Prevalence of Neurocognitive Impairment and Associated Factors Among People Living with HIV on Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment, Ethiopia

The magnitude of neurocognitive disorders and associated factors among people living with HIV AIDS facilities in Bahir Dar City Ethiopia

Neurocognitive disorders are mental health conditions that are caused by medical illnesses and can lead to several acquired cognitive deficits, which represent a decline from a previously attained level of functioning. The principal domains of cognitive functions include complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language, perceptual-motor function, and social cognition. Studies have shown that people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at a heightened risk of experiencing cognitive challenges across multiple domains. Given that, a substantial number of people live in Amhara region, assessing cognitive domains to estimate the current magnitude and factors associated with neurocognitive disorders among HIV/AIDS patients is crucial. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 569 participants adults living with HIV attending the city's selected health facilities from March 20 to April 30, 2023. A multistage sampling technique was used. The International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) was used to measure the outcome of interest. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and document review. The data were analyzed using STATA version 14. Multiple binary logistic regressions were used as the final model. A total of 501 individuals, with a response rate of 88.04% participated in the study. The overall proportion of HIV patients with neurocognitive impairment was 54.7% (95% CI 50.62-58.77). Factors associated with the neurocognitive impairment were: being widowed AOR = 3.05 (95% CI 1.47-6.31), divorced AOR = 1.95 (1.16-3.28), rural residence AOR = 2.28 (95% CI 1.02-5.09), CD4 count below 500 cells/dl AOR = 1.61 (95% CI 1.03-2.50), history of opportunistic infection AOR = 2.21 (95% CI 1.42-3.41), being in first-line drug regimen AOR = 2.92 (95% CI 1.22-7.00), being in a first-line regimen with Efavirenz AOR = 4.36 (95% CI 1.07-17.73), and impairment in daily living AOR = 2.64 (95% CI 1.39-4.99). In this study, the proportion of neurocognitive impairment was greater than that in most previous studies conducted in Ethiopia. The factors associated with the disorder were: being widowed or divorced, living in a rural area, having low CD4, having a history of opportunistic infection, receiving a first-line drug regimen, receiving efavirenz-containing drugs, and having impaired daily living. Hence, routine neuropsychological screenings should be integrated into comprehensive ART care by the regional health bureau and implemented by hospitals and health centers.

Prevalence and associated factors of neurocognitive disorder among people living with HIV/AIDS in the South Gondar zone primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and associated factors of neurocognitive disorder among people living with HIV/AIDS in South Gondar primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia, 2023.

DESIGN

Institution-based cross-sectional study design.

SETTING

South Gondar primary hospitals, North-West Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

608 participants were recruited using the systematic random sampling technique.

MEASUREMENT

Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and medical chart reviews. The International HIV Dementia Scale was used to screen for neurocognitive disorder. The data were entered through EPI-DATA V.4.6 and exported to SPSS V.21 statistical software for analysis. In the bivariable logistic regression analyses, variables with a value of p<0.25 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors independently associated with neurocognitive disorder. Statistical significance was declared at a value of p<0.05.

RESULTS

The prevalence of neurocognitive disorder among HIV-positive participants was 39.1%. In multivariable logistic regression, lower level of education (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.94; 95% CI 1.29 to 6.82), unemployment (AOR=2.74; 95% CI 1.29 to 6.84) and comorbid medical illness (AOR=1.80; 95% CI 1.03 to 3.14) were significantly associated with neurocognitive disorder.

CONCLUSION

HIV-associated neurocognitive problems affected over a third of the participants. According to the current study, comorbid medical conditions, unemployment and low educational attainment are associated with an increased risk of neurocognitive disorder. Therefore, early detection and treatment are essential.

Dementias Among Older Males and Females in the U.S. Medicare System With and Without HIV

BACKGROUND

Despite the growing concern that people with HIV (PWH) will experience a disproportionate burden of dementia as they age, very few studies have examined the sex-specific prevalence of dementia, including Alzheimer disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) among older PWH versus people without HIV (PWOH) using large national samples.

METHODS

We constructed successive cross-sectional cohorts including all PWH aged 65+ years from U.S. Medicare enrollees and PWOH in a 5% national sample of Medicare data from 2007 to 2019. All AD/ADRD cases were identified by ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. Prevalence of AD/ADRD was calculated for each calendar year by sex-age strata. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess factors associated with dementia and calculate the adjusted prevalence.

RESULTS

PWH had a higher prevalence of AD/ADRD, which increased over time compared with PWOH, especially among female beneficiaries and with increasing age. For example, among those aged 80+ years, the prevalence increased from 2007 to 2019 (females with HIV: 31.4%-44.1%; females without HIV: 27.4%-29.9%; males with HIV: 26.2%-33.3%; males without HIV: 21.0%-23.5%). After adjustment for demographics and comorbidities, the differences in dementia burden by HIV status remained, especially among older age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Older Medicare enrollees with HIV had an increased dementia burden over time compared with those without HIV, especially women and older subjects. This underscores the need to develop tailored clinical practice guidelines that facilitate the integration of dementia and comorbidity screening, evaluation, and management into the routine primary care of aging PWH.

Cognitive disorder and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal service at Dilla University Referral Hospital, 2022

Introduction

Cognition is defined as the mental activity or process of learning information and understanding through reason, experience, and the senses. In Sub-Saharan African nations like Ethiopia, such assessments of a pregnant mother's mental health during antenatal care are uncommon procedures. Instead, there is a greater focus on the physical well-being of the woman and her fetus. As a result, this study aimed to evaluate the cognitive deficits and related factors in a pregnant women attending an antenatal care service.

Methods

This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 415 pregnant women who were receiving antenatal care at Dilla University Referral Hospital in Dilla, Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia. In this study, respondents were chosen using systematic random sampling, and study participants were interviewed using administered questions to gather pertinent data. This study used the OSLO Social Support Scale, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, and the Mini-Mental Status Examination to assess the social support, cognitive status, and current substance use history of a respondent. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, graphs, and percentages were used to describe the results. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the connection between independent factors and the outcome variable at a 95 percent confidence level and p < 0.05.

Result

Among all respondents who came for antenatal care visits, only 24 (5.8%) were unmarried (single, divorced, widowed). The mean age of respondents was 26 years old and 155 (37.3%) had attended secondary school. Variables such as strong social support [0.11 (0.03-0.23), p < 0.02], being a follower of orthodox religion [0.24 (0.12-0.39), p < 0.04], ≥5,000 Ethiopian birr monthly income [0.28 (0.17-0.48), p < 0.02], age >26 years old [1.23 (1.14-2.54), p < 0.04], unplanned pregnancy [2.78 (1.45-4.32), p < 0.02], and rural residence [3.90 (2.23-7.34), p < 0.04] were significantly associated with cognitive impairment at 95% confidence interval and a p-value <0.05.

Conclusion

This study found that pregnant women who attended antenatal care experienced a significant reduction in cognitive disorders. Additionally, this study revealed adjustable factors such as unwanted pregnancy, social support, and religiosity. It is preferable to check a pregnant woman's cognitive condition at antenatal services and to follow-up on each additional visit.

Cognitive Functioning and Its Relationship with Self-Stigma in Men with HIV Who Have Sex with Men: The Mediating Role of Health-Related Quality of Life

Introduction

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stills remains a serious public health problem. HIV acquisition has several negative health consequences, such as a cognitive deterioration or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment. Although these negative consequences could be directly related to a significant increase in self-stigma in this population, few previous studies have analysed the possible associations between these variables. This is especially the case in specific groups of people living with HIV, such as men who have sex with men who could be at a greater risk of stigmatisation. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between cognitive functioning, HRQoL and self-stigma in a group of men with HIV who have sex with men.

Methods

The present study was conducted in the Infectious Diseases Unit of the General University Hospital of Alicante (Spain). The final sample was composed of 70 participants who passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All were men with HIV who had sex with men and the sample’s mean age was 45 years. Each participant completed questionnaires on HRQoL and HIV self-stigma. Moreover, they completed an online cognitive assessment through the previously validated platform for cognitive evaluation CogniFit, Inc.

Results

The obtained results showed a significant association between memory functioning impairment, lower levels of HRQoL and higher HIV self-stigma scores. Hence, HRQoL, in the mental summary domain, was shown to be a significant mediator in the relationship between low memory performance and higher HIV self-stigma.

Discussion

Neurocognitive impairment could decrease HRQoL in men with HIV who have sex with men, and hence, reinforce the idea widespread in society that having HIV holds serious consequences. This fact, together with the reduced cognitive abilities to fight against their own self-stigma could represent plausible explanations of the obtained results. In this sense, intervention strategies, oriented towards reducing cognitive impairment, such as those based on cognitive training, and other psychological interventions to promote HRQoL could be effective approaches to prevent the negative effects of HIV self-stigma in this population.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) among people with HIV in Ethiopia

Background

Ethiopia, being in the Sub Saharan region of Africa, is one of the countries with a substantial burden of HIV infection. Because of the high burden of HIV and poor health care settings, HAND is prevalent as demonstrated in various cross-sectional studies. However, no review has been conducted to report the consolidated magnitude of HAND among people with HIV in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of HAND in Ethiopia.

Methods

Following the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed studies that investigated the prevalence of HAND in Ethiopia from PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, HINARI, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases. We also looked at the reference lists of the included studies to include other relevant studies. Subgroup analysis was performed based on publication year, study location, and sample size. Heterogeneity across studies was evaluated using the I2 test. Potential publication bias was assessed using Egger’s test and visual inspection of symmetry in the funnel plots.

Results

In the present meta-analysis, 627 articles were initially identified and evaluated. Of these, 8 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of HAND in people with HIV in Ethiopia was 39.15% (95% CI 29.36, 48.94). The highest prevalence observed in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) with 53.20% (95% CI 25.96, 80.44) followed by others 34.87% (Tigray, Addis Ababa, and Oromia) (95% CI 33.49, 36.24) and Amhara 34.07% (95% CI 25.39, 42.74).The funnel plot was asymmetrical. However, Egger’s regression tests provided no evidence of publication bias in the prevalence of HAND.

Conclusion

In this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of HAND, in Ethiopia, was high. Older age, substance use, advanced stages of the disease, and lack of education were the main determinants of HAND in Ethiopia. Health education, early screening of people with HIV, and training of health professionals working in hospitals on HAND are highly recommended.