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Matovu JKB, Mbita G, Hamilton A, Mhando F, Sims WM, Thompson N, Komba AN, Lija J, Zhang J, van den Akker T, Duncan DT, Choko AT, Conserve DF. Men's comfort in distributing or receiving HIV self-test kits from close male social network members in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: baseline results from the STEP project. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1739. [PMID: 34560878 PMCID: PMC8464146 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11806-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A variety of strategies have been used to reach men with HIV self-testing services, including social network-based HIV self-test kits distribution. However, few studies have assessed men’s comfort to distribute to or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends within the same social network. In this study, we assessed men’s comfort to distribute to and/or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends and associated factors among men who socialize in networks locally referred to as “camps” in Tanzania. Methods Data are from the baseline survey of a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in June 2019 with 18 social networks or “camps” in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants were 18-year-old or older male camp members who were HIV-negative at the time of enrolment. We used the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to assess factors associated with being comfortable to distribute to and/or receive HIV self-test kits from close male members within one’s social network. Results Of 505 participants, 67.9% (n = 342) reported being comfortable to distribute to while 68.2% (n = 344) were comfortable to receive HIV self-test kits from their close male friends. Ever having heard about HIV self-testing (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (Adj. PR): 1.6; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.3, 1.9), willingness to self-test for HIV in front of a sexual partner (Adj. PR: 3.0; 95%CI: 1.5, 6.1) and exposure to peer-led HIV self-testing education and promotion (Adj. PR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.2, 1.7) were significantly associated with being comfortable to distribute HIV self-test kits to close male members within one’s social network. Similar results were observed for being comfortable to receive HIV self-test kits from a close male friend within one’s social network. Conclusions Overall, these findings suggest that distribution of HIV self-test kits through close male friends could improve the proportion of men reached with HIV self-testing services and improve HIV testing rates in this population where uptake remains low. However, additional promotional strategies such as peer-led HIV self-testing education are needed to raise awareness and increase the proportion of men who are comfortable to receive and/or distribute HIV self-testing kits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K B Matovu
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.,Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Gaspar Mbita
- Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Jhpiego Tanzania, An Affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Akeen Hamilton
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Frank Mhando
- University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Stellenbosch University, Business School, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Wynton M Sims
- School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Noah Thompson
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Albert N Komba
- Jhpiego Tanzania, An Affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jackson Lija
- National AIDS Control Program, Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Dustin T Duncan
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | - Augustine T Choko
- Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Donaldson F Conserve
- Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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Jefferson JM, Sims WM, Umeh N, Byeon YJJ, Abdallah KE, Bonham VL, Naik RP, Smith‐Whitley K. Splenic infarction in sickle cell trait: A comprehensive systematic review of case studies. eJHaem 2021; 2:585-600. [PMID: 34870278 PMCID: PMC8635393 DOI: 10.1002/jha2.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell trait (SCT), a commonly asymptomatic condition, has many associated clinical complications that upon presentation, can be very difficult to attribute to SCT. The effects of SCT on the spleen, for example, are not completely understood, though there have been a number of case reports detailing related complications in diverse populations. Our objective was to perform the first comprehensive case report review of splenic infarction in SCT patients to highlight the relevance of this seemingly rare condition. We conducted an extensive literature search reviewing case reports and case series of acute splenic infarctions from 1970 to 2020. This comprehensive search resulted in 54 articles with a total of 85 individuals. The ages ranged from 7 to 65, 12% were female. Individuals were of African‐American (26%), European (16%), South Asian (13%), Middle Eastern (7%), Latin American (7%), North or East African (4%), Mediterranean (4%), West African (1%), and unknown (22%) origins. Although splenic infarct in SCT patients has been associated with high altitudes, 39% of cases reporting altitude occurred below 3000 m. Among cases where HbS values were recorded, 88% occurred in individuals with HbS levels higher than 35%, suggesting that high HbS values may be a risk factor for splenic infarction. Our findings indicate that splenic infarct occurs across a wide range of demographic populations and environmental settings. While our understanding of SCT evolves, the findings here suggest that future advances in research and healthcare could benefit more from real‐time surveillance and registry initiation for various SCT outcomes such as splenic infarct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamal M. Jefferson
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Wynton M. Sims
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Nkeiruka Umeh
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Yen Ji Julia Byeon
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Khadijah E. Abdallah
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Vence L. Bonham
- National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland
| | - Rakhi P. Naik
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland
| | - Kim Smith‐Whitley
- Division of Hematology and Director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania
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