Structural vulnerabilities and PrEP awareness among Boston heterosexuals and people who inject drugs at risk for HIV: findings from 2018 to 2019 cycles from the Boston, MA site of the NHBS

Little is known about biopsychosocial factors relating to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness among people with either heterosexual or injection drug use HIV risk behaviors. Participants engaged in vaginal/anal sex with a person of the opposite sex (N = 515) or were people who injected drugs (PWID; N = 451) in the past 12 months from 2018-2019 in Boston, MA. We examined associations between PrEP awareness and: homelessness; perceived HIV-related stigma; country of birth; bacterial STDs, chlamydia, and/or gonorrhea in the past 12 months, lifetime hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, sexual orientation, and poverty. More PWID (36.8%) were aware of PrEP than people with heterosexual HIV risk (28%; p = .001). Among people with heterosexual risk, homelessness (aOR = 1.99, p = .003), and among PWID: homelessness (aOR = 2.11, p = .032); bacterial STD (aOR = 2.96, p = .012); chlamydia (aOR = 6.14, p = .008); and HCV (aOR = 2.40, p < .001) were associated with increased likelihood of PrEP awareness. In the combined sample: homelessness (aOR = 2.25, p < .001); HCV (aOR = 2.18, p < .001); identifying as homosexual (aOR = 3.71, p = .036); and bisexual (aOR = 1.55, p = .016) were each associated with PrEP awareness. Although having an STD, HCV, identifying as homosexual or bisexual, and experiencing homelessness were associated with increased PrEP awareness, most participants were unaware of PrEP. Efforts to increase PrEP awareness could engage PWID and heterosexual HIV risk behavior.

Alcohol and drug use severity are independently associated with antiretroviral adherence in the current treatment era

Substance use in people with HIV (PWH) negatively impacts antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. However, less is known about this in the current treatment era and the impact of specific substances or severity of substance use. We examined the associations of alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use (methamphetamine/crystal, cocaine/crack, illicit opioids/heroin) and their severity of use with adherence using multivariable linear regression in adult PWH in care between 2016 and 2020 at 8 sites across the US. PWH completed assessments of alcohol use severity (AUDIT-C), drug use severity (modified ASSIST), and ART adherence (visual analogue scale). Among 9400 PWH, 16% reported current hazardous alcohol use, 31% current marijuana use, and 15% current use of ≥1 illicit drugs. In multivariable analysis, current methamphetamine/crystal use, particularly common among men who had sex with men, was associated with 10.1% lower mean ART adherence (p < 0.001) and 2.6% lower adherence per 5-point higher severity of use (ASSIST score) (p < 0.001). Current and more severe use of alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs were also associated with lower adherence in a dose-dependent manner. In the current HIV treatment era, individualized substance use treatment, especially for methamphetamine/crystal, and ART adherence should be prioritized.

Vaporized nicotine use among patients in HIV care who smoke tobacco: perceived health effects and effectiveness as a smoking cessation tool

Evidence suggests adverse health effects from vaporized nicotine (VN) use, such as electronic "e" cigarettes, and limited efficacy to aid tobacco cessation. People with HIV (PWH) smoke tobacco at higher rates than the general population, with greater morbidity, highlighting the necessity of effective tobacco cessation tools. PWH may be more vulnerable to adverse effects of VN. Using semi-structured 1:1 interviews, we examined health beliefs regarding VN, patterns of use, and perceived effectiveness for tobacco cessation among PWH in HIV care at three geographically diverse U.S. sites. PWH (n = 24) had limited understanding of VN product content or health effects, presuming VN less harmful than tobacco cigarettes (TC). VN failed to adequately replicate the psychoactive effects or desired ritual of smoking TC. Concurrent TC use, and continuous VN use throughout the day, was common. Satiety using VN was elusive, and consumption quantity was difficult to track. VN had limited desirability and durability as a TC cessation tool among the interviewed PWH.

Correlates of psychological intimate partner violence with HIV care outcomes on patients in HIV care

Background

Among people living with HIV (PLWH), physical intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with poor virologic, psychiatric, and behavioral outcomes. We examined non-physical, psychological intimate partner violence (psy-IPV) and HIV care outcomes using data from two U.S. consortia.

Methods

We conducted multivariable analyses with robust standard errors to compare patients indicating/not indicating psy-IPV.

Results

Among PLWH (n = 5950), 9.5% indicated psy-IPV; these individuals were younger (− 3; 95% CI [− 2,-4], p-value < 0.001), less likely to be on antiretroviral treatment (ART) (0.73 [0.55,0.97], p = 0.03), less adherent to ART (− 4.2 [− 5.9,-2.4], p < 0.001), had higher odds of detectable viral load (1.43 [1.15,1.78], p = 0.001) and depression (2.63 [2.18,3.18], p < 0.001), and greater use of methamphetamines/crystal [2.98 (2.30,3.87),p < 0.001], cocaine/crack [1.57 (1.24,1.99),p < 0.001], illicit opioids [1.56 (1.13,2.16),p = 0.007], and marijuana [1.40 (1.15,1.70), p < 0.001].

Conclusion

Psychological IPV, even in the absence of physical or sexual IPV, appears to be associated with HIV care outcomes and should be included in IPV measures integrated into routine HIV care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11854-x.

Detecting Depression in People Living with HIV in South Africa: The Factor Structure and Convergent Validity of the South African Depression Scale (SADS)

Screening measures for depression developed in high-income countries have not always demonstrated strong psychometric properties in South Africa and with people living with HIV (PLWH). The present study explored the psychometric properties of the 16-item South African Depression Scale (SADS) comprised of idioms of distress specific to isiXhosa culture in PLWH. The SADS was administered to 137 Xhosa-speaking PLWH who met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) together with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We conducted exploratory factor analysis, correlation, and reliability statistics. Four factors of the SADS emerged: Sadness, lethargy/burdened, anhedonia/withdrawal, and cognitive/somatic. All factors correlated significantly with the HAM-D and CES-D. Internal consistency of the overall measure was high (α = .89). The SADS promises to be a robust measure of depression in isiXhosa-speaking PLWH in South Africa likely due to the inclusion of local idioms of distress.

A qualitative study of the feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation program for people living with HIV and emotional dysregulation

Despite high rates of co-occurring tobacco use and anxiety among persons living with HIV, evidence-based interventions for these individuals are limited. An existing cognitive-behavioral treatment protocol for smoking cessation and anxiety (Norton, P. J., & Barrera, T. L. (2012). Transdiagnostic versus diagnosis-specific CBT for anxiety disorders: A preliminary randomized controlled noninferiority trial. Depression and Anxiety, 29(10), 874-882. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.21974) was modified to address transdiagnostic constructs, such as anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and depressive symptomatology (Labbe, A. K., Wilner, J. G., Kosiba, J. D., Gonzalez, A., Smits, J. A., Zvolensky, M. J., … O'Cleirigh, C. (2017). Demonstration of an Integrated Treatment for Smoking Cessation and Anxiety Symptoms in People with HIV: A Clinical Case Study. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 24(2), 200-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2016.03.009). This study examines the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention as determined from qualitative data from structured exit interviews from 10 participants who completed treatment. Results demonstrated that participants were very motivated to quit smoking and enrolled in the program for health-related reasons and to be able to quit. Participants found nearly all the treatment components to be useful for reaching their smoking cessation goal and in managing emotional dysregulation. Last, all participants stated that they would strongly recommend the treatment program. This qualitative study provides initial evidence for the feasibility and acceptability of a modified smoking cessation treatment protocol for HIV+ individuals with anxiety and emotional dysregulation. Future research will focus on evaluating the efficacy of the protocol in a full-scale randomized controlled trial, as well as working to collect qualitative data from participants who discontinue treatment to better understand reasons for treatment attrition.

Psychosocial and Neurohormonal Predictors of HIV Disease Progression (CD4 Cells and Viral Load): A 4 Year Prospective Study

Most studies of psychosocial predictors of disease progression in HIV have not considered norepinephrine (NE), a neurohormone related to emotion and stress, even though NE has been related to accelerated viral replication in vitro and impaired response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We therefore examined NE, cortisol, depression, hopelessness, coping, and life event stress as predictors of HIV progression in a diverse sample. Participants (n = 177) completed psychological assessment, blood draws [CD4, viral load (VL)], and a 15 h urine sample (NE, cortisol) every 6 months over 4 years. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to model slope in CD4 and VL controlling for ART at every time point, gender, age, race, SES, and initial disease status. NE (as well as depression, hopelessness, and avoidant coping) significantly predicted a greater rate of decrease in CD4 and increase in VL. Cortisol was not significantly related to CD4, but predicted VL increase. To our knowledge, this is the first study relating NE, in vivo, to accelerated disease progression over an extended time. It also extends our previous 2 year study by relating depressed mood and coping to accelerated disease progression over 4 years.

Understanding the experience and manifestation of depression in people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa

Understanding the experience of depression in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) could aid in the detection and treatment of the disorder. Yet, there is limited knowledge of the subjective experience of depression amongst PLWH in low- and middle-income countries despite high rates of this disorder in this population. In the current study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with depressed adults living with HIV attending a primary infectious disease clinic in South Africa. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed. The construct of depression was consistent with DSM-IV criteria; however, the symptom presentation was distinctive. Somatic symptoms were most prominent in participants' initial presentations because participants perceived them as medically relevant. Affective, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms were not readily reported as participants did not perceive these symptoms as pertinent to their medical treatment. We identified several idioms of distress that could assist in screening for depression in this population. A valid, contextually developed screener for depression in PLWH awaits further investigation. Such a measure could play a key role in formulating a logistically feasible method of detection and treatment for depression in this population.

Which HIV-infected men who have sex with men in care are engaging in risky sex and acquiring sexually transmitted infections: findings from a Boston community health centre

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in a cohort of HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) in their primary care setting, and to identify the demographic and behavioural characteristics of those infected with STI and the correlates of sexual transmission risk behaviour.

METHODS

At study entry, participants (n = 398) were tested for STI and their medical charts were reviewed for STI results in the previous year. Data on demographics, substance use, sexual behaviour and HIV disease characteristics were collected through a computer-assisted self-assessment and medical record extraction. Logistic regression analyses assessed characteristics of those with recent STI and recent transmission risk behaviour.

RESULTS

The sample was predominantly white (74.6%) and college educated (51.7%). On average, participants were 41.5 years old (SD 8.4) and had been HIV infected for 8.6 years (SD 6.7); 9% of the sample had an STI, with 6.4% testing positive for syphilis, 3.1% for gonorrhoea and 0.25% for chlamydia. Age and years since HIV diagnosis were significantly associated with testing positive for an STI, as was engaging in transmission risk behaviour and using methamphetamine, ketamine and inhalants. Substance use, particularly methamphetamine use, and being more recently diagnosed with HIV were each uniquely associated with transmission risk behaviour in a multivariable model.

CONCLUSIONS

These results underscore the need to develop more effective secondary prevention interventions for HIV-infected MSM, tailored to more recently diagnosed patients, particularly those who are younger and substance users.

Morphological engineering of Streptomyces hygroscopicus var. geldanus: regulation of pellet morphology through manipulation of broth viscosity

Actinomycetes, especially members of the genus Streptomyces, are responsible for producing the majority of known antibiotics. The production of antibiotics by filamentous organisms is often dependent on the morphology and size distribution of the pellet population within the culture. Particle interaction and subsequent pellet formation are primarily dependent on the rate of collision of particles in culture, which is in turn, a function of fluid turbulence. The microbial polysaccharide xanthan gum was used to artificially regulate the apparent viscosity (mu(a)) of S. hygroscopicus fermentation broths with the aim of controlling particle interaction, aggregation and hence pellet formation. An increase in both pellet count and biomass concentration from approximately 2,000 to 8,000 pellets ml(-1) and 0.9-2.1 g l(-1) dry weight of biomass, as well a decrease in the mean pellet volume from 0.014 to 0.004 mm(3) was observed in cultures supplemented with 3 g l(-1) xanthan gum. The addition of xanthan gum significantly alters fluid rheology by increasing the mu(a). Counter-intuitively, an increase in the mu(a) within the experimental range examined resulted in an increase in the rate of gas-liquid mass transfer. This was attributed to the predominantly diffusive nature of oxygen transfer in shake flask cultures.

Development of a robust microtiter plate-based assay method for assessment of bioactivity

A microtiter plate-based assay was developed for the quantitative monitoring of bioactive compound production in Streptomyces hygroscopicus fermentation samples. The method reported demonstrates the successful application of the theories of disk diffusion based methods of bioactivity assessment, to a microtiter assay for high throughput analysis. The assay method facilitates the generation of the dose-response curve of test organisms (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to a bioactive compound. Using this dose-response curve, the method facilitates definition of three distinct Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values for use in the characterisation of the bioactive attributes of a sample. The assay uses established standard procedures to facilitate adaptation of the assay for use with a wider range of test microorganisms. Errors due to the assumption of a linear relationship between turbidity and biomass concentration are also reduced, due to incorporation of a step to convert turbidity to biomass concentration, for use in the calculation of bioactivity.

The decision to forgo antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV compliance as paternalism or partnership?

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-reported reasons that people living with HIV (PLWH) provide to support their autonomous (i.e., against medical advice) decisions not to take, or to stop taking, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A further purpose of this study was to examine physicians' reactions to their patients' autonomous decisions and to examine physicians' conceptualization of compliance.

DESIGN/METHODS

Semi structured interviews were conducted with 11 PLWH (5 male, 6 female) and their 8 HIV-care providers (4 male, 4 female). Interviews were analysed qualitatively using thematic coding. Patients also completed sociodemographic and medical information questionnaires. Interrater reliability was also calculated on patients' reasons supporting their decisions with coefficients ranging from .84 to 1.00 (all ps <.01).

RESULTS

For all 11 patients, preservation of quality of life and critical attitudes toward allopathic medicine were identified as reasons supporting autonomous decisions to refuse HAART. In addition, 10 patients cited the prior experience of, or the anticipated fear of, side-effects as central to their decision. Nine patients articulated their preference for alternative medicine and five patients expressed moral objections as significant reasons underlying their decisions. Gender differences emerged in care providers' conceptualization of compliance. Female care providers tended to view compliance as a collaboration between patient and care provider whereas male physicians tended to view compliance more as the patients' capacity to adhere to the prescribed HAART-regimen. Physician response strategies to patients' autonomous decision to refuse HAART were characterized as coercive or not. Neither the physicians' conceptualization of compliance nor their response strategies were consistent with the patients' perspective. In contrast, the central component of the patients' decision making was the patients' subjective view of the benefit they would derive from HAART.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide some initial evidence that health care providers integrate recommendations for HAART with patients concerns for their own quality of life and make these recommendations within the context of the patients' worldview. In addition, these results suggest that traditional views of compliance, that emphasize obedience to physician prescriptions, may be inadequate in this regard. Rather, these results suggest that a theory of compliance that is based upon collaboration between physician and patient will allow for a consideration of patients' subjective views, their worldview, and their health care beliefs.

Morphological quantification of pellets in Streptomyces hygroscopicus var. geldanus fermentation broths using a flatbed scanner

An image analysis technique has been developed to allow high throughput morphological characterisation of microbial fermentation broths containing spherical pellets greater than 100 microm in diameter. Images of stained Streptomyces hygroscopicus var. geldanus culture samples at three different inoculum levels were captured using a flatbed scanner, at a resolution of 21 microm per pixel (1200 dots per inch) and subsequently analysed leading to the generation of a morphological profile of each sample. The time taken for image capture and analysis of a prepared sample, containing approx. 2000 particles, was 3 min 6 s.