOR = 0.47; 95 % CI 0.18-1.22; p = 0.119). Higher RC was associated with reduced odds of both forced sex (AOR = 0.18; 95 % CI 0.06-0.59; p < 0.01) and transactional sex (AOR = 0.38; 95 % CI 0.15-0.99; p = 0.048). Violence prevention interventions with HIV-positive women should consider approaches that increase women's power in their relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A Conroy
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, 550 16th Street 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Gina M Clark
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente, San Franscisco, USA
| | - Yap Boum
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Abigail M Hatcher
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of HIV/AIDS, Department of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Annet Kawuma
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Peter W Hunt
- Division of HIV/AIDS, Department of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Martin
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - David R Bangsberg
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, USA
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Division of HIV/AIDS, Department of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
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Saghayam S, Wanke C. The impact of nutritional status and nutrition supplementation on outcomes along the HIV treatment cascade in the resource-limited setting. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2016; 10:472-6. [PMID: 26444946 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review proposes to examine the role of nutrition (defined at body mass index, food security or nutrition interventions) in each of the steps of the treatment cascade for HIV. RECENT FINDINGS Food insecurity was found to be associated with increase in risk behaviors, with decreased retention in care and with lower adherence to antiretroviral therapy; fewer studies looked at the role of baseline body weight on outcomes such as mortality. Studies of nutrition interventions had more complex outcomes but improvement in nutritional status was the outcome that was most commonly identified. SUMMARY Nutrition has an important role to play in the current care of HIV-infected individuals and can have an impact on the treatment cascade. Food in security, which may be reversed by the provision of food, is of particular interest as studies suggest associations with multiple outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suneeta Saghayam
- Women's Christian College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; YRG CARE, Chennai, India
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Palar K, Laraia B, Tsai AC, Johnson MO, Weiser SD. Food insecurity is associated with HIV, sexually transmitted infections and drug use among men in the United States. AIDS 2016; 30:1457-65. [PMID: 26990632 PMCID: PMC4864057 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the population-level association between food insecurity, HIV risk factors, and HIV serostatus among men, the group representing the majority of HIV diagnoses in the United States. DESIGN Cross-sectional secondary data analysis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2012, a nationally representative survey of the civilian noninstitutionalized US population. METHODS Logistic regression with design weights and complex survey commands was used to estimate nationally representative associations between food insecurity and HIV serostatus (primary outcome), herpes simplex virus 2, self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and past-year illicit drug use among men, adjusting for potential confounders. Food security was measured using the 18-item Household Food Security Survey. RESULTS We analyzed data for 9150 men representing 61 million individuals in the United States. Unadjusted HIV prevalence was 1.5% among food insecure men, compared with 0.4% among food secure men (P < 0.001). In adjusted models, food insecure men had over two times higher odds of HIV seropositivity compared with food secure men [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.10; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-4.37; P < 0.05]. Food insecurity was associated with higher odds of herpes simplex virus 2 seropositivity (AOR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.04-1.57; P < 0.05), self-reported STIs (AOR = 1.54; 95% CI 1.08-2.20; P < 0.05), and illicit drug use (AOR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.14-2.15; P < 0.01). Results were robust to sensitivity analyses restricted to lower incomes. CONCLUSION Food insecurity is associated with prevalent HIV, STIs, and illicit drug use among men in the United States. Further research is needed to establish whether and through what mechanisms improved food security may help prevent new HIV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartika Palar
- aDepartment of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Disease (ID) and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco bSchool of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California cMassachusetts General Hospital, MGH Global Health, Boston, Massachusetts dCenter for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, USA
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Food Insecurity, Dietary Diversity, and Body Mass Index of HIV-Infected Individuals on Antiretroviral Therapy in Rural Haiti. AIDS Behav 2016; 20:1116-22. [PMID: 26350637 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1183-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Food rations are increasingly offered as part of HIV programs in resource-poor settings, often targeted solely to those with under-nutrition by low body mass index (BMI). This practice does not consider food insecurity, another important risk factor for poor outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). We analyzed factors associated with low BMI and severe food insecurity in 523 PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy in rural Haiti using logistic regression. Food insecurity was present in 89 % of individuals. Among those with severe food insecurity, 86 % had a BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m(2). Severe food insecurity was associated with illiteracy [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.79, p = 0.005], having no income (AOR 1.58, p = 0.04), and poverty (p < 0.001). Compared with those with little to no food insecurity, individuals with severe food insecurity had a less diverse diet. We found that food insecurity was highly prevalent in PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy in rural Haiti. Using BMI as a sole criterion for food supplementation in HIV programs can exclude highly vulnerable individuals who may benefit from such support.
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Fielding-Miller R, Dunkle KL, Murdock D. Not everyone can afford an apple a day: stigma and food insecurity in rural South African young adults. AJAR-AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AIDS RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2015.1123162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Experiences with food insecurity and risky sex among low-income people living with HIV/AIDS in a resource-rich setting. J Int AIDS Soc 2015; 18:20293. [PMID: 26546789 PMCID: PMC4636859 DOI: 10.7448/ias.18.1.20293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2015] [Revised: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Forty-nine million individuals are food insecure in the United States, where food insecurity and HIV/AIDS are prevalent among the urban poor. Food insecurity is associated with risky sexual behaviours among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). No qualitative studies, however, have investigated the mechanisms underlying this relationship either in a resource-rich setting or among populations that include men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 34 low-income PLHIV receiving food assistance in the San Francisco Bay Area. The interviews explored experiences with food insecurity and perceived associations with sexual risk behaviours. Interviews were conducted in English, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and analyzed according to content analysis methods using an inductive-deductive approach. RESULTS Food insecurity was reported to be a strong contributor to risky sexual practices among MSM and female participants. Individuals described engaging in transactional sex for food or money to buy food, often during times of destitution. Participants also explained how food insecurity could lead to condomless sex despite knowledge of and desire to use safe sexual practices, largely because the need to obtain food in the short term was prioritized over the desire to use barrier protection. CONCLUSIONS Our data extend previous research by demonstrating that food insecurity contributes to transactional and unprotected sex among urban poor individuals in a resource-rich setting, including among MSM. These findings underscore the importance of public health and social intervention efforts focused on structural inequalities.
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Shamba Maisha: randomized controlled trial of an agricultural and finance intervention to improve HIV health outcomes. AIDS 2015. [PMID: 26214684 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000000781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS outcomes are inextricably linked in sub-Saharan Africa. We report on health and nutritional outcomes of a multisectoral agricultural intervention trial among HIV-infected adults in rural Kenya. DESIGN This is a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. METHODS The intervention included a human-powered water pump, a microfinance loan to purchase farm commodities, and education in sustainable farming practices and financial management. Two health facilities in Nyanza Region, Kenya were randomly assigned as intervention or control. HIV-infected adults 18 to 49 years' old who were on antiretroviral therapy and had access to surface water and land were enrolled beginning in April 2012 and followed quarterly for 1 year. Data were collected on nutritional parameters, CD4 T-lymphocyte counts, and HIV RNA. Differences in fixed-effects regression models were used to test whether patterns in health outcomes differed over time from baseline between the intervention and control arms. RESULTS We enrolled 72 and 68 participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively. At 12 months follow-up, we found a statistically significant increase in CD4 cell counts (165 cells/μl, P < 0.001) and proportion virologically suppressed in the intervention arm compared with the control arm (comparative improvement in proportion of 0.33 suppressed, odds ratio 7.6, 95% confidence interval: 2.2-26.8). Intervention participants experienced significant improvements in food security (3.6 scale points higher, P < 0.001) and frequency of food consumption (9.4 times per week greater frequency, P = 0.013) compared to controls. CONCLUSION Livelihood interventions may be a promising approach to tackle the intersecting problems of food insecurity, poverty and HIV/AIDS morbidity.
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Loevinsohn M. The 2001-03 Famine and the Dynamics of HIV in Malawi: A Natural Experiment. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135108. [PMID: 26332405 PMCID: PMC4558031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food security has deteriorated for many people in developing regions facing high and volatile food prices. Without effective and equitable responses, the situation is likely to worsen due to diminishing access to land and water, competition from non-food uses of agricultural products, and the effects of climate change and variability. Understanding how this will affect the burden and distribution of major diseases such as HIV is critical. This study makes use of the near-experimental conditions created by the Malawi famine to shed new light on this issue. METHODS Multilevel, random intercept models were used to relate the change in HIV prevalence at antenatal surveillance sites over the course of the famine to the proportion of rural households requiring food aid in the surrounding district at the famine's peak. Similar models were used to relate this indicator of rural hunger to changes in the composition of the antenatal population. The extent and direction of migration were estimated from a household survey conducted 1-2 years after the famine. FINDINGS At rural sites, the change in HIV prevalence was positively and non-linearly related to the extent of rural hunger (P = 0.016), consistent with contemporary accounts of increased transactional sex and with hunger compromising immune function. At non-rural sites, prevalence declined as rural hunger increased (P = 0.006), concentrated in women who self-identified as farmers (P = 0.010). This finding is consistent with contemporary accounts of migration in search of food and work from villages where HIV risk was lower to towns and cities where it was higher. Corroborating this interpretation, the proportion of farmers in the antenatal population was found to rise at non-rural sites as rural hunger increased in the surrounding district (P = 0.015) whereas the proportion fell with increasing rural hunger at rural sites (P<0.001). The models suggest migrants were predominantly farming women under 25 years (P = 0.010). The household survey confirmed that there was a surge of rural-to-urban migration during the famine, particularly by women under 25 years. Migration to less affected rural areas also increased. CONCLUSION The Malawi famine appears to have had a substantial effect on HIV's dynamics and demography. Poverty and inequality, commonly considered structural determinants of HIV epidemics, can change rapidly, apparently transmitting their effects with little lag. Epidemic patterns risk being misread if such social and economic change is ignored. Many studies examining HIV prevalence declines have implicated sexual behaviour change but do not appear to have adequately considered the contribution of rural-urban migration. The evidence from Malawi, which links actions that undermined people's food security to changes in the prevalence and distribution of HIV infections, suggests new opportunities for prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Loevinsohn
- Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Food Insecurity and Its Relation to Psychological Well-Being Among South Indian People Living with HIV. AIDS Behav 2015; 19:1548-58. [PMID: 25488171 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0966-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) and its link with depression and quality of life (QOL) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in India are not well-documented. We analyzed cohort data from 243 male and 129 female PLHIV from Bengaluru, and found 19 % of men and 26 % of women reported moderate or severe FI over a 6-month period. Women reported higher mean depression than men, and lower mean QOL. In multivariate analyses adjusting for HIV stigma and demographic covariates, both male and female PLHIV with moderate to severe FI showed lower mean QOL than those reporting mild to no FI. Male but not female food insecure participants also had higher depression scores in adjusted regression analyses. As ART has improved the physical health of PLHIV, more effort is being invested in improving their psychological well-being. Our results suggest such interventions could benefit from including nutritional support to reduce FI among PLHIV.
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McCoy SI, Buzdugan R, Mushavi A, Mahomva A, Cowan FM, Padian NS. Food insecurity is a barrier to prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services in Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2015; 15:420. [PMID: 25909583 PMCID: PMC4424582 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1764-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity (FI) is the lack of physical, social, and economic access to sufficient food for dietary needs and food preferences. We examined the association between FI and women's uptake of services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) in Zimbabwe. METHODS We analyzed cross-sectional data collected in 2012 from women living in five of ten provinces. Eligible women were ≥16 years old, biological mothers of infants born 9-18 months before the interview, and were randomly selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Women and infants were tested for HIV and interviewed about health service utilization during pregnancy, delivery, and post-partum. We assessed FI in the past four weeks using a subset of questions from the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and classified women as living in food secure, moderately food insecure, or severely food insecure households. RESULTS The weighted population included 8,790 women. Completion of all key steps in the PMTCT cascade was reported by 49%, 45%, and 38% of women in food secure, moderately food insecure, and severely food insecure households, respectively (adjusted prevalence ratio (PRa) = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90, 1.00 (moderate FI vs. food secure), PRa = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.94 (severe FI vs. food secure)). Food insecurity was not associated with maternal or infant receipt of ART/ARV prophylaxis. However, in the unadjusted analysis, among HIV-exposed infants, 13.3% of those born to women who reported severe household food insecurity were HIV-infected compared to 8.2% of infants whose mothers reported food secure households (PR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.52). After adjustment for covariates, this association was attenuated (PRa = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.89, 2.26). There was no association between moderate food insecurity and MTCT in unadjusted or adjusted analyses (PRa = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.43, 1.08). CONCLUSIONS Among women with a recent birth, food insecurity is inversely associated with service utilization in the PMTCT cascade and severe household food insecurity may be positively associated with MTCT. These preliminary findings support the assessment of FI in antenatal care and integrated food and nutrition programs for pregnant women to improve maternal and child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra I McCoy
- University of California, 1950 Addison Avenue, Suite 202-8, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA.
| | - Raluca Buzdugan
- University of California, 1950 Addison Avenue, Suite 202-8, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA.
| | - Angela Mushavi
- Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Mkwati Building Corner 5th Street and Livingstone Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe.
| | - Agnes Mahomva
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, 107 King George Road, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
| | - Frances M Cowan
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research, 9 Monmouth Rd, Avondale West, Harare, Zimbabwe.
- University College London, London, UK.
| | - Nancy S Padian
- University of California, 1950 Addison Avenue, Suite 202-8, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA.
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Eaton LA, Cain DN, Pitpitan EV, Carey KB, Carey MP, Mehlomakulu V, Simbayi LC, Mwaba K, Kalichman SC. Exploring the relationships among food insecurity, alcohol use, and sexual risk taking among men and women living in South African townships. J Prim Prev 2015; 35:255-65. [PMID: 24806889 DOI: 10.1007/s10935-014-0346-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
South African townships have among the highest rates of HIV infection in the world. Considerable research on understanding the high rates of HIV transmission in this country has identified alcohol use as a critical factor in driving the HIV epidemic. Although the relationship between alcohol use and sexual risk-taking is well documented, less is known about how other factors, such as food insecurity, might be important in understanding alcohol's role in sexual risk-taking. Furthermore, prior research has highlighted how patterns of alcohol use and sexual risk-taking tend to vary by gender. We examined how food insecurity is related to both alcohol use and sexual risk-taking. We administered anonymous community surveys to men (n = 1,137) and women (n = 458) residing within four contiguous Black African townships outside of Cape Town, South Africa. In multivariate linear regression, we found that food insecurity was related to having higher numbers of male sex partners and condom-protected sex acts among women only. These relationships, however, were fully mediated by women's alcohol use. Among men, we found that food insecurity was negatively related to unprotected sex; that is, men with greater food security reported more unprotected sex acts. Unlike the results found among women, this relationship was not mediated by alcohol use. Food insecurity appears to be an important factor in understanding patterns of sexual risk-taking in regards to gender and alcohol use, and may serve as an important point of intervention for reducing HIV transmission rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Eaton
- Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA,
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Pascoe SJS, Langhaug LF, Mavhu W, Hargreaves J, Jaffar S, Hayes R, Cowan FM. Poverty, food insufficiency and HIV infection and sexual behaviour among young rural Zimbabwean women. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0115290. [PMID: 25625868 PMCID: PMC4307980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite a recent decline, Zimbabwe still has the fifth highest adult HIV prevalence in the world at 14.7%; 56% of the population are currently living in extreme poverty. Design Cross-sectional population-based survey of 18–22 year olds, conducted in 30 communities in south-eastern Zimbabwe in 2007. Objective To examine whether the risk of HIV infection among young rural Zimbabwean women is associated with socio-economic position and whether different socio-economic domains, including food sufficiency, might be associated with HIV risk in different ways. Methods Eligible participants completed a structured questionnaire and provided a finger-prick blood sample tested for antibodies to HIV and HSV-2. The relationship between poverty and HIV was explored for three socio-economic domains: ability to afford essential items; asset wealth; food sufficiency. Analyses were performed to examine whether these domains were associated with HIV infection or risk factors for infection among young women, and to explore which factors might mediate the relationship between poverty and HIV. Results 2593 eligible females participated in the survey and were included in the analyses. Overall HIV prevalence among these young females was 7.7% (95% CI: 6.7–8.7); HSV-2 prevalence was 11.2% (95% CI: 9.9–12.4). Lower socio-economic position was associated with lower educational attainment, earlier marriage, increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders and increased reporting of higher risk sexual behaviours such as earlier sexual debut, more and older sexual partners and transactional sex. Young women reporting insufficient food were at increased risk of HIV infection and HSV-2. Conclusions This study provides evidence from Zimbabwe that among young poor women, economic need and food insufficiency are associated with the adoption of unsafe behaviours. Targeted structural interventions that aim to tackle social and economic constraints including insufficient food should be developed and evaluated alongside behaviour and biomedical interventions, as a component of HIV prevention programming and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie J. S. Pascoe
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa F. Langhaug
- Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Research, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Webster Mavhu
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - James Hargreaves
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shabbar Jaffar
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Hayes
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frances M. Cowan
- Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Research, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- * E-mail:
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Tsai AC, Weiser SD. Population-based study of food insecurity and HIV transmission risk behaviors and symptoms of sexually transmitted infections among linked couples in Nepal. AIDS Behav 2014; 18:2187-97. [PMID: 24833522 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0794-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Food insecurity has recently emerged as an important risk factor for HIV acquisition among women worldwide. No previous studies have used linked data that would permit investigation of the extent to which food insecurity may have differential associations with HIV transmission risk behaviors or symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men and women in the same households. We used nationally representative data on linked couples from the Nepal 2011 Demographic and Health Survey. The primary explanatory variable of interest was food insecurity, measured with a modified version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. In multivariable logistic regression models, women in food insecure households were less likely to report recent condom use and more likely to report symptoms consistent with STIs. These patterns were absent among men. Interventions targeting food insecurity may have beneficial implications for both HIV prevention and gender equity in Nepal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Tsai
- Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry and Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Room 1529-E3, 100 Cambridge Street, 15th floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,
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Aberman NL, Rawat R, Drimie S, Claros JM, Kadiyala S. Food security and nutrition interventions in response to the AIDS epidemic: assessing global action and evidence. AIDS Behav 2014; 18 Suppl 5:S554-65. [PMID: 24943352 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0822-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy in developing countries has increased dramatically. The last decade has brought an increased understanding of the interconnectedness between HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and undernutrition and a surge of evidence on how to address the food security and nutrition dimensions of the epidemic. We review this evidence as well as the corresponding evolution of policy support for incorporating food security and nutrition concerns into HIV programming. The available evidence, although varied in scope and methodologies, shows that nutrition supplementation and safety nets in the form of food assistance and livelihood interventions have potential in certain contexts to improve food security and nutrition outcomes in an HIV/AIDS context. In the face of funding uncertainties and competing priorities, we must maintain momentum towards effective and sustainable solutions to the epidemic through continued systematic research to inform policy and through the strengthening of monitoring systems to dynamically inform intervention development.
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McCoy SI, Ralph LJ, Njau PF, Msolla MM, Padian NS. Food insecurity, socioeconomic status, and HIV-related risk behavior among women in farming households in Tanzania. AIDS Behav 2014; 18:1224-36. [PMID: 24097335 PMCID: PMC3977025 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-013-0629-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) is associated with higher-risk sexual behavior in some studies. However, the overlap between FI and socioeconomic status (SES) has been poorly described. The study objectives were to: (1) determine the relationship between household FI and four dimensions of SES among sexually active Tanzanian women in farming households: expenditures, assets, flooring material of the home, and land ownership; and (2) determine whether FI is associated with higher-risk sexual behavior and relationship power. In male-headed households, FI was associated with assets, flooring material, and land ownership but not expenditures. There was no association between FI and the four dimensions of SES in female-headed households. Among women in male-headed households, but not female household heads themselves, severe FI was associated with a non-significant increase in the likelihood of being in a relationship because of material goods [adjusted prevalence ratio (PRa) = 1.76, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.81, 3.81] and was inversely associated with being able to ask partners to use condoms (PRa = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.25, 0.88). There was not a strong association between food security and relationship power. Our findings suggest that the association between FI and HIV risk behavior may differ depending on the type of household.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra I McCoy
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, 1918 University Avenue, Suite 3B, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA,
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Jubulis J, Kinikar A, Ithape M, Khandave M, Dixit S, Hotalkar S, Kulkarni V, Mave V, Gupte N, Kagal A, Jain S, Bharadwaj R, Gupta A. Modifiable risk factors associated with tuberculosis disease in children in Pune, India. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2014; 18:198-204. [PMID: 24429313 PMCID: PMC4487622 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.13.0314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
SETTING India accounts for the largest burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, with 26% of the world's cases. OBJECTIVE To assess the association between novel modifiable risk factors and TB in Indian children. DESIGN Cases were children aged ≤ 5 years with confirmed/probable TB based on World Health Organization definitions (definition 1). Controls were healthy children aged ≤ 5 years. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of being a TB case given exposure, including indoor air pollution (IAP; exposure to tobacco smoke and/or biomass fuels) and vitamin D deficiency. Cases were re-analyzed according to a new consensus research definition of pediatric TB (definition 2). RESULTS Sixty cases and 118 controls were enrolled. Both groups had high levels of vitamin D deficiency (55% vs. 50%, P = 0.53). In multivariable analysis, TB was associated with household TB exposure (aOR 25.41, 95%CI 7.03-91.81), household food insecurity (aOR 11.55, 95%CI 3.33-40.15) and IAP exposure (aOR 2.67, 95%CI 1.02-6.97), but not vitamin D deficiency (aOR 1.00, 95%CI 0.38-2.66). Use of definition 2 reduced the number of cases to 25. In multivariate analysis, TB exposure, household food insecurity and IAP remained associated with TB. CONCLUSIONS Household TB exposure, exposure to IAP and household food insecurity were independently associated with pediatric TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jubulis
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - A Kinikar
- Byramji Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC), Pune, India
| | - M Ithape
- BJMC Clinical Trials Unit, Pune, India
| | | | - S Dixit
- Byramji Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC), Pune, India
| | | | | | - V Mave
- BJMC Clinical Trials Unit, Pune, India
| | - N Gupte
- BJMC Clinical Trials Unit, Pune, India
| | - A Kagal
- BJMC Clinical Trials Unit, Pune, India
| | - S Jain
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - A Gupta
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Laar A, Fiaveh D, Laar M, Boatemaa S, Abugri J, El-Adas A, Amenyah R, Atuahene K, Adjei AA, Quakyi I. Profiles of HIV-Affected Households in Ghana. Health (London) 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2014.615235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Weiser SD, Yuan C, Guzman D, Frongillo EA, Riley ED, Bangsberg DR, Kushel MB. Food insecurity and HIV clinical outcomes in a longitudinal study of urban homeless and marginally housed HIV-infected individuals. AIDS 2013; 27:2953-8. [PMID: 23921612 PMCID: PMC5944848 DOI: 10.1097/01.aids.0000432538.70088.a3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity is common among HIV-infected individuals and has been associated with poor health. Little longitudinal research has examined the association of food insecurity with HIV clinical outcomes, or the extent to which adherence mediates these associations. DESIGN Observational cohort study METHODS HIV-infected homeless and marginally housed individuals in the San Francisco Research on Access to Care in the Homeless cohort completed quarterly structured interviews and blood draws. We measured food insecurity using the validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Primary outcomes were: antiretroviral therapy (ART) nonadherence (<90% adherence), incomplete HIV viral load suppression more than 100 copies/ml, and CD4⁺ cell counts less than 200 cells/μl. We estimated model parameters using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables. RESULTS From May 2007 to March 2010, we followed 284 participants for a median of 22 months. At baseline 54.6% of participants were food-insecure. Food insecurity was associated with increased odds of ART nonadherence [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.85], incomplete viral load suppression (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.04-1.61), and CD4⁺ cell counts less than 200 cells/μl (AOR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.01-1.56). When we included ART adherence in adjusted models for incomplete viral suppression and CD4⁺ cell counts less than 200 cells/μl, the magnitude of the effect decreased slightly. CONCLUSION Food insecurity was associated with poor HIV outcomes, including nonadherence, in a longitudinal study of US-based HIV-infected unstably housed individuals. Efforts to address food insecurity should be included in HIV-treatment programs, and may help improve health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheri D Weiser
- aDivision of HIV/AIDS, San Francisco General Hospital bCenter for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco cUniversity of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine dDivision of General Internal Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California eDepartment of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina fMassachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Dewing S, Tomlinson M, le Roux IM, Chopra M, Tsai AC. Food insecurity and its association with co-occurring postnatal depression, hazardous drinking, and suicidality among women in peri-urban South Africa. J Affect Disord 2013; 150:460-5. [PMID: 23707034 PMCID: PMC3762324 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the public health impacts of food insecurity and depression on both maternal and child health are extensive, no studies have investigated the associations between food insecurity and postnatal depression or suicidality. METHODS We interviewed 249 women three months after they had given birth and assessed food insecurity, postnatal depression symptom severity, suicide risk, and hazardous drinking. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to estimate the impact of food insecurity on psychosocial outcomes. RESULTS Food insecurity, probable depression, and hazardous drinking were highly prevalent and co-occurring. More than half of the women (149 [59.8%]) were severely food insecure, 79 (31.7%) women met screening criteria for probable depression, and 39 (15.7%) women met screening criteria for hazardous drinking. Nineteen (7.6%) women had significant suicidality, of whom 7 (2.8%) were classified as high risk. Each additional point on the food insecurity scale was associated with increased risks of probable depression (adjusted risk ratio [ARR], 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07), hazardous drinking (ARR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.09), and suicidality (ARR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.23). Evaluated at the means of the covariates, these estimated associations were large in magnitude. LIMITATIONS The study is limited by lack of data on formal DSM-IV diagnoses of major depressive disorder, potential sample selection bias, and inability to assess the causal impact of food insecurity. CONCLUSION Food insecurity is strongly associated with postnatal depression, hazardous drinking, and suicidality. Programmes promoting food security for new may enhance overall psychological well-being in addition to improving nutritional status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Dewing
- Health Systems Research Unit, Medical Research Council of South Africa, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Mark Tomlinson
- Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ingrid M. le Roux
- Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project, Khayelitsha, Elonwabeni, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mickey Chopra
- Health Section, United Nations Children's Fund, NY, United States
| | - Alexander C. Tsai
- Center for Global Health and Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Nyamathi A, Sinha S, Ganguly KK, Ramakrishna P, Suresh P, Carpenter CL. Impact of protein supplementation and care and support on body composition and CD4 count among HIV-infected women living in rural India: results from a randomized pilot clinical trial. AIDS Behav 2013; 17:2011-21. [PMID: 23370835 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-013-0420-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Body composition in HIV-infected individuals is subject to many influences. We conducted a pilot 6-month randomized trial of 68 women living with AIDS (WLA) from rural India. High protein intervention combined with education and supportive care delivered by HIV-trained village women (activated social health activist [Asha] life [AL]) was compared to standard protein with usual care delivered by village community assistants (usual care [UC]). Measurements included CD4 counts, ART adherence, socio-demographics, disease characteristics (questionnaires); and anthropometry (bioimpedance analyzer). Repeated measures analysis of variance modeled associations. AL significantly gained in BMI, muscle mass, fat mass, ART adherence, and CD4 counts compared to UC, with higher weight and muscle mass gains among ART adherent (≥66%) participants who had healthier immunity (CD4 ≥450). BMI of WLA improved through high protein supplementation combined with education and supportive care. Future research is needed to determine which intervention aspect was most responsible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Nyamathi
- School of Nursing, University of California at Los Angeles, Room 2-250, Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1702, USA.
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Vogenthaler NS, Kushel MB, Hadley C, Frongillo EA, Riley ED, Bangsberg DR, Weiser SD. Food insecurity and risky sexual behaviors among homeless and marginally housed HIV-infected individuals in San Francisco. AIDS Behav 2013; 17:1688-93. [PMID: 23086429 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-012-0355-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Food insecurity is common among HIV-infected populations in resource-rich and resource-poor countries. We hypothesized that food insecurity would be associated with risky sexual behaviors. We examined this hypothesis among all sexually active participants (n = 154) in the Research on Access to Care in the Homeless (REACH) cohort in San Francisco. The outcomes were unprotected vaginal or anal sex and multiple sexual partners during the prior 90 days. Associations were examined using repeated measures multivariable logistic regression analyses. Food insecurity was independently associated with unprotected sexual activity (AOR = 2.01 for each five point increase in HFIAS scale, 95 % CI 1.31-3.10) and multiple sexual partners (AOR = 1.54 for each five-point increase in HFIAS scale, 95 % CI 1.05-2.29). Food insecurity is a risk factor for unprotected sexual activity and multiple sexual partners among homeless and marginally housed HIV-infected individuals in San Francisco. Measures to alleviate food insecurity may play a role in decreasing secondary HIV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas S Vogenthaler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Hennepin County Medical Center, 701 Park Avenue, O1, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA.
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Wang EA, Zhu GA, Evans L, Carroll-Scott A, Desai R, Fiellin LE. A pilot study examining food insecurity and HIV risk behaviors among individuals recently released from prison. AIDS EDUCATION AND PREVENTION : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR AIDS EDUCATION 2013; 25:112-123. [PMID: 23514079 PMCID: PMC3733343 DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2013.25.2.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Annually 700,000 individuals are released from U.S. prison, many at risk for food insecurity and HIV. The association between food insecurity and HIV risk behaviors has been established but not in this population. To investigate this association, we recruited 110 recently released prisoners to participate in a survey. Ninety-one percent of our sample was food insecure; 37% did not eat for an entire day in the past month. Those who did not eat for an entire day were more likely to report using alcohol, heroin, or cocaine before sex or exchanging sex for money compared to those who had at least a meal each day. From this pilot study, released prisoners appear to be at risk for food insecurity, and not eating for an entire day is associated with certain HIV risk behaviors. HIV prevention efforts should include longitudinal studies on the relationship between food insecurity and HIV risk behaviors among recently released prisoners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Wang
- General Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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