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Vilakati BP, Yeatman S. Men's perceptions of HIV self-testing in Eswatini: a qualitative study. AIDS Care 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38766763 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2024.2354222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Men in Eswatini test for HIV at lower rates compared to women despite the widespread availability of HIV testing services in the country. HIV self-test kits have been proposed as an HIV testing model to reach more men by bypassing the health facility, which is known to be a barrier for men using HIV testing services. In this study, we sought to understand men's perspectives on HIV self-testing in Eswatini. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 men, recruited from a rural community and from an urban men's clinic, to assess their awareness of HIV self-testing and their perceptions of it as an alternative HIV testing option. Findings show that men were aware of HIV self-testing but had concerns that left most feeling hesitant about adopting it. Many men expressed doubts about the accuracy of self-testing and their own technical competence to use the kit without supervision. They also expressed fears about testing, and possibly learning they were HIV positive, without adequate pre - and post-HIV test counseling. To allay men's fears and improve uptake of HIV self-testing, practitioners might consider innovative methods such as virtual counseling services and linking HIV self-testing to other community-based HIV care services.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Yeatman
- Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
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Wake E, Rosen JG. Heavy alcohol use and the HIV care continuum in Kenya: a population-based study. AIDS Care 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38648525 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2024.2343587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Heavy alcohol use (HAU) can destabilize engagement along the HIV care continuum. Population-based studies assessing associations of HAU with HIV treatment outcomes are lacking, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We leveraged data from the Kenya Population-based HIV Impact Assessment to identify associations of self-reported HAU, assessed using two items measuring the frequency and quantity of past-year alcohol consumption, with serum biomarkers for HIV serostatus unawareness, antiretroviral therapy (ART) non-use, and HIV viremia (≥1000 RNA copies/mL). Overall and sex-stratified survey-weighted logistic regression with jackknife variance estimation modeled adjusted odds ratios (adjOR) of HIV treatment indicators by HAU. Overall, 1491 persons living with HIV aged 15-64 years (68.4% female) were included. The prevalence of HAU was 8.9% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 6.8-11.0%) and was significantly more pronounced in males than females (19.6% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, HAU was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with HIV serostatus unawareness (adjOR = 3.65, 95%CI: 2.14-6.23), ART non-use (adjOR = 3.81, 95%CI: 2.25-6.43), and HIV viremia (adjOR = 3.13, 95%CI: 1.85-5.32). Incorporating sex-specific alcohol use screening into HIV testing and treatment services in populations where HAU is prevalent could optimize clinical outcomes along the HIV care continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edom Wake
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph G Rosen
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Leite KME, Lima KO, Ximenes RADA, de Albuquerque MDFM, Miranda-Filho DDB, Godoi ETAM, Montarroyos UR, Lacerda HR. Survival and mortality profile among people living with HIV in a cohort in the Northeastern region of Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2024; 66:e23. [PMID: 38656039 PMCID: PMC11027485 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946202466023] [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] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Conditions related to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Longer survival in this population were reported to increase the risk of developing noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to estimate the survival and causes of death according to age group and sex among PLHIV monitored at two referral centers in the Northeastern Brazil. This is a prospective, retrospective cohort with death records from 2007 to 2018, based on a database that registers causes of death using the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10), which were subsequently coded following the Coding Causes of Death in HIV (CoDe). A total of 2,359 PLHIV participated in the study, with 63.2% being men, with a follow-up period of 13.9 years. Annual mortality rate was 1.46 deaths per 100 PLHIV (95% CI: 1.33 - 1.60) with a frequency of 20.9%. Risk of death for men increased by 49% when compared to women, and the risk of death in PLHIV increased by 51% among those aged 50 years and over at the time of diagnosis. It was observed that 73.5% accounted for AIDS-related deaths, 6.9% for non-AIDS defining cancer, 6.3% for external causes, and 3.2% for cardiovascular diseases. Among the youngest, 97.2% presented an AIDS-related cause of death. Highest frequency of deaths from neoplasms was among women and from external causes among men. There is a need for health services to implement strategies ensuring greater adherence to treatment, especially among men and young people. Moreover, screening for chronic diseases and cancer is essential, including the establishment of easily accessible multidisciplinary care centers that can identify and address habits such as illicit drug use and alcoholism, which are associated with violent deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kledoaldo Oliveira Lima
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Hospital das Clínicas, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
- Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Arraes de Alencar Ximenes
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Universidade de Pernambuco, Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Heloísa Ramos Lacerda
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Universidade de Pernambuco, Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Rosen JG, Ssekubugu R, Chang LW, Ssempijja V, Galiwango RM, Ssekasanvu J, Ndyanabo A, Kisakye A, Nakigozi G, Rucinski KB, Patel EU, Kennedy CE, Nalugoda F, Kigozi G, Ratmann O, Nelson LJ, Mills LA, Kabatesi D, Tobian AAR, Quinn TC, Kagaayi J, Reynolds SJ, Grabowski MK. Temporal dynamics and drivers of durable HIV viral load suppression and persistent high- and low-level viraemia during Universal Test and Treat scale-up in Uganda: a population-based study. J Int AIDS Soc 2024; 27:e26200. [PMID: 38332519 PMCID: PMC10853573 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.26200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Population-level data on durable HIV viral load suppression (VLS) following the implementation of Universal Test and Treat (UTT) in Africa are limited. We assessed trends in durable VLS and viraemia among persons living with HIV in 40 Ugandan communities during the UTT scale-up. METHODS In 2015-2020, we measured VLS (<200 RNA copies/ml) among participants in the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a longitudinal population-based HIV surveillance cohort in southern Uganda. Persons with unsuppressed viral loads were characterized as having low-level (200-999 copies/ml) or high-level (≥1000 copies/ml) viraemia. Individual virologic outcomes were assessed over two consecutive RCCS survey visits (i.e. visit-pairs; ∼18-month visit intervals) and classified as durable VLS (<200 copies/ml at both visits), new/renewed VLS (<200 copies/ml at follow-up only), viral rebound (<200 copies/ml at initial visit only) or persistent viraemia (≥200 copies/ml at both visits). Population prevalence of each outcome was assessed over calendar time. Community-level prevalence and individual-level predictors of persistent high-level viraemia were also assessed using multivariable Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS Overall, 3080 participants contributed 4604 visit-pairs over three survey rounds. Most visit-pairs (72.4%) exhibited durable VLS, with few (2.5%) experiencing viral rebound. Among those with any viraemia at the initial visit (23.5%, n = 1083), 46.9% remained viraemic through follow-up, 91.3% of which was high-level viraemia. One-fifth (20.8%) of visit-pairs exhibiting persistent high-level viraemia self-reported antiretroviral therapy (ART) use for ≥12 months. Prevalence of persistent high-level viraemia varied substantially across communities and was significantly elevated among young persons aged 15-29 years (vs. 40- to 49-year-olds; adjusted risk ratio [adjRR] = 2.96; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.21-3.96), males (vs. females; adjRR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.87-3.07), persons reporting inconsistent condom use with non-marital/casual partners (vs. persons with marital/permanent partners only; adjRR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.10-1.74) and persons reporting hazardous alcohol use (adjRR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03-1.16). The prevalence of persistent high-level viraemia was highest among males <30 years (32.0%). CONCLUSIONS Following universal ART provision, most persons living with HIV in south-central Uganda are durably suppressed. Among persons exhibiting any viraemia, nearly half exhibited high-level viraemia for ≥12 months and reported higher-risk behaviours associated with onward HIV transmission. Intensified efforts linking individuals to HIV treatment services could accelerate momentum towards HIV epidemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Gregory Rosen
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | | | - Larry W. Chang
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
- Division of Infectious DiseasesJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Victor Ssempijja
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program DirectorateFrederick National Laboratory for Cancer ResearchFrederickMarylandUSA
| | | | - Joseph Ssekasanvu
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
| | | | | | | | - Katherine B. Rucinski
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Eshan U. Patel
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Caitlin E. Kennedy
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
| | | | | | | | - Lisa J. Nelson
- Division of Global HIV and TBCenters for Disease Control and PreventionKampalaUganda
| | - Lisa A. Mills
- Division of Global HIV and TBCenters for Disease Control and PreventionKampalaUganda
| | - Donna Kabatesi
- Division of Global HIV and TBCenters for Disease Control and PreventionKampalaUganda
| | - Aaron A. R. Tobian
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Thomas C. Quinn
- Department of International HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
- Division of Infectious DiseasesJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Division of Intramural ResearchNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | | | - Steven J. Reynolds
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
- Division of Infectious DiseasesJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Division of Intramural ResearchNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Mary Kathryn Grabowski
- Rakai Health Sciences ProgramEntebbeUganda
- Department of EpidemiologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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Lombardo AR, Materi J, Caturegli G, Milovanovic M, Martinson N, Calver A, Nonyane BAS, Golub J, Hoffmann CJ, Variava E. Brief Report: Changing Characteristics Among In-Hospital HIV Deaths: An 11-Year Retrospective Review of a Regional Hospital in South Africa. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2023; 94:185-189. [PMID: 37757855 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated HIV-associated mortality persists, despite a notable decline with the expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART). In South Africa, the relative majority of deaths occur in health facilities, providing an opportunity to track decedent characteristics. SETTING We analyzed data from 14,870 adult patients who died between 2008 and 2018 at Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital Complex in South Africa. METHODS Recorded data included demographics, causes of death, HIV status, ART, and tuberculosis (TB) history. We present summary statistics and results from linear, log-binomial, and multinomial regressions to quantify changes over time. RESULTS Over the study period, the median age of decedents with HIV in the hospital increased from 39.3 to 43.4 years, and there was a switch to male predominance (46%-54%). Those who died at a younger age (<40 years) remained more likely to be HIV-positive than the older age group, despite the overall proportion of HIV-positivity decreasing over time. The proportion of decedents with HIV ever started on ART increased from 21% to 67%. The proportion of HIV patients dying from TB and AIDS-defining illnesses decreased from 31% to 22%. CONCLUSIONS We noted a shift in deaths over time to more men and older individuals, whereas the burden of HIV was heaviest on the younger age groups. Advanced HIV disease remained an important cause of mortality. We also observed an increase in less-traditional opportunistic illnesses among those with HIV, including malignancy, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. The high proportion of patients on ART who died prematurely requires further research and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua Materi
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jonathan Golub
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Rosen JG, Ssekubugu R, Chang LW, Ssempijja V, Galiwango RM, Ssekasanvu J, Ndyanabo A, Kisakye A, Nakigozi G, Rucinski KB, Patel EU, Kennedy CE, Nalugoda F, Kigozi G, Ratmann O, Nelson LJ, Mills LA, Kabatesi D, Tobian AAR, Quinn TC, Kagaayi J, Reynolds SJ, Grabowski MK. Temporal dynamics and drivers of durable HIV viral load suppression and persistent high- and low-level viremia during Universal Test and Treat scale-up in Uganda: a population-based study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.06.15.23291445. [PMID: 37398460 PMCID: PMC10312875 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.15.23291445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Population-level data on durable HIV viral load suppression (VLS) following implementation of Universal Test and Treat (UTT) in Africa are limited. We assessed trends in durable VLS and viremia among persons living with HIV in 40 Ugandan communities during UTT scale-up. Methods In 2015-2020, we measured VLS (defined as <200 RNA copies/mL) among participants in the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a longitudinal population-based HIV surveillance cohort in southern Uganda. Persons with unsuppressed viral loads were characterized as having low-level (200-999 copies/mL) or high-level (≥1,000 copies/mL) viremia. Individual virologic outcomes were assessed over two consecutive RCCS survey visits (i.e., visit-pairs; ∼18 month visit intervals) and classified as durable VLS (<200 copies/mL at both visits), new/renewed VLS (<200 copies/mL at follow-up only), viral rebound (<200 copies/mL at initial visit only), or persistent viremia (<200 copies/mL at neither visit). Population prevalence of each outcome was assessed over calendar time. Community-level prevalence and individual-level predictors of persistent high-level viremia were also assessed using multivariable Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations. Results Overall, 3,080 participants contributed 4,604 visit-pairs over three survey rounds. Most visit-pairs (72.4%) exhibited durable VLS, with few (2.5%) experiencing viral rebound. Among those with viremia at the initial visit ( n =1,083), 46.9% maintained viremia through follow-up, 91.3% of which was high-level viremia. One-fifth (20.8%) of visit-pairs exhibiting persistent high-level viremia self-reported antiretroviral therapy (ART) use for ≥12 months. Prevalence of persistent high-level viremia varied substantially across communities and was significantly elevated among young persons aged 15-29 years (versus 40-49-year-olds; adjusted risk ratio [adjRR]=2.96; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]:2.21-3.96), men (versus women; adjRR=2.40, 95%CI:1.87-3.07), persons reporting inconsistent condom use with non-marital/casual partners (versus persons with marital/permanent partners only; adjRR=1.38, 95%CI:1.10-1.74), and persons exhibiting hazardous alcohol use (adjRR=1.09, 95%CI:1.03-1.16). The prevalence of persistent high-level viremia was highest among men <30 years (32.0%). Conclusions Following universal ART provision, most persons living with HIV in south-central Uganda are durably suppressed. Among persons exhibiting viremia, nearly half maintain high-level viremia for ≥12 months and report higher-risk behaviors associated with onward HIV transmission. Enhanced linkage to HIV care and optimized treatment retention could accelerate momentum towards HIV epidemic control.
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Boakye P, Safowaa A. Prevalence and predictors of viral load suppression in adults living with HIV in the western region of Ghana: A cross-sectional study. AIMS Public Health 2023; 10:469-479. [PMID: 37304596 PMCID: PMC10251059 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2023033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although antiretroviral therapy is beneficial and available free of cost to patients, several roadblocks still prevent patients from reaching viral suppression. This research aimed to determine the prevalence rate of viral suppression among people living with HIV in the western region of Ghana and identify the factors contributing to viral non-suppression. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 7199 HIV-positive adults. All data from the Sekondi Public Health Laboratory database was exported to Microsoft Excel and then verified and filtered before being exported to STATA 16.1. Viral non-suppression was modeled statistically using logistic regression. Results Viral load suppression was achieved in 5465 (75.91%) study participants who received antiretroviral treatment. However, 1734 participants (24.0%) did not achieve viral suppression. Patients with poor adherence to ARV (AOR 0.30; 95% CI 0.16, 0.58) and fair adherence to ARV (AOR 0.23; 95% CI 0.12, 0.45) were associated with a lower odd of viral non-suppression. Patients with six (6) months to two (2) years of treatment before viral load testing (AOR 0.67; 95% CI 0.46, 0.98) were also associated with a lower likelihood of viral non-suppression. Conclusions The rate of non-suppression was high, and the suppression rate fell short of the UNAIDS target. Poor ARV adherence, fair ARV adherence, and a treatment duration of six (6) months to two (2) years before viral load testing appear to be obstacles to viral load suppression. The research findings seem to suggest that viral load testing supports viral non-suppression. Therefore, using viral load tests to monitor medication's effects on health can motivate patients to adhere to their prescribed medication regimen. More research is needed to determine whether viral load testing can improve adherence. Given the high rate of virologic failure, the study highlights the importance of identifying antiretroviral resistance patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Boakye
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Research in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Informatics, Koachie Health Systems, Accra, Ghana
| | - Adwoa Safowaa
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Presbyterian University, Agogo, Ghana
- Department of Research in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Informatics, Koachie Health Systems, Accra, Ghana
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Smith PJ, Daniels J, Bekker LG, Medina-Marino A. What motivated men to start PrEP? A cross-section of men starting PrEP in Buffalo city municipality, South Africa. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:418. [PMID: 36864381 PMCID: PMC9979577 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared to women, South African men are less likely to know their HIV status (78% vs. 89%), have suppressed viral loads (82% vs. 90%), or access HIV prevention services. To achieve epidemic control where heterosexual sexual behavior drives transmission, interventions to improve the uptake of HIV testing services (HTS) and prevention services must also target cis-gendered, heterosexual men. There is limited understanding of these men's needs and wants with regards to accessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). METHODS Adult men (≥ 18 years) from a peri-urban community in Buffalo City Municipality were offered community-based HTS. Those who received a negative HIV test result were offered community-based, same-day oral PrEP initiation. Men initiating PrEP were invited to participate in a study exploring men's HIV prevention needs and reasons for initiating PrEP. An in-depth interview guide, developed using the Network-Individual-Resources model (NIRM), explored men's perceived HIV acquisition risk, prevention needs, and preferences for PrEP initiation. Interviews were conducted by a trained interviewer in isiXhosa or English, audio-recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used, guided by the NIRM to generate findings. RESULTS Twenty-two men (age range 18-57 years) initiated PrEP and consented to study participation. Men reported elevated HIV acquisition risk associated with alcohol use and condom-less sex with multiple partners as facilitators driving PrEP initiation. They anticipated social support from family members, their main sexual partner and close friends for their PrEP use, and discussed other men as important sources of support for PrEP initiation. Nearly all men expressed positive views of people using PrEP. Participants believed HIV testing would be a barrier for men interested in accessing PrEP. Men recommended that access to PrEP be convenient, rapid, and community-based (i.e., not clinic-based). DISCUSSION Self-perceived risk for HIV acquisition was a major facilitator for men's PrEP initiation. Although men expressed positive perceptions of PrEP users, they noted that HIV testing may be a barrier to PrEP initiation. Finally, men recommended convenient access points to facilitate PrEP initiation and sustained use. Gender-responsive interventions tailored to men's needs, wants, and voices will facilitate their uptake of HIV prevention services, and help to end the HIV epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip John Smith
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Joseph Daniels
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Linda-Gail Bekker
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrew Medina-Marino
- The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Research Unit, Foundation for Professional Development, Eastern Cape Province, 10 Rochester Rd, Vincent, East, London, Buffalo City Metro, South Africa.
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Attrition from Care Among Men Initiating ART in Male-Only Clinics Compared with Men in General Primary Healthcare Clinics in Khayelitsha, South Africa: A Matched Propensity Score Analysis. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:358-369. [PMID: 35908271 PMCID: PMC9852215 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03772-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Men have higher rates of attrition from antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs than women. In Khayelitsha, a high HIV prevalence area in South Africa, two public sector primary healthcare clinics offer services, including HIV testing and treatment, exclusively to men. We compared attrition from ART care among men initiating ART at these clinics with male attrition in six general primary healthcare clinics in Khayelitsha. We described baseline characteristics of patients initiating ART at the male and general clinics from 1 January 2014 to 31 March 2018. We used exposure propensity scores (generated based on baseline health and age) to match male clinic patients 1:1 to males at other clinics. The association between attrition (death or loss to follow-up, defined as no visits for nine months) and clinic type was estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Follow-up time began at ART initiation and ended at attrition, clinic transfer, or dataset closure. Before matching, patients from male clinics (n = 784) were younger than males from general clinics (n = 2726), median age: 31.2 vs 35.5 years. Those initiating at male clinics had higher median CD4 counts at ART initiation [Male Clinic 1: 329 (IQR 210-431), Male Clinic 2: 364 (IQR 260-536), general clinics 258 (IQR 145-398), cells/mm3]. In the matched analysis (1451 person-years, 1568 patients) patients initiating ART at male clinics had lower attrition (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.60-0.85). In separate analyses for each of the two male clinics, only the more established male clinic showed a protective effect. Male-only clinics reached younger, healthier men, and had lower ART attrition than general services. These findings support clinic-specific adaptations to create more male-friendly environments.
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Ruderman LW, Ochwal P, Marcus N, Napierala S, Thirumurthy H, Agot K, Maman S. 'When I have these kits … I have confidence' - HIV self-testing provides agency for women in their sexual decision-making. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:3735-3746. [PMID: 35770697 PMCID: PMC9800639 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2092176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Oral fluid-based HIV self-testing (HIVST) has emerged as a promising approach to increasing HIV testing coverage, particularly among high-risk populations. Understanding the experiences of women using self-tests and offering them to their sexual partners (secondary distribution) is crucial for determining the potential of HIVST. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted among 32 women at high risk of HIV infection, including women who engage in transactional sex, who participated in a cluster randomised trial of a secondary distribution strategy in western Kenya. Interviews explored how women used self-tests within relationships and how this affected their sexual decision-making. Three key themes emerged: women used HIVST to assess risk prior to engaging in sex with partners; HIVST provided women with increased agency to engage in or end relationships; and women appreciated these benefits and urged expanded access to self-tests. HIVST has the potential to support HIV prevention objectives in settings with high prevalence of HIV.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03135067.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy W. Ruderman
- Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Health Behaviour, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Perez Ochwal
- Impact Research and Development Organization, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Noora Marcus
- Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sue Napierala
- Women’s Global Health Imperative, RTI International, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Harsha Thirumurthy
- Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kawango Agot
- Impact Research and Development Organization, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Suzanne Maman
- Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Health Behaviour, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Calderwood CJ, Tlali M, Karat AS, Hoffmann CJ, Charalambous S, Johnson S, Grant AD, Fielding KL. Risk Factors for Hospitalization or Death Among Adults With Advanced HIV at Enrollment for Care in South Africa: A Secondary Analysis of the TB Fast Track Trial. Open Forum Infect Dis 2022; 9:ofac265. [PMID: 35855000 PMCID: PMC9290545 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals with advanced HIV experience high mortality, especially before and during the first months of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to identify factors, measurable in routine, primary health clinic-based services, associated with the greatest risk of poor outcome. Methods We included all individuals enrolled in the standard-of-care arm of a cluster-randomized trial (TB Fast Track); adults attending participating health clinics with CD4 ≤150 cells/µL and no recent ART were eligible. Associations between baseline exposures and a composite outcome (hospitalization/death) over 6 months were estimated using multivariable Cox regression. Results Among 1515 individuals (12 clinics), 56% were female, the median age was 36 years, and the median CD4 count was 70 cells/μL. Within 6 months, 89% started ART. The overall rate of hospitalization/death was 32.5 per 100 person-years (218 outcomes/671 person-years). Lower baseline CD4 count (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.27 for <50 vs 100-150 cells/µL; 95% CI, 1.57-3.27), lower body mass index (aHR, 2.13 for BMI <17 vs ≥25 kg/m2; 95% CI, 1.31-3.45), presence of tuberculosis-related symptoms (aHR, 1.87 for 3-4 symptoms vs none; 95% CI, 1.20-2.93), detectable urine lipoarabinomannan (aHR, 1.97 for 1+ positivity vs negative; 95% CI, 1.37-2.83), and anemia (aHR, 4.42 for severe anemia [hemoglobin <8 g/dL] vs none; 95% CI, CI 2.38-8.21) were strong independent risk factors for hospitalization/death. Conclusions Simple measures that can be routinely assessed in primary health care in resource-limited settings identify individuals with advanced HIV at high risk of poor outcomes; these may guide targeted interventions to improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire J Calderwood
- Correspondence: Claire J. Calderwood, MSc, Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK ()
| | - Mpho Tlali
- The Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Aaron S Karat
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Salome Charalambous
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Suzanne Johnson
- Foundation for Professional Development, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alison D Grant
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Africa Health Research Institute, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Katherine L Fielding
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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12
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Wiginton JM, Mathur S, Gottert A, Pilgrim N, Pulerwitz J. Hearing From Men Living With HIV: Experiences With HIV Testing, Treatment, and Viral Load Suppression in Four High-Prevalence Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Front Public Health 2022; 10:861431. [PMID: 35651865 PMCID: PMC9149263 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.861431] [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: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Engaging men in HIV services remains a challenge across sub-Saharan Africa. There is a critical need to better understand facilitators of men's successful engagement with HIV services and assess if there are similarities across contexts. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 92 men living with HIV (MLHIV) across Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, and Eswatini, most of whom had been diagnosed with HIV within the last 5 years. We coded interviews for themes using a constant-comparative approach. We contextualized our findings within a socioecological framework. HIV testing was primarily motivated by illness (individual level), though illness was sometimes accompanied by prompting and support from healthcare providers and/or intimate partners. Once diagnosed, nearly all participants reported immediate linkage to care, initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and subsequent ART adherence. ART initiation and adherence were facilitated by men's sense of agency and ownership over their health (individual level), social support from intimate partners, friends, and family (interpersonal/network level), supportive-directive counseling from healthcare providers (institutional/health systems level), and male-friendly services, i.e., rapid, respectful, private (institutional/health systems level). Health literacy regarding viral suppression (individual level), strengthened by patient-provider communication (institutional/health systems level), was highest in Uganda, where most men could discuss viral load testing experiences, report their viral load status (most reported suppressed), and demonstrate an understanding of treatment as prevention. Elsewhere, few participants understood what viral load suppression was and even fewer knew their viral load status. Our findings reveal socioecological-level facilitators of men's progress across the HIV-care continuum. Programs may want to leverage facilitators of ART initiation and adherence that span socioecological levels—e.g., healthcare ownership and agency, social support, supportive-directive counseling—and apply them to each end of the continuum to encourage early HIV testing/diagnosis and improve health literacy to help men understand and achieve viral load suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Mark Wiginton
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Ann Gottert
- Population Council, Washington, DC, United States
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13
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Long-term HIV treatment outcomes and associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa: multi-country longitudinal cohort analysis. AIDS 2022; 36:1437-1447. [PMID: 35608116 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In a multicountry prospective cohort of persons with HIV from six countries between 2007 and 2015, we evaluated long-term outcomes of first-line non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy (ART), and risk factors for loss-to-follow-up, mortality, virological failure, and incomplete CD4+ T-cell recovery. METHODS We calculated cumulative incidence of lost-to-follow-up, death, virological failure (VL ≥ 1000 cps/ml) and incomplete CD4+ T-cell recovery (<500 cells/μl) at successive years, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. RESULTS Of 2735 participants, 58.0% were female, median age was 37 (interquartile range [IQR] 32-43) years, and median pre-ART CD4+ T-cell count was 135 (IQR 63-205)/μl. Total follow-up time was 7208 person-years (median 24.3 months, IQR 18.7-58.3). Deaths by any cause and loss to follow-up occurred mostly during the first year of ART (84%, 201/240 and 56%, 199/353, respectively). During their first 6 years of ART, 71% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69.0-73.7) were retained on first-line, and among those 90-93% sustained viral suppression (<1000 cps/ml); CD4+ T-cell recovery was incomplete in 60% (220/363) of participants. The risk factors associated with poor outcomes during long-term ART were: for loss-to-follow-up, recent VL ≥1000 cps/ml, recent CD4+ T-cell count ≤50 cells/μl, age <30 years, being underweight; for mortality, recent CD4+ T-cell count ≤50 cells/μl; and, for virological failure, age <40 years, recent CD4+ T-cell count ≤200 cells/μl, poor adherence, male sex, and low-level viremia. CONCLUSION To achieve long-term ART success towards the UNAIDS targets, early ART initiation is crucial, coupled with careful monitoring and retention support, particularly in the first year of ART. Male and youth-centred care delivery models are needed to improve outcomes for those vulnerable groups.
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14
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Berner-Rodoreda A, Ngwira E, Alhassan Y, Chione B, Dambe R, Bärnighausen T, Phiri S, Taegtmeyer M, Neuhann F. "Deadly", "fierce", "shameful": notions of antiretroviral therapy, stigma and masculinities intersecting men's life-course in Blantyre, Malawi. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2247. [PMID: 34893060 PMCID: PMC8665632 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12314-2] [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: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stigma and masculinity represent persistent barriers in delivering successful HIV interventions to men. Our study examined community perceptions of HIV and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and their implications for men on ART across the life course in Blantyre, Malawi. METHODS Our qualitative study is based on 72 face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected purposively and included men on ART (with suppressed and unsuppressed viral loads), adult male community members irrespective of HIV status and other HIV stakeholders such as health personnel and program implementers. Interviews were conducted in Chichewa and English, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically in NVivo 12. We applied the socio-ecological model as our theoretical framework as well as a "life-course" perspective. RESULTS Our findings highlight lingering negative perceptions towards ART in general and towards PLHIV irrespective of viral load suppression. With intersecting notions of masculinity and stigma, men's descriptions of anticipated stigma in their relationships and when visiting health facilities dominated. Stigma was experienced at the personal, interpersonal, facility and community level. Yet, men living with HIV were perceived differently throughout the life-course, with young sexually active men seen as the most stigmatized group and older men seen as drawing resilience from a greater range of masculine norms. Some men of all ages displayed "transformative" masculinities independent of stigma and community expectations. CONCLUSIONS We propose the "life-course" as a useful concept for studies on masculinity, HIV and stigma. Considering gendered constructions of "respectable" midlife-older age vis-à-vis younger age, and how they influence stigma as well as uptake and adherence to ART might lead to more targeted services for men that build on "transformative masculinities".
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Esther Ngwira
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Yussif Alhassan
- Community Health Systems Group, Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sam Phiri
- The Lighthouse Trust, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Miriam Taegtmeyer
- Community Health Systems Group, Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Florian Neuhann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Wang J, Yuan T, Ding H, Xu J, Keusters WR, Ling X, Fu L, Zhu Q, Li Q, Tang X, Cai W, Shang H, Li L, Zou H. Development and external validation of a prognostic model for survival of people living with HIV/AIDS initiating antiretroviral therapy. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC 2021; 16:100269. [PMID: 34590068 PMCID: PMC8427312 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background: Most existing prognostic models for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were derived from cohorts in high-income settings established a decade ago and may not be applicable for contemporary patients, especially for patients in developing settings. The aim of this study was to develop and externally validate a prognostic model for survival in PLWHA initiating ART based on a large population-based cohort in China. Methods: We obtained data for patients from the Chinese National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program database. The derivation cohort consisted of PLWHA treated between February 2004 and December 2019 in a tertiary center in Guangzhou, South China, and validation cohort of patients treated between February 2004 to December 2018 in another tertiary hospital in Shenyang, Northeast China. We included ART-naive patients aged above 16 who initiated a combination ART regimen containing at least three drugs and had at least one follow-up record. We assessed 20 candidate predictors including patient characteristics, disease characteristics, and laboratory tests for an endpoint of death from all causes. The prognostic model was developed from a multivariable cox regression model with predictors selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso). To assess the model's predictive ability, we quantified the discriminative power using the concordance (C) statistic and calibration accuracy by comparing predicted survival probabilities with observed survival probabilities estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method. Findings: The derivation cohort included 16481 patients with a median follow-up of 3·41 years, among whom 735 died. The external validation cohort comprised 5751 participants with a median follow-up of 2·71 years, of whom 185 died. The final model included 10 predictors: age, body mass index, route of HIV acquisition, coinfection with tuberculosis, coinfection with hepatitis C virus, haemoglobin, CD4 cell count, platelet count, aspartate transaminase, and plasma glucose. The C-statistic was 0·84 (95% confidence interval 0·82–0·85) in internal validation after adjustment of optimism and 0·84 (0·82–0·87) in external validation, which remained consistently above 0·75 in all landmark time points within five years of follow up when using time-updated laboratory measurements. The calibration accuracy was satisfactory in both derivation and validation cohorts. Interpretation: We have developed and externally validated a model to predict long-term survival in PLWHA on ART. This model could be applied to individualized patient counseling and management during treatment, and future innovative trial design. Funding: Natural Science Foundation of China Excellent Young Scientists Fund, Natural Science Foundation of China International/Regional Research Collaboration Project, Natural Science Foundation of China Young Scientist Fund, the National Science and Technology Major Project of China,National Special Research Program of China for Important Infectious Diseases, 13th Five-Year Key Special Project of Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Joint-innovation Program in Healthcare for Special Scientific Research Projects of Guangzhou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Wang
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tanwei Yuan
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibo Ding
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Willem R Keusters
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xuemei Ling
- Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Leiwen Fu
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiyu Zhu
- National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Quanmin Li
- Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Tang
- Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiping Cai
- Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Shang
- Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of National Health Commission, Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Linghua Li
- Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huachun Zou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Kirby Institute, the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
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16
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Sileo KM, Wanyenze RK, Mukasa B, Musoke W, Kiene SM. The Intersection of Inequitable Gender Norm Endorsement and HIV Stigma: Implications for HIV Care Engagement for Men in Ugandan Fishing Communities. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:2863-2874. [PMID: 33566214 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03176-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Men's engagement in the HIV care continuum may be negatively affected by adherence to inequitable gender norms, which may be exacerbated by HIV stigma. This cross-sectional study with 300 male fisherfolk in Uganda examined the independent and interacting effects of inequitable gender norm endorsement and HIV stigma on men's missed HIV care appointments and missed antiretroviral (ARV) doses. Greater gender inequitable norm endorsement was associated with increased odds of missed HIV clinic visits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR)] 1.44, 95% CI 1.16-1.78) and a statistically significant interaction between internalized HIV stigma and inequitable gender norms on missed ARV doses was identified (AOR 5.32, 95% CI 2.60-10.86). Adherence to traditional gender norms reduces men's HIV appointment attendance, and among men with high internalized stigma, increases the likelihood of poor treatment adherence. These findings point to the need for HIV interventions that reconfigure harmful gender norms with a focus on stigma reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Sileo
- Department of Public Health, University of Texas At San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, MB 3.472, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
- SDSU School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - R K Wanyenze
- Makerere School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - S M Kiene
- SDSU School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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17
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Osman M, van Schalkwyk C, Naidoo P, Seddon JA, Dunbar R, Dlamini SS, Welte A, Hesseling AC, Claassens MM. Mortality during tuberculosis treatment in South Africa using an 8-year analysis of the national tuberculosis treatment register. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15894. [PMID: 34354135 PMCID: PMC8342475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95331-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2011, the South African HIV treatment eligibility criteria were expanded to allow all tuberculosis (TB) patients lifelong ART. The impact of this change on TB mortality in South Africa is not known. We evaluated mortality in all adults (≥ 15 years old) treated for drug-susceptible TB in South Africa between 2009 and 2016. Using a Cox regression model, we quantified risk factors for mortality during TB treatment and present standardised mortality ratios (SMR) stratified by year, age, sex, and HIV status. During the study period, 8.6% (219,618/2,551,058) of adults on TB treatment died. Older age, male sex, previous TB treatment and HIV infection (with or without the use of ART) were associated with increased hazard of mortality. There was a 19% reduction in hazard of mortality amongst all TB patients between 2009 and 2016 (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.81 95%CI 0.80-0.83). The highest SMR was in 15-24-year-old women, more than double that of men (42.3 in 2016). Between 2009 and 2016, the SMR for HIV-positive TB patients increased, from 9.0 to 19.6 in women, and 7.0 to 10.6 in men. In South Africa, case fatality during TB treatment is decreasing and further interventions to address specific risk factors for TB mortality are required. Young women (15-24-year-olds) with TB experience a disproportionate burden of mortality and interventions targeting this age-group are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Osman
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.
| | - Cari van Schalkwyk
- DSI-NRF South African Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA), Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Pren Naidoo
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - James A Seddon
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rory Dunbar
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - Sicelo S Dlamini
- Research Information Monitoring, Evaluation & Surveillance (RIMES), National TB Control & Management Cluster, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alex Welte
- DSI-NRF South African Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA), Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Anneke C Hesseling
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - Mareli M Claassens
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Namibia, Bach Street, Windhoek, Namibia.
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18
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Misra S, Mehta HT, Eschliman EL, Rampa S, Poku OB, Wang WQ, Ho-Foster AR, Mosepele M, Becker TD, Entaile P, Arscott-Mills T, Opondo PR, Blank MB, Yang LH. Identifying "What Matters Most" to Men in Botswana to Promote Resistance to HIV-Related Stigma. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2021; 31:1680-1696. [PMID: 33764233 PMCID: PMC9287436 DOI: 10.1177/10497323211001361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite a comprehensive national program of free HIV services, men living with HIV in Botswana participate at lower rates and have worse outcomes than women. Directed content analysis of five focus groups (n = 38) and 50 in-depth interviews with men and women with known and unknown HIV status in Gaborone, Botswana in 2017 used the "what matters most" (WMM) and "structural vulnerability" frameworks to examine how the most valued cultural aspects of manhood interact with HIV-related stigma. WMM for manhood in Botswana included fulfilling male responsibilities by being a capable provider and maintaining social status. Being identified with HIV threatened WMM, which fear of employment discrimination could further exacerbate. Our findings indicate how cultural and structural forces interact to worsen or mitigate HIV-related stigma for urban men in Botswana. These threats to manhood deter HIV testing and treatment, but interventions could capitalize on cultural capabilities for manhood to promote stigma resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Misra
- Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
| | - Haitisha T. Mehta
- Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Evan L. Eschliman
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th St. NY, NY 10032, United States
| | - Shathani Rampa
- Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 00705, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Ohemaa B. Poku
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Wei-Qian Wang
- Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Ari R. Ho-Foster
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana; Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Mosepele Mosepele
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Timothy D. Becker
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Patlo Entaile
- Botswana-UPenn Partnership, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Tonya Arscott-Mills
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Phillip R. Opondo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Michael B. Blank
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Lawrence H. Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, NYU School of Global Public Health, 715 Broadway 12 Floor, New York, NY 10003, United States; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th St. NY, NY 10032, United States
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19
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Tiendrebeogo T, Messou E, Arikawa S, Ekouevi DK, Tanon A, Kwaghe V, Balestre E, Zannou MD, Poda A, Dabis F, Jaquet A, Minga A, Becquet R. Ten-year attrition and antiretroviral therapy response among HIV-positive adults: a sex-based cohort analysis from eight West African countries. J Int AIDS Soc 2021; 24:e25723. [PMID: 34021714 PMCID: PMC8140184 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sex differences have already been reported in sub-Saharan Africa for attrition and immunological response after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, but follow-up was usually limited to the first two to three years after ART initiation. We evaluated sex differences on the same outcomes in the 10 years following ART initiation in West African adults. METHODS We used cohort data of patients included in the IeDEA West Africa collaboration, who initiated ART between 2002 and 2014. We modelled no-follow-up and 10-year attrition risks, and immunological response by sex using logistic regression analysis, survival analysis with random effect and linear mixed models respectively. RESULTS A total of 71,283 patients (65.8% women) contributed to 310,007 person-years of follow-up in 16 clinics in eight West African countries. The cumulative attrition incidence at 10-year after ART initiation reached 75% and 68% for men and women respectively. Being male was associated with an increased risk of no follow-up after starting ART (5.1% vs. 4.0%, adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.25 [95% CI: 1.15 to 1.35]) and of 10-year attrition throughout the 10-year period following ART initiation: adjusted Hazard Ratios were 1.22 [95% CI: 1.17 to 1.27], 1.08 [95% CI: 1.04 to 1.12] and 1.04 [95% CI: 1.01 to 1.08] during year 1, years 2 to 4 and 5 to 10 respectively. A better immunological response was achieved by women than men: monthly CD4 gain was 30.2 and 28.3 cells/mL in the first four months and 2.6 and 1.9 cells/μL thereafter. Ultimately, women reached the average threshold of 500 CD4 cells/μL in their sixth year of follow-up, whereas men failed to reach it even at the end of the 10-year follow-up period. The proportion of patients reaching the threshold was much higher in women than in men after 10 years since ART initiation (65% vs. 44%). CONCLUSIONS In West Africa, attrition is unacceptably high in both sexes. Men are more vulnerable than women on both attrition and immunological response to ART in the 10 years following ART initiation. Innovative tracing strategies that are sex-adapted are needed for patients in care to monitor attrition, detect early high-risk groups so that they can stay in care with a durably controlled infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Tiendrebeogo
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | - Eugène Messou
- Centre de Prise en charge de Recherche et de Formation (Aconda-CePReF), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Shino Arikawa
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | - Didier K Ekouevi
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales et Santé Publique, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Aristophane Tanon
- Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales (SMIT), Treichville Teaching Hospital, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Vivian Kwaghe
- University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Eric Balestre
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | - Marcel Djimon Zannou
- Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire (CTA), Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire (CNHU), Cotonou, Benin
| | - Armel Poda
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la santé, Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - François Dabis
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | - Antoine Jaquet
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
| | - Albert Minga
- Centre Médical de Suivi des Donneurs de Sang (CMSDS), Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine (CNTS), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Renaud Becquet
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team IDLIC, UMR 1219, Bordeaux, France
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20
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Hoang NT, Nguyen NTT, Nguyen QN, Bollinger JW, Tran BX, Do NT, Nguyen THT, Nguyen HLT, Nguyen TH, Latkin CA, Ho CSH, Ho RCM. Survival Outcomes of Vietnamese People with HIV after Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment: Role of Clinic-Related Factors. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:1626-1635. [PMID: 33244641 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-020-03079-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Given the rapid development of HIV clinics in Vietnam, this study evaluates the infrastructure surrounding this expansion, identifying clinic-related factors that impact survival outcomes. A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted among people living with HIV (PLWH) who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 2011 and 2015 among 62 ART clinics in 15 provinces. The mortality rate during the 717674.1 person-years of observation (PYO) was 0.29/100 PYO. Location in rural areas (versus urban) and in Central Vietnam (versus Northern Vietnam) were associated with higher risk of mortality. The risk was lower among clinics that had peer-educators. As Vietnam's HIV/AIDS program continues to expand, this data supports increasing resource allocation for rural clinics, incorporation of ART with the community's existing healthcare infrastructure in its efforts to decentralize, and integration of services to reflect patients' anticipated needs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Quang Nhat Nguyen
- Institute for Global Health Innovations, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam
- Université, Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Bach Xuan Tran
- Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nhan Thi Do
- Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Trang Huyen Thi Nguyen
- Center of Excellence in Pharmacoeconomics and Management, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Huong Lan Thi Nguyen
- Institute for Global Health Innovations, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.
- Faculty of Nursing, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.
| | - Trang Ha Nguyen
- Institute for Global Health Innovations, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam
- Faculty of Nursing, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam
| | - Carl A Latkin
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cyrus S H Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Roger C M Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Massah G, Zhang W, Birungi J, Nanfuka M, Zhu J, Okoboi S, Kaleebu P, Tibenganas B, Moore DM. Gender disparities operate in opposite directions for hospitalizations and mortality among individuals receiving long-term ART in rural Uganda. HIV Med 2021; 22:512-518. [PMID: 33730434 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We conducted an analysis to determine if differences in health-seeking behaviour can explain gender disparities in mortality among long-term survivors receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in rural Uganda. METHODS From June 2012 to January 2014, we enrolled patients receiving a first-line ART regimen for at least 4 years without previous viral load (VL) testing in Jinja, Uganda. We measured HIV VL at study entry. We switched participants to second-line therapy, if VL was ≥ 1000 copies/mL on two measurements, and followed participants for 3 years. We collected clinical and behavioural data at enrolment and every 6 months after that. We used Poisson regression to examine factors associated with hospitalizations and Cox proportional hazards modelling to assess mortality to September 2016. RESULTS We enrolled 616 participants (75.3% female), with a median age of 44 years and a median duration of ART use of 6 years. Of these, 113 (18.3%) had VLs ≥ 1000 copies/mL. Hospitalizations occurred in 101 participants (7% of men vs. 20% of women; P < 0.001). A total of 22 (3.6%) deaths occurred, 9% of men vs. 2% of women (P < 0.001). Multivariate modelling revealed that mortality was associated with age [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.07 per year increase; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.13], male gender (AHR = 2.57; 95% CI 1.06-6.23) and time-updated CD4 counts (AHR = 0.67 per 100 cell increment; 95% CI: 0.52-0.88). Virological failure was not associated with mortality (P = 0.762). CONCLUSION Female patients receiving ART in rural Uganda were three times more likely to be hospitalized than men, but male mortality was nearly four times higher. Facilitating care for acute medical problems may help to improve survival among male ART patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Massah
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - W Zhang
- British Columbia Centre of Excellence on HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - J Birungi
- The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), Kampala, Uganda
| | - M Nanfuka
- The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), Kampala, Uganda
| | - J Zhu
- British Columbia Centre of Excellence on HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - S Okoboi
- Infectious Disease Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - P Kaleebu
- Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - B Tibenganas
- The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), Kampala, Uganda
| | - D M Moore
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,British Columbia Centre of Excellence on HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
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22
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Lopez-Varela E, Augusto O, Fuente-Soro L, Sacoor C, Nhacolo A, Casavant I, Karajeanes E, Vaz P, Naniche D. Quantifying the gender gap in the HIV care cascade in southern Mozambique: We are missing the men. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245461. [PMID: 33577559 PMCID: PMC7880488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV-infected men have higher rates of delayed diagnosis, reduced antiretroviral treatment (ART) retention and mortality than women. We aimed to assess, by gender, the first two UNAIDS 90 targets in rural southern Mozambique. METHODS This analysis was embedded in a larger prospective cohort enrolling individuals with new HIV diagnosis between May 2014-June 2015 from clinic and home-based testing (HBT). We assessed gender differences between steps of the HIV-cascade. Adjusted HIV-community prevalence was estimated using multiple imputation (MI). RESULTS Among 11,773 adults randomized in HBT (7084 female and 4689 male), the response rate before HIV testing was 48.7% among eligible men and 62.0% among women (p<0.001). MI did not significantly modify all-age HIV-prevalence for men but did decrease prevalence estimates in women from 36.4%to 33.0%. Estimated proportion of HIV-infected individuals aware of their status was 75.9% for men and 88.9% for women. In individuals <25 years, we observed up to 22.2% disparity in awareness of serostatus between genders. Among individuals eligible for ART, similar proportions of men and women initiated treatment (81.2% and 85.9%, respectively). Fourfold more men than womenwere in WHO stage III/IV AIDS at first clinical visit. Once on ART, men had a twofold higher 18-month loss to follow-up rate than women. CONCLUSION The contribution of missing HIV-serostatus data differentially impacted indicators of HIV prevalence and of achievement of UNAIDS targets by age and gender and men were missing long before the second 90. Increased efforts to characterize missing men and their needs will and their needs will allow us to urgently address the barriers to men accessing care and ensure men are not left behind in the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Lopez-Varela
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- ISGlobal, Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Orvalho Augusto
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- Facultade de Medicina, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Laura Fuente-Soro
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- ISGlobal, Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Charfudin Sacoor
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Ariel Nhacolo
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | | | - Paula Vaz
- Fundação Ariel Glaser Contra o SIDA Pediátrico, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Denise Naniche
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- ISGlobal, Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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23
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Eliciting Preferences for HIV Prevention Technologies: A Systematic Review. PATIENT-PATIENT CENTERED OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2020; 14:151-174. [PMID: 33319339 PMCID: PMC7884379 DOI: 10.1007/s40271-020-00486-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention technologies (pre-exposure prophylaxis, microbicides, vaccines) are available or in development. Preference elicitation methods provide insight into client preferences that may be used to optimize products and services. Given increased utilization of such methods in HIV prevention, this article identifies and reviews these methods and synthesizes their application to HIV prevention technologies. Methods In May 2020, we systematically searched peer-reviewed literature in PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science for studies employing quantitative preference elicitation methods to measure preferences for HIV prevention technologies among populations of any age, sex, or location. Quality assessment used an existing checklist (PREFS) and a novel adaptation of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (PROSPERO #CRD42018087027). Results We screened 5022 titles and abstracts, reviewed 318 full texts, and included 84 studies. Common methods employed were discrete-choice experiment (33%), conjoint analysis (25%), and willingness-to-participate/try/accept (21%). Studies were conducted in 25 countries and had a mean of 768 participants (range = 26–7176), two-thirds of them male. Common HIV prevention technologies included pre-exposure prophylaxis (23%), voluntary testing and counseling (19%), HIV self-testing (17%), vaccines (15%), and topical microbicides (9%). Most attributes focused on product design (side effects, frequency), service design (provider type, location), acceptability or willingness to accept/pay; results are summarized in these categories, by prevention type. Mean quality-adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Scale score was 4.5/8 (standard deviation = 2.1) and mean PREFS scores was 3.47/5 (standard deviation = 0.81). Conclusions This review synthesizes extant literature on quantitative measurement of preferences for HIV prevention technologies. This can enable practitioners to improve prevention products and interventions, and ultimately reduce HIV incidence.
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24
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Tun NN, McLean A, Wilkins E, Hlaing M, Aung YY, Linn T, Ashley EA, Smithuis FM. Integration of HIV services with primary care in Yangon, Myanmar: a retrospective cohort analysis. HIV Med 2020; 21:547-556. [PMID: 32687684 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Integration of HIV care with general healthcare may improve patient engagement. We assessed patient outcomes in four clinics offering HIV care integrated into primary care clinics in Yangon, Myanmar. METHODS We carried out a retrospective cohort analysis of 4551 patients who started antiretroviral therapy between 2009 and 2017. Mortality and disengagement from care were assessed using Cox regression. RESULTS People living with HIV presented late with low CD4 counts [median (25th , 75th percentile) = 178 (65, 308) from 4216 patients] and advanced HIV (69% with stage 3 or 4). Survival was 0.95 at 1 year and 0.90 at 5 years. Males were at a higher risk of mortality than females [unadjusted hazard ratio (uHR) = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3-2.0). Patients linked to HIV care via antenatal care or partner/parent notification were at reduced risk of mortality [uHR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.1-1.0) and uHR = 0.5 (95% CI: 0.3-0.7)] relative to patients who presented for HIV testing. The cumulative incidence of disengagement was 0.06 at 1 year and 0.15 at 5 years. Young adults had a higher risk of disengagement than did children and older patients. Women linked to HIV care via antenatal care services were at increased risk of disengagement relative to patients who came for HIV testing (uHR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.7-3.4). Mortality and disengagement remained steady over calendar time as the programme scaled up. CONCLUSIONS HIV care within a primary care model is effective to attain early linkage to care, with high survival. However, close attention should be given to disengagement from care, in particular for pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- N N Tun
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ard McLean
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - E Wilkins
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | | | - Y Y Aung
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - T Linn
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - E A Ashley
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - F M Smithuis
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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25
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Kerkhoff AD, Sikombe K, Eshun-Wilson I, Sikazwe I, Glidden DV, Pry JM, Somwe P, Beres LK, Simbeza S, Mwamba C, Bukankala C, Hantuba C, Moore CB, Holmes CB, Padian N, Geng EH. Mortality estimates by age and sex among persons living with HIV after ART initiation in Zambia using electronic medical records supplemented with tracing a sample of lost patients: A cohort study. PLoS Med 2020; 17:e1003107. [PMID: 32401797 PMCID: PMC7219718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Men in sub-Saharan Africa have lower engagement and retention in HIV services compared to women, which may result in differential survival. However, the true magnitude of difference in HIV-related mortality between men and women receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) is incompletely characterized. METHODS AND FINDINGS We evaluated HIV-positive adults ≥18 years old newly initiating ART in 4 Zambian provinces (Eastern, Lusaka, Southern, and Western). In addition to mortality data obtained from routine electronic medical records, we intensively traced a random sample of patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) and incorporated tracing outcomes through inverse probability weights. Sex-specific mortality rates and rate differences were determined using Poisson regression. Parametric g-computation was used to estimate adjusted mortality rates by sex and age. The study included 49,129 adults newly initiated on ART between August 2013 and July 2015; overall, the median age among patients was 35 years, the median baseline CD4 count was 262 cells/μl, and 37.2% were men. Men comprised a smaller proportion of individuals starting ART (37.2% versus 62.8%), tended to be older (median age 37 versus 33 years), and tended to have lower CD4 counts (median 220 versus 289 cells/μl) at the time of ART initiation compared to women. The overall rate of mortality among men was 10.3 (95% CI 8.2-12.4) deaths/100 person-years (PYs), compared to 5.5 (95% CI 4.3-6.8) deaths/100 PYs among women (difference +4.7 [95% CI 2.3-7.2] deaths/100 PYs; p < 0.001). Compared to women in the same age groups, men's mortality rates were particularly elevated among those <30 years old (+6.7 deaths/100 PYs difference), those attending rural health centers (+9.4 deaths/100 PYs difference), those who had an initial CD4 count < 100 cells/μl (+9.2 deaths/100 PYs difference), and those who were unmarried (+8.0 deaths/100 PYs difference). After adjustment for potential confounders and mediators including CD4 count, a substantially higher mortality rate was predicted among men <30 years old compared to women of the same age, while women ≥50 years old had a mortality rate similar to that of age-matched men, but considerably higher than that predicted among young women (<30 years old). No clinically significant differences were evident with respect to rates of facility transfer or care disengagement between men and women. The main study limitations were the inability to successfully ascertain outcomes in all patients selected for tracing and missing clinical and laboratory data due to the use of medical records. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found that among HIV-positive adults newly initiating ART, mortality among men exceeded mortality among women; disparities were most pronounced among young patients. Older women, however, also experienced high mortality. Specific interventions for men and older women at highest mortality risk are needed to improve HIV treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Kerkhoff
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | - Ingrid Eshun-Wilson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation, Institute for Public Health, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Izukanji Sikazwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - David V. Glidden
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jake M. Pry
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation, Institute for Public Health, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Paul Somwe
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Laura K. Beres
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sandra Simbeza
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Chanda Mwamba
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Chama Bukankala
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Cardinal Hantuba
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Carolyn Bolton Moore
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Charles B. Holmes
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation, Institute for Public Health, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Nancy Padian
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Elvin H. Geng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation, Institute for Public Health, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
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26
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Li L, Yuan T, Wang J, Fitzpatrick T, Li Q, Li P, Tang X, Xu G, Chen D, Liang B, Cai W, Zou H. Sex differences in HIV treatment outcomes and adherence by exposure groups among adults in Guangdong, China: A retrospective observational cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2020; 22:100351. [PMID: 32510049 PMCID: PMC7264977 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We aimed to assess sex differences in treatment outcomes and adherence comparing men who have sex with women (MSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and women who have sex with men (WSM), as well as men and women who inject drugs living with HIV on combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Guangdong, China. METHODS We performed a retrospective observational cohort study with data from the National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program database. We included ART-naive patients aged 18 to 80 years who had contracted HIV through sex or injecting drugs, initiated first-line ART between January 2004 and December 2016, and had at least 60 days of follow-up. Participants were followed for five years. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate all-cause mortality. Cumulative incidence function and Cox proportional hazards models accounting for competing risks were used to evaluate disease progression to AIDS. Modified Poisson regression models were used to evaluate immunological and virological responses and loss to follow-up. Repeated measures analysis was used to evaluate regular CD4+ cell count, HIV viral load monitoring, ART adherence, side effects, and interruption of ART. FINDINGS We included 26,409 persons living with HIV. 21,779 (82·5%) people acquired HIV through sex (5118 WSM [23·5%], 8506 MSW [39·0%], 8175 MSM [37·5%]), and 4610 people (17·5%) through injection drug use (249 women [5·4%], 4361 men [94·6%]). Among those infected through sex, MSW had increased risks of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1·48, 95% CI 1·20-1·83), progression to AIDS (1·27, 1·09-1·47), virological failure (adjusted incidence rates ratio [aIRR] 1·27, 95% CI 1·09-1·48), and loss to follow-up (1·22, 1·10-1·35) compared to WSM. In contrast, MSM had lower risk of all-cause mortality (aHR 0·49, 95%CI 0·32-0·76), disease progression to AIDS (0·83, 0·68-1·00), and virological failure (aIRR 0·78, 95%CI 0·65-0·94), were more likely to receive regular CD4+ cell count (1·08, 1·07-1·10) and HIV viral load monitoring (1·13, 1·12-1·15), were less likely to report missing ART doses (0·54, 0·49-0·61), interrupt ART (0·34, 0·26-0·44), or be lost to follow-up (0·56, 0·49-0·65) compared to WSM. Men who inject drugs were almost twice as likely as women who inject drugs to die (aHR 1·72, 95%CI 1·03-2·85), experience disease progression to AIDS (2·05, 1·18-3·57), virological failure (aIRR 1·81, 95%CI 1·19-2·76), report ART side effects (1·78, 1·43-2·22), and interruptions in ART (2·29, 1·50-3·50). INTERPRETATION Our findings highlight the importance of identifying potentially at-risk MSW and promoting HIV education and testing among them. Particular attention is warranted among men who inject drugs to improve timely HIV diagnosis, drug interaction management, and retention in treatment. Additional research from rural settings is needed to assess the long-term treatment outcomes and adherence in MSM with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghua Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tanwei Yuan
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas Fitzpatrick
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Quanming Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peiyang Li
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Tang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guohong Xu
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dahui Chen
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bowen Liang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiping Cai
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huachun Zou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- Kirby Institute, the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Corresponding author at: School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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27
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Dorward J, Sookrajh Y, Gate K, Khubone T, Mtshaka N, Mlisana K, Ngobese H, Yende‐Zuma N, Garrett N. HIV treatment outcomes among people with initiation CD4 counts >500 cells/µL after implementation of Treat All in South African public clinics: a retrospective cohort study. J Int AIDS Soc 2020; 23:e25479. [PMID: 32319203 PMCID: PMC7174836 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The World Health Organisation recommends to Treat All people with HIV, irrespective of CD4 count. However, people with CD4 counts >500 cells/µL may be asymptomatic and therefore less motivated to adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to assess whether people initiated with CD4 counts >500 cells/µL had worse treatment outcomes compared to those initiated at lower CD4 counts. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study among non-pregnant adults initiating ART at eight public clinics in South Africa between September 2016, when Treat All was implemented, and August 2017. We assessed whether initiation CD4 count >500 cells/µL was associated with the outcomes of attrition (death, lost to follow-up or treatment interruption >180 days), and viraemia >1000 copies/mL, by twelve months using Cox proportional hazards and Poisson regression models. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Among 4952 patients initiating ART, the median age was 32.4 years (interquartile range (IQR) 27.2 to 39.7), 58.9% were women and 30.3% had an initiation CD4 count >500 cells/µL. After twelve months, 3382 (68.3%) were retained in care, 303 (6.1%) had transferred to another clinic, 1010 (20.4%) were lost to follow-up, 232 (4.7%) had a treatment interruption >180 days and 25 (0.5%) were known to have died. Overall, 1267 experienced attrition at a median time of 91 days (IQR 23 to 213), with 302 of these (23.8%) experiencing attrition immediately after their ART initiation visit. Among those in care at twelve months with viral load results, 4.6% had viraemia. In multivariable analysis, the hazard of attrition was similar between patients newly eligible for ART with CD4 counts >500 cells/µL compared to those with CD4 ≤500 cells/µL (adjusted hazard ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90 to 1.17). The risk of viraemia was lower among patients with CD4 counts >500 cells/µL compared to those with CD4 ≤500 cells/µL (adjusted risk ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.92). CONCLUSIONS After implementation of Treat All in South African public clinics, we found that patients newly eligible for ART with initiation CD4 counts >500 cells/µL had comparable or better outcomes compared to those with lower CD4 counts. These finding support ongoing implementation of Treat All in our setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jienchi Dorward
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)University of KwaZulu–NatalDurbanSouth Africa
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health SciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Yukteshwar Sookrajh
- eThekwini Municipality Health Unit, eThekwini MunicipalityDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Kelly Gate
- Bethesda HospitalUbomboSouth Africa
- Department of Family MedicineUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Thokozani Khubone
- eThekwini Municipality Health Unit, eThekwini MunicipalityDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Nomsa Mtshaka
- eThekwini Municipality Health Unit, eThekwini MunicipalityDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Koleka Mlisana
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)University of KwaZulu–NatalDurbanSouth Africa
- National Health Laboratory ServiceJohannesburgSouth Africa
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Hope Ngobese
- eThekwini Municipality Health Unit, eThekwini MunicipalityDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Nonhlanhla Yende‐Zuma
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)University of KwaZulu–NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Nigel Garrett
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)University of KwaZulu–NatalDurbanSouth Africa
- Discipline of Public Health MedicineSchool of Nursing and Public HealthUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
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Sileo KM, Fielding-Miller R, Dworkin SL, Fleming PJ. A scoping review on the role of masculine norms in men's engagement in the HIV care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS Care 2019; 31:1435-1446. [PMID: 30909724 PMCID: PMC10512737 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1595509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Men living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are less likely than women to be engaged at each stage of the HIV care continuum. We conducted a scoping review in May of 2016 to identify how masculine norms influence men's HIV care engagement in sub-Saharan Africa. Our review yielded a total of 17 qualitative studies from 8 countries. Six major themes emerged that demonstrated how norms of masculinity create both barriers and facilitators to care engagement. Barriers included the exacerbating effects of masculinity on HIV stigma, the notion that HIV threatened men's physical strength, ability to provide, self-reliance, and risk behavior, and the belief that clinics are spaces for women. However, some men transformed their masculine identity and were motivated to engage in care if they recognized that antiretroviral therapy could restore their masculinity by rebuilding their strength. These findings demonstrate masculinity plays an important role in men's decision to pursue and remain in HIV care across sub-Saharan Africa. We discuss implications for tailoring HIV messaging and counseling to better engage men and an agenda for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M. Sileo
- The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rebecca Fielding-Miller
- Division of Global Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shari L. Dworkin
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, WA, USA
- School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul J. Fleming
- Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Ha JH, Van Lith LM, Mallalieu EC, Chidassicua J, Pinho MD, Devos P, Wirtz AL. Gendered relationship between HIV stigma and HIV testing among men and women in Mozambique: a cross-sectional study to inform a stigma reduction and male-targeted HIV testing intervention. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e029748. [PMID: 31594877 PMCID: PMC6797434 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Increasing and sustaining engagement in HIV care for people living with HIV are critical to both individual therapeutic benefit and epidemic control. Men are less likely to test for HIV compared with women in sub-Saharan African countries, and ultimately have delayed entry to HIV care. Stigma is known to impede such engagement, placing an importance on understanding and addressing stigma to improve HIV testing and care outcomes. This study aimed to assess the gendered differences in the relationship between stigma and HIV testing. DESIGN AND SETTING A cross-sectional, household probability survey was implemented between November and December 2016 in the Sofala province of Mozambique. PARTICIPANTS Data were restricted to men and women participants who reported no prior diagnosis of HIV infection (N=2731). MEASURES Measures of sociodemographic characteristics, stigma and past exposure to HIV interventions were included in gender-stratified logistic regression models to estimate the relationship between stigma and recent testing for HIV, as well as to identify other relevant correlates. RESULTS Significantly fewer men (38.3%) than women (47.6%; p<0.001) had recently tested for HIV. Men who reported previous engagement in community group discussions about HIV had an increased odds of testing in the past 12 months compared to those who had not participated (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.92; 95% CI 1.51 to 2.44). Concerns about stigma were not a commonly reported barrier to HIV testing; however, men who expressed anticipated individual HIV stigma had a 35% lower odds of recent HIV testing (aOR=0.65; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.96). This association was not observed among women. CONCLUSIONS Men have lower uptake of HIV testing in Mozambique when compared to women. Even amidst the beneficial effects of HIV messaging, individual stigma is negatively associated with recent HIV testing among men. Intervention efforts that target the unique challenges and needs of men are essential in promoting men's engagement into the HIV care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy H Ha
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lynn M Van Lith
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Mallalieu
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jose Chidassicua
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Dirce Pinho
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patrick Devos
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrea L Wirtz
- Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Chaudhury S, Hertzmark E, Muya A, Sando D, Ulenga N, Machumi L, Spiegelman D, Fawzi WW. Equity of child and adolescent treatment, continuity of care and mortality, according to age and gender among enrollees in a large HIV programme in Tanzania. J Int AIDS Soc 2019; 21 Suppl 1. [PMID: 29485735 PMCID: PMC5978660 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Global scale up of anti‐retroviral therapy (ART) has led to expansion of HIV treatment and prevention across sub‐Saharan Africa. However, age and gender‐specific disparities persist leading to failures in fulfillment of Sustainability Development Goals, including SDG3 (achieving healthy lives and wellbeing for all, at all ages) and SDG5 (gender equality). We assessed ART initiation and adherence, loss to follow‐up, all‐cause death and early death, according to SDG3 and SDG5 indicators among a cohort of HIV‐infected children and adolescents enrolled in care in Dar‐es‐Salaam, Tanzania Methods SDG3 indicators included young (<5 years) and older paediatric children (5 to <10 years), early adolescent (10 to <15 years) and late adolescent (15 to <20 years) age group divisions and the SDG5 indicator was gender. Associations of age group and gender with ART initiation, loss to follow‐up and all‐cause death, were analysed using Cox proportional hazards regression and with adherence, using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with the Poisson distribution. Associations of age group and gender with early death were analysed, using log‐Poisson regression with empirical variance. Results A total of 18,315 enrollees with at least one clinic visit were included in this cohort study. Of these 7238 (40%) were young paediatric , 4169 (23%) older paediatric, 2922 (16%) early adolescent and 3986 (22%) late adolescent patients at enrolment. Just over half of paediatric and early adolescents and around four fifths of the late adolescents were female. Young paediatric patients were at greater risk of early death, being almost twice as likely to die within 90 days. Males were at greater risk of early death once initiated on ART (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.09, 1.66)), while females in late adolescence were at greatest risk of late death (HR 2.44 [1.60, 3.74] <0.01). Late adolescents demonstrated greater non‐engagement in care (RR 1.21 (95% CI 1.16, 1.26)). Among both males and females, early paediatric and late adolescent groups experienced significantly greater loss to follow‐up. Conclusion These findings highlight equity concerns critical to the fulfillment of SDG3 and SDG5 within services for children and adolescents living with HIV in sub‐Saharan Africa. Young paediatric and late adolescent age groups were at increased risk of late diagnosis, early death, delayed treatment initiation and loss of continuity of care. Males were more likely to die earlier. Special attention to SDG3 and SDG5 disparities for children and adolescents living with HIV will be critical for fulfillment of the 2030 SDG agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumona Chaudhury
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Hertzmark
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aisa Muya
- Management and Development for Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - David Sando
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Management and Development for Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Nzovu Ulenga
- Management and Development for Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lameck Machumi
- Management and Development for Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Donna Spiegelman
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Silverman RA, John-Stewart GC, Beck IA, Milne R, Kiptinness C, McGrath CJ, Richardson BA, Chohan B, Sakr SR, Frenkel LM, Chung MH. Predictors of mortality within the first year of initiating antiretroviral therapy in urban and rural Kenya: A prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223411. [PMID: 31584992 PMCID: PMC6777822 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite increased treatment availability, HIV-infected individuals continue to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) late in disease progression, increasing early mortality risk. Materials and methods Nested prospective cohort study within a randomized clinical trial of adult patients initiating ART at clinics in urban Nairobi and rural Maseno, Kenya, between 2013–2014. We estimated mortality incidence rates following ART initiation and used Cox proportional hazards regression to identify predictors of mortality within 12 months of ART initiation. Analyses were stratified by clinic site to examine differences in mortality correlates and risk by location. Results Among 811 participants initiated on ART, the mortality incidence rate within a year of initiating ART was 7.44 per 100 person-years (95% CI 5.71, 9.69). Among 207 Maseno and 612 Nairobi participants initiated on ART, the mortality incidence rates (per 100 person-years) were 12.78 (95% CI 8.49, 19.23) and 5.72 (95% CI 4.05, 8.09). Maseno had a 2.20-fold greater risk of mortality than Nairobi (95% CI 1.29, 3.76; P = 0.004). This association remained [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.09 (95% CI 1.17, 3.74); P = 0.013] when adjusting for age, gender, education, pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR), and CD4 count, but not when adjusting for BMI. In unadjusted analyses, other predictors (P<0.05) of mortality included male gender (HR = 1.74), age (HR = 1.04 for 1-year increase), fewer years of education (HR = 0.92 for 1-year increase), unemployment (HR = 1.89), low body mass index (BMI<18.5 m/kg2; HR = 4.99), CD4 count <100 (HR = 11.67) and 100–199 (HR = 3.40) vs. 200–350 cells/μL, and pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR; HR = 2.49). The increased mortality risk associated with older age, males, and greater education remained when adjusted for location, age, education and PDR, but not when adjusted for BMI and CD4 count. PDR remained associated with increased mortality risk when adjusted for location, age, gender, education, and BMI, but not when adjusted for CD4 count. CD4 and BMI associations with increased mortality risk persisted in multivariable analyses. Despite similar baseline CD4 counts across locations, mortality risk associated with low CD4 count, low BMI, and PDR was greater in Maseno than Nairobi in stratified analyses. Conclusions High short-term post-ART mortality was observed, partially due to low CD4 count and BMI at presentation, especially in the rural setting. Male gender, older age, and markers of lower socioeconomic status were also associated with greater mortality risk. Engaging patients earlier in HIV infection remains critical. PDR may influence short-term mortality and further studies to optimize management will be important in settings with increasing PDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Silverman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Grace C. John-Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ingrid A. Beck
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ross Milne
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Catherine Kiptinness
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Christine J. McGrath
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Barbra A. Richardson
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Bhavna Chohan
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Lisa M. Frenkel
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michael H. Chung
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Sileo KM, Reed E, Kizito W, Wagman JA, Stockman JK, Wanyenze RK, Chemusto H, Musoke W, Mukasa B, Kiene SM. Masculinity and engagement in HIV care among male fisherfolk on HIV treatment in Uganda. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2019; 21:774-788. [PMID: 30422078 PMCID: PMC6513725 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2018.1516299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This study explored the intersection of masculinity and HIV care engagement among fishermen and other male fisherfolk on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Wakiso District, Uganda. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with men on ART recruited from HIV treatment sites and used a thematic analysis approach. Since HIV diagnosis and ART initiation, men had adopted masculine identities more conducive to HIV care engagement. The masculine roles of worker and provider, husband and sexual partner and the appearance of physical strength were compromised by HIV, but restored by ART's positive effects on health. Peers also emerged as facilitators to HIV care, with men supporting each other to seek testing and treatment. However, structural and occupational barriers to HIV care associated with the masculine role of worker remained a barrier to care engagement. Findings suggest that emphasising the benefits of ART in bolstering men's ability to fulfil the roles important to them may improve the effectiveness of HIV testing and treatment messaging for men. Differentiated care models that address structural-level barriers to care, and community-level gender-transformative programming to help fishermen engage in HIV care, may be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M Sileo
- a San Diego State University School of Public Health , San Diego , CA , USA
- b University of California San Diego , La Jolla , CA , USA
| | - Elizabeth Reed
- a San Diego State University School of Public Health , San Diego , CA , USA
| | | | | | | | - Rhoda K Wanyenze
- d Makerere School of Public Health , Makerere University , Kampala , Uganda
| | | | | | | | - Susan M Kiene
- a San Diego State University School of Public Health , San Diego , CA , USA
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Rahmalia A, Price MH, Hartantri Y, Alisjahbana B, Wisaksana R, van Crevel R, van der Ven AJAM. Are there differences in HIV retention in care between female and male patients in Indonesia? A multi-state analysis of a retrospective cohort study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218781. [PMID: 31237899 PMCID: PMC6592601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about HIV treatment outcomes in Indonesia, which has one of the most rapidly growing HIV epidemics worldwide. METHODS We examined possible differences in loss to follow-up (LTFU) and survival between HIV-infected females and males over a 7-year period in an HIV clinic in Bandung, West Java. Data imputation was performed on missing covariates and a multi-state Cox regression was used to investigate the effects of sex and other covariates on patient transitions among four states: (1) clinic enrollment with HIV, (2) initiation/continuation/re-initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), (3) LTFU, and (4) death. RESULTS We followed 3215 patients (33% females), for a total of 8430 person-years. ART was used by 59% of patients at some point. One-year retention was 73% for females and 77% for males (p = 0.06). One-year survival was 98% for both females and males (p = 0.15). Females experienced a higher relative hazard to transition from HIV to LTFU (adjusted hazard ratio 1.21; 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.45), but this decreased after adjustments for clinical variables (aHR 0.94; 95% CI 0.79-1.11). Similarly, a lower relative hazard in females to transition from ART to death (aHR 0.59; 95% CI 0.35-0.99) decreased after adjustments for demographic variables. CONCLUSION This Indonesian cohort has low ART uptake and poor overall pre- and post-ART retention. Female-male differences in survival and retention were gone after adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors such as CD4 count and education level. Efforts should be made to improve retention among patients with lower education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annisa Rahmalia
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Holton Price
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Yovita Hartantri
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Bachti Alisjahbana
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Rudi Wisaksana
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Reinout van Crevel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Iyer HS, Kohler RE, Ramogola-Masire D, Brown C, Molebatsi K, Grover S, Kablay I, Bvochora-Nsingo M, Efstathiou JA, Lockman S, Tapela N, Dryden-Peterson SL. Explaining disparities in oncology health systems delays and stage at diagnosis between men and women in Botswana: A cohort study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218094. [PMID: 31170274 PMCID: PMC6553768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Men in Botswana present with more advanced cancer than women, leading to poorer outcomes. We sought to explain sex-specific differences in time to and stage at treatment initiation. Methods Cancer patients who initiated oncology treatment between October 2010 and June 2017 were recruited at four oncology centers in Botswana. Primary outcomes were time from first visit with cancer symptom to treatment initiation, and advanced cancer (stage III/IV). Sociodemographic and clinical covariates were obtained retrospectively through interviews and medical record review. We used accelerated failure time and logistic models to estimate standardized sex differences in treatment initiation time and risk differences for presentation with advanced stage. Results were stratified by cancer type (breast, cervix, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, anogenital, head and neck, esophageal, other). Results 1886 participants (70% female) were included. After covariate adjustment, men experienced longer excess time from first presentation to treatment initiation (8.4 months) than women (7.0 months) for all cancers combined (1.4 months, 95% CI: 0.30, 2.5). In analysis stratified by cancer type, we only found evidence of a sex disparity (Men: 8.2; Women: 6.8 months) among patients with other, non-common cancers (1.4 months, 95% CI: 0.01, 2.8). Men experienced an increased risk of advanced stage (Men: 67%; Women: 60%; aRD: 6.7%, 95% CI: -1.7%, 15.1%) for all cancers combined, but this disparity was only statistically significant among patients with anogenital cancers (Men: 72%; Women: 50%; aRD: 22.0%, 95% CI: 0.5%, 43.5%). Conclusions Accounting for the types of cancers experienced by men and women strongly attenuated disparities in time to treatment initiation and stage. Higher incidence of rarer cancers among men could explain these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari S. Iyer
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Racquel E. Kohler
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Doreen Ramogola-Masire
- Botswana University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- School of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Carolyn Brown
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | | | - Surbhi Grover
- Botswana University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- School of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | | | - Jason A. Efstathiou
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Shahin Lockman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Neo Tapela
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Scott L. Dryden-Peterson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Sileo KM, Kizito W, Wanyenze RK, Chemusto H, Reed E, Stockman JK, Musoke W, Mukasa B, Kiene SM. Substance use and its effect on antiretroviral treatment adherence among male fisherfolk living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216892. [PMID: 31158232 PMCID: PMC6546219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fisherfolk are a most-at-risk population for HIV being prioritized for the scale up of HIV treatment in Uganda. Heavy alcohol use and potential drug use may be a major barrier to treatment adherence for men in this setting. Objective This study examines the prevalence of substance use, and its influence on antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence, among male fisherfolk on ART in Wakiso District, Uganda. Methods This cross-sectional study included structured questionnaires (N = 300) with men attending HIV clinics near Lake Victoria. Using generalized logistic modeling analyses with a binomial distribution and logit link, we conducted multivariate models to test the association between each alcohol variable (quantity and frequency index, hazardous drinking) and missed pills, adjusting for covariates, and tested for interactions between number of pills prescribed and alcohol variables. Results Thirty-one percent of men reported sub-optimal adherence. Half (46.7%) reported drinking, of which 64.8% met criteria for hazardous drinking. Illicit drug use was low (6%). In the multivariate model, men with greater scores on the alcohol frequency and quantity index were more likely to report missed pills compared to those reporting no drinking (AOR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.29–1.97). Hazardous drinking had a greater effect on missed ARV doses among men taking twice daily regimens compared to once daily (AOR: 4.91, 95% CI: 1.68–14.37). Conclusions Our findings highlight the need for targeted alcohol-reduction interventions for male fisherfolk on ART who drink at high quantities to improve ART adherence and to prevent the known negative health effects of alcohol for HIV-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M. Sileo
- San Diego State University School of Public Health, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Rhoda K. Wanyenze
- Makerere School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Elizabeth Reed
- San Diego State University School of Public Health, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jamila K. Stockman
- Division of Global Public Health in the Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | | | | | - Susan M. Kiene
- San Diego State University School of Public Health, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Torgersen J, Bellamy SL, Ratshaa B, Han X, Mosepele M, Zuppa AF, Vujkovic M, Steenhoff A, Bisson GP, Gross R. Impact of Efavirenz Metabolism on Loss to Care in Older HIV+ Africans. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2019; 44:179-187. [PMID: 30168000 PMCID: PMC6420397 DOI: 10.1007/s13318-018-0507-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Efavirenz is commonly used in Africa and is frequently associated with neurocognitive toxicity, which may compromise clinical outcomes. Older individuals are at increased risk for drug toxicity and clinical outcomes may be worse in older age, particularly among those individuals with cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B6 polymorphisms associated with slower efavirenz metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine if the CYP2B6 polymorphisms differentially impacts loss to care in older people. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study of 914 treatment-naïve HIV+ adults initiating efavirenz-based antiretroviral treatment at public HIV clinics in Gaborone, Botswana between 2009 and 2013. Older age, defined as age ≥ 50 years, was the primary exposure and loss to care at 6 months was the primary outcome. Interaction between age and CYP2B6 516G>T and 983T>C polymorphisms, defined as extensive, intermediate, and slow metabolism, was assessed. Neurocognitive toxicity was measured using a symptom questionnaire. Age-stratified logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with loss to care. RESULTS Older age was associated with loss to care (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.30-2.92). Age modified the effect of CYP2B6 genotype on loss to care with older, slow metabolizers at over four-fold higher risk when compared to older, intermediate metabolizers (OR 4.06 95% CI 1.38-11.89); neurocognitive toxicity did not mediate this risk. CYP2B6 metabolism genotype did not increase risk of loss to care in younger participants. CONCLUSION Older age was associated with loss to care, especially among those with slow efavirenz metabolism. Understanding the relationship between older age and CYP2B6 genotype will be important to improving outcomes in an aging population initiating efavirenz-based ART in similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Torgersen
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Scarlett L. Bellamy
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Xiaoyan Han
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Athena F Zuppa
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marijana Vujkovic
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew Steenhoff
- Botswana UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregory P. Bisson
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert Gross
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Tibbels NJ, Hendrickson ZM, Naugle DA, Dosso A, Van Lith L, Mallalieu EC, Kouadio AM, Kra W, Kamara D, Dailly-Ajavon P, Cisse A, Seifert-Ahanda K, Thaddeus S, Babalola S, Hoffmann CJ. Men's perceptions of HIV care engagement at the facility- and provider-levels: Experiences in Cote d'Ivoire. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211385. [PMID: 30897098 PMCID: PMC6428322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Men in sub-Saharan Africa have lower rates of HIV testing and are less likely to initiate treatment compared to women. Service delivery dimensions are a key factor in facilitating engagement along the HIV treatment continuum for men and women, yet male specific overall perceptions of the service delivery environment have received little attention in West Africa. This study draws on qualitative data collected in Côte d’Ivoire to explore provider-level and structural factors affecting men’s engagement in HIV testing and treatment through interviews and focus group discussions conducted with health workers and men living with HIV (some on ART) or whose HIV status was unknown. Factors influencing decisions to test or initiate treatment were considered in terms of perceived benefits and costs. Men described costs at the interpersonal (client-provider) level, such as unwanted disclosure or stigma, which were weighed against the potential for social support and clinical guidance. Likewise, fear of unwanted disclosure operated at the facility level, as the layout of facilities sometimes grouped clients living with HIV together. Notably, the benefits men described from engaging in HIV testing and care all operated at the interpersonal level and none at the facility level. In light of the fact that provider- and facility-level factors influenced the perceptions and experiences of men along the treatment continuum, we offer recommendations to reduce barriers to testing and engagement in care related to service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Jean Tibbels
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Zoé Mistrale Hendrickson
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Danielle Amani Naugle
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Abdul Dosso
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Lynn Van Lith
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth C. Mallalieu
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anne Marie Kouadio
- Sociology Department, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Walter Kra
- Sociology Department, Alassane Ouattra University, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Diarra Kamara
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Patricia Dailly-Ajavon
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Adama Cisse
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Kim Seifert-Ahanda
- United States Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - Sereen Thaddeus
- United States Agency for International Development, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
| | - Stella Babalola
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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The multidimensionality of masculine norms in east Zimbabwe: implications for HIV prevention, testing and treatment. AIDS 2019; 33:537-546. [PMID: 30531399 PMCID: PMC6365253 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research and intervention studies suggest that men face challenges in using HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa. To address these challenges, quantitative measurements are needed to establish the individual-level determinants of masculine norms and their implications for HIV prevention and treatment programmes. METHODS Survey questions for four masculine norms identified in qualitative research were included in a general-population survey of 3116 men in east Zimbabwe, 2012-2013. Two sets of regression analyses were conducted in an structural equation modelling framework to examine: which sociodemographic characteristics were associated with high scores on each masculinity factor; and how high scores on these masculinity factors differed in their associations with sexual risk behaviour and use of HIV services. FINDINGS Sociodemographic characteristics associated with high factor scores differed between masculine norms. In HIV-negative men, more men with scores exceeding one standard deviation above the mean (high scorers) for antifemininity than men with scores under one standard deviation below the mean (low scorers) took steps to avoid infection (61 versus 54%, P < 0.01). Fewer high than low scorers on social status reported a recent HIV test (69 versus 74%, P = 0.04). In HIV-positive men, more high scorers on sex drive had been diagnosed (85 versus 61%, P = 0.02), were on antiretroviral treatment (91 versus 62%, P = 0.04), and were in AIDS groups (77 versus 46% P = 0.03). CONCLUSION HIV treatment, prevention programmes looking to engage men must consider the multidimensionality of masculine norms. The scale developed in this study is robust and can be used by other large multipurpose surveys to examine masculine social norms.
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Adjetey V, Obiri-Yeboah D, Dornoo B. Differentiated service delivery: a qualitative study of people living with HIV and accessing care in a tertiary facility in Ghana. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:95. [PMID: 30717715 PMCID: PMC6360720 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-3878-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2014, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) set out a treatment target with the objective to help end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. This was supported by the UNAIDS '90-90-90' target that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV (PLHIV) will know their HIV status; 90% of all those diagnosed with HIV will be on sustained antiretroviral therapy; and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. The concept of offering differentiated care services using community-based models is evidence-based and is suggested as a means to bring this target into reality. This study sought to explore the possible predictors and acceptability of Community-based health service provision among PLHIV accessing ART services at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) in Ghana. METHODS A qualitative study, using 5 focus group discussions (FGD) of 8 participants per group, was conducted at the HIV Clinic in CCTH, in the Central Region of Ghana. Facilitators administered open-ended topic-guided questions. Answers were audio recorded, later transcribed and combined with notes taken during the discussions. Themes around Facility-based and Community-based service delivery and sub-themes developed from the codes, were verified and analyzed by the authors, with the group as the unit for analysis. RESULTS Participants expressed preference for facility-based service provision with the construct that, it ensures comprehensive health checks before provision of necessary medications. PLHIV in this study wished that the facility-based visits be more streamlined so "stable clients" could visit twice in a year to reduce the associated time and financial cost. The main barrier to community-based service delivery was concerns about stigmatization and abandonment in the community upon inadvertent disclosure of status. CONCLUSIONS Although existing evidence suggests that facility-based care was relatively more expensive and time consuming, PLHIV preferred facility-based individualized differentiated model to a community-based model. The fear of stigma and discrimination was very strong and is the main barrier to community-based model among PLHIV in this study and this needs to be explored further and managed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Adjetey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medical Sciences, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
| | - Bernard Dornoo
- Medical Directorate, University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana
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Skovdal M, Ssekubugu R, Nyamukapa C, Seeley J, Renju J, Wamoyi J, Moshabela M, Ondenge K, Wringe A, Gregson S, Zaba B. The rebellious man: Next-of-kin accounts of the death of a male relative on antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa. Glob Public Health 2019; 14:1252-1263. [PMID: 30689511 PMCID: PMC6816491 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2019.1571092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The HIV response is hampered by many obstacles to progression along the HIV care cascade, with men, in particular, experiencing different forms of disruption. One group of men, whose stories remain untold, are those who have succumbed to HIV-related illness. In this paper, we explore how next-of-kin account for the death of a male relative. We conducted 26 qualitative after-death interviews with family members of male PLHIV who had recently died from HIV in health and demographic surveillance sites in Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The next-of-kin expressed frustration about the defiance of their male relative to disclose his HIV status and ask for support, and attributed this to shame, fear and a lack of self-acceptance of HIV diagnosis. Next-of-kin painted a picture of their male relative as rebellious. Some claimed that their deceased relative deliberately ignored instructions received by the health worker. Others described their male relatives as unable to maintain caring relationships that would avail day-to-day treatment partners, and give purpose to their lives. Through these accounts, next-of-kin vocalised the perceived rebellious behaviour of these men, and in the process of doing so neutralised their responsibility for the premature death of their relative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Skovdal
- a Department of Public Health , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | | | - Constance Nyamukapa
- c Biomedical Research and Training Institute , Harare , Zimbabwe.,d Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Janet Seeley
- e London School of Hygiene and Tropic Medicine , London , UK.,f Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute , Entebbe , Uganda.,g African Health Research Institute , Durban , South Africa
| | - Jenny Renju
- e London School of Hygiene and Tropic Medicine , London , UK.,h Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit , Karonga , Malawi
| | - Joyce Wamoyi
- i National Institute for Medical Research , Mwanza Research Centre, Mwanza , Tanzania
| | - Mosa Moshabela
- g African Health Research Institute , Durban , South Africa.,j University of KwaZulu-Natal , Durban , South Africa
| | | | - Alison Wringe
- e London School of Hygiene and Tropic Medicine , London , UK
| | - Simon Gregson
- c Biomedical Research and Training Institute , Harare , Zimbabwe.,d Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Basia Zaba
- e London School of Hygiene and Tropic Medicine , London , UK
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Brown LB, Getahun M, Ayieko J, Kwarisiima D, Owaraganise A, Atukunda M, Olilo W, Clark T, Bukusi EA, Cohen CR, Kamya MR, Petersen ML, Charlebois ED, Havlir DV, Camlin CS. Factors predictive of successful retention in care among HIV-infected men in a universal test-and-treat setting in Uganda and Kenya: A mixed methods analysis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210126. [PMID: 30673744 PMCID: PMC6343966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous research indicates clinical outcomes among HIV-infected men in sub-Saharan Africa are sub-optimal. The SEARCH test and treat trial (NCT01864603) intervention included antiretroviral care delivery designed to address known barriers to HIV-care among men by decreasing clinic visit frequency and providing flexible, patient-centered care with retention support. We sought to understand facilitators and barriers to retention in care in this universal treatment setting through quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Methods We used a convergent mixed methods study design to evaluate retention in HIV care among adults (age > = 15) during the first year of the SEARCH (NCT01864603) test and treat trial. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate predictors of retention in care. Longitudinal qualitative data from n = 190 in-depth interviews with HIV-positive individuals and health care providers were analyzed to identify facilitators and barriers to HIV care engagement. Results There were 1,863 men and 3,820 women who linked to care following baseline testing. Retention in care was 89.7% (95% CI 87.0–91.8%) among men and 89.0% (86.8–90.9%) among women at one year. In both men and women older age was associated with higher rates of retention in care at one year. Additionally, among men higher CD4+ at ART initiation and decreased time between testing and ART initiation was associated with higher rates of retention. Maintaining physical health, a patient-centered treatment environment, supportive partnerships, few negative consequences to disclosure, and the ability to seek care in facilities outside of their community of residence were found to promote retention in care. Conclusions Features of the ART delivery system in the SEARCH intervention and social and structural advantages emerged as facilitators to retention in HIV care among men. Messaging around the health benefits of early ART start, decreasing logistical barriers to HIV care, support of flexible treatment environments, and accelerated linkage to care, are important to men’s success in ART treatment programs. Men already benefit from increased social support following disclosure of their HIV-status. Future efforts to shift gender norms towards greater equity are a potential strategy to support high levels of engagement in care for both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian B Brown
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.,Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Monica Getahun
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tamara Clark
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Moses R Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda.,Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Maya L Petersen
- Divisions of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Edwin D Charlebois
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Diane V Havlir
- Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Carol S Camlin
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Coelho L, Rebeiro PF, Castilho JL, Caro-Vega Y, Mejia FA, Cesar C, Cortes CP, Padgett D, McGowan CC, Veloso VG, Sterling TR, Grinsztejn B, Shepherd BE, Luz PM. Early Retention in Care Neither Mediates Nor Modifies the Effect of Sex and Sexual Mode of HIV Acquisition on HIV Survival in the Americas. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2018; 32:306-313. [PMID: 30067405 PMCID: PMC6080124 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2018.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early retention in care, sex, and sexual mode of HIV acquisition has been associated with mortality risk among persons living with HIV (PLWH). We assessed whether early retention in care mediates or modifies the association between mortality and sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition among PLWH on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Americas. ART-naïve, adult PLWH (≥18 years) enrolling at Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet) and Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic sites 2000-2015, starting ART, and with ≥1 visit after ART-start were included. Early retention in care was defined as ≥2 HIV care visits/labs ≥90 days apart in the first year of ART. Cox models assessed the association between early retention in care, sex, and sexual mode of HIV acquisition [i.e., women, heterosexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM)], and mortality. Associations were estimated separately by site and pooled. Among 11,721 included PLWH (median follow-up, 4.3 years; interquartile range, 2.0-7.6), 647 died (rate = 10.9/1000 person-years) and 1985 were lost to follow-up (rate = 33.6/1000 person-years). After adjustment for confounders, early retention in care was associated with lower mortality during subsequent years (pooled hazard ratio = 0.47; 95% confidence interval = 0.39-0.57). MSM had lower and heterosexual men had comparable mortality risk to women; risks were similar when adjusting for early retention in care. Additionally, no evidence of an interaction between early retention in care and sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition on mortality was observed (p > 0.05). Early retention in care substantially reduced mortality but does not mediate or modify the association between sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition and mortality in our population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Coelho
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Yanink Caro-Vega
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fernando A. Mejia
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Claudia P. Cortes
- Fundacion Arriaran, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Denis Padgett
- Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social and Hospital Escuela Universitario, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | | | - Valdiléa G. Veloso
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Beatriz Grinsztejn
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Paula M. Luz
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Adams AK, Zamberia AM. "I will take ARVs once my body deteriorates": an analysis of Swazi men's perceptions and acceptability of Test and Start. AJAR-AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AIDS RESEARCH 2018; 16:295-303. [PMID: 29132279 DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2017.1362015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence in the world. To mitigate the spread and devastation caused by HIV and to improve the wellbeing of people living with HIV, the country has adopted the latest available HIV prevention campaigns, including "Test and Start". Because evidence from randomised controlled trials has demonstrated a significant risk reduction in HIV transmission when HIV-positive people start antiretroviral therapy (ART) early, Swaziland aims to find these people and link them to treatment. This study presents findings regarding the perceptions of this promising HIV-prevention intervention among men aged 17-69 years. A combination of qualitative methods including focus group discussions (12), in-depth interviews (17), informal conversations and participant observation (21) were used to collect data in two peri-urban communities in 2013-2014. Findings illustrate that men still fear taking an HIV test because of a relatively high probability of a positive test which some still interpret as a death sentence. Other potential barriers to the effectiveness of Test and Start programmes include lack of hospitality in hospitals, fear of starting treatment early related to side effects of ART, poverty, and lack of trust in the financial stability of the Swazi government. We argue that several social factors need to be considered for the Test and Start programme to be more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred K Adams
- a Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research , University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam , the Netherlands
| | - Agostino M Zamberia
- b Department of Sociology and Social Work , University of Swaziland , Kwaluseni , Swaziland
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Baral S, Turner RM, Lyons CE, Howell S, Honermann B, Garner A, Hess R, Diouf D, Ayala G, Sullivan PS, Millett G. Population Size Estimation of Gay and Bisexual Men and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Social Media-Based Platforms. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2018; 4:e15. [PMID: 29422452 PMCID: PMC5824103 DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.9321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gay, bisexual, and other cisgender men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are disproportionately affected by the HIV pandemic. Traditionally, GBMSM have been deemed less relevant in HIV epidemics in low- and middle-income settings where HIV epidemics are more generalized. This is due (in part) to how important population size estimates regarding the number of individuals who identify as GBMSM are to informing the development and monitoring of HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs and coverage. However, pervasive stigma and criminalization of same-sex practices and relationships provide a challenging environment for population enumeration, and these factors have been associated with implausibly low or absent size estimates of GBMSM, thereby limiting knowledge about the dynamics of HIV transmission and the implementation of programs addressing GBMSM. OBJECTIVE This study leverages estimates of the number of members of a social app geared towards gay men (Hornet) and members of Facebook using self-reported relationship interests in men, men and women, and those with at least one reported same-sex interest. Results were categorized by country of residence to validate official size estimates of GBMSM in 13 countries across five continents. METHODS Data were collected through the Hornet Gay Social Network and by using an a priori determined framework to estimate the numbers of Facebook members with interests associated with GBMSM in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, The Gambia, Lebanon, Thailand, Malaysia, Brazil, Ukraine, and the United States. These estimates were compared with the most recent Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and national estimates across 143 countries. RESULTS The estimates that leveraged social media apps for the number of GBMSM across countries are consistently far higher than official UNAIDS estimates. Using Facebook, it is also feasible to assess the numbers of GBMSM aged 13-17 years, which demonstrate similar proportions to those of older men. There is greater consistency in Facebook estimates of GBMSM compared to UNAIDS-reported estimates across countries. CONCLUSIONS The ability to use social media for epidemiologic and HIV prevention, treatment, and care needs continues to improve. Here, a method leveraging different categories of same-sex interests on Facebook, combined with a specific gay-oriented app (Hornet), demonstrated significantly higher estimates than those officially reported. While there are biases in this approach, these data reinforce the need for multiple methods to be used to count the number of GBMSM (especially in more stigmatizing settings) to better inform mathematical models and the scale of HIV program coverage. Moreover, these estimates can inform programs for those aged 13-17 years; a group for which HIV incidence is the highest and HIV prevention program coverage, including the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is lowest. Taken together, these results highlight the potential for social media to provide comparable estimates of the number of GBMSM across a large range of countries, including some with no reported estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Baral
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rachael M Turner
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Carrie E Lyons
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sean Howell
- Hornet Gay Social Network, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Brian Honermann
- Public Policy Office, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Alex Garner
- Hornet Gay Social Network, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Robert Hess
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - George Ayala
- The Global Forum for MSM and HIV, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Patrick S Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Greg Millett
- Public Policy Office, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Washington, DC, United States
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Abstract
Introduction: South Africa has the largest number of individuals living with HIV and the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme worldwide. In September 2016, ART eligibility was extended to all 7.1 million HIV-positive South Africans. To ensure that further expansion of services does not compromise quality of care, long-term outcomes must be monitored. Few studies have reported long-term mortality in resource-constrained settings, where mortality ascertainment is challenging. Combining site records with data linked to the national vital registration system, sites in the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa collaboration can identify >95% of deaths in patients with civil identification numbers (IDs). This study used linked data to explore long-term mortality and viral suppression among adults starting ART in South Africa. Methods: The study was a cohort analysis of routine data on adults with IDs starting ART 2004–2015 in five large ART cohorts. Mortality was estimated overall and by gender using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox’s proportional hazards regression. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated by dividing observed numbers of deaths by numbers expected if patients had been HIV-negative. Viral suppression in patients with viral loads (VLs) in their last year of follow-up was the secondary outcome. Results: Among 72,812 adults followed for 350,376 person years (pyrs), the crude mortality rate was 3.08 (95% CI 3.02–3.14)/100 pyrs. Patients were predominantly female (67%) and the percentage of men initiating ART did not increase. Cumulative mortality 12 years after ART initiation was 23.9% (33.4% male and 19.4% female). Mortality peaked in patients enrolling in 2007–2009 and was higher in men than women at all durations. Observed mortality rates were higher than HIV-negative mortality, decreasing with duration. By 48 months, observed mortality was close to that in the HIV-negative population, and SMRs were similar for all baseline CD4 strata. Three-quarters of patients had VLs in their last year, and 86% of these were virally suppressed. Conclusions: The South African ART programme has shown a remarkable ability to initiate and manage patients successfully over 12 years, despite rapid expansion. With further scale-up, testing and initiating men on ART must be a national priority.
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46
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Abstract
Introduction: Policies for rationing antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been subject to on-going ethical debates. Introduced in Malawi in 2011, Option B+ prioritized HIV-positive pregnant women for lifelong ART regardless of the underlying state of their immune system, shifting the logic of allocation away from medical eligibility. Despite the rapid expansion of this policy, we know little about how it has been understood and interpreted by the people it affects. Methods: We assessed awareness and perceived fairness of the prioritization system for ART among a population-based sample of young women (n = 1440) and their partners (n = 574) in southern Malawi. We use a card-sort technique to elicit understandings of who gets ART under Option B+ and who should be prioritized, and we compare perceptions to actual ART policy using sequence analysis and optimal matching. We then use ordered logistic regression to identify the factors associated with policy awareness. Results: In 2015, only 30.7% of women and 21.1% of male partners understood how ART was being distributed. There was widespread confusion around whether otherwise healthy HIV-positive pregnant women could access ART under Option B + . Nonetheless, more young adults thought that the fairest policy should prioritize such women than believed the actual policy did. Women who were older, more educated or had recently engaged with the health system through antenatal care or ART had more accurate understandings of Option B + . Among men, policy awareness was lower, and was patterned only by education. Conclusions: Although most respondents were unaware that Option B+ afforded ART access to healthy-pregnant women, Malawians support the prioritization of pregnant women. Countries adopting Option B+ or other new ART policies such as universal test-and-treat should communicate the policies and their rationales to the public – such transparency would be more consistent with a fair and ethical process and could additionally serve to clarify confusion and enhance retention.
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