CDC-Funded HIV Testing Services Outcomes and Social Determinants of Health in Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. Jurisdictions
AbstractWe performed an ecological analysis to examine associations between CDC-funded HIV testing services outcomes and social determinants of health (SDOH) amongEnding the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. jurisdictions. Using National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring& Evaluation (2020) and American Community Survey (2016 –2020) data, we ran robust Poisson models (adjusted for race/ethnicity). In healthcare settings, a 10% absolute increase in percentage without health insurance was associated with a 40% lower prevalence of newly diagnosed positivity (aPR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.43–0.83); a $5,000 increase in media n house...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

The Mental Health Effects and Experiences of Breastfeeding Decision-Making Among Postpartum Women Living with HIV
AbstractPrior to January 2023, women living with HIV (WLWH) in the United States (US) were discouraged from breastfeeding due to the potential risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Lack of breastfeeding decision-making and experience among WLWH may negatively affect maternal mental health. We implemented a quality improvement initiative to screen WLWH for postpartum depression (PPD), evaluate their attitudes toward breastfeeding, and assess their experience with breastfeeding decision-making. We collected quantitative data from WLWH using a voluntary, self-administered 6-item breastfeeding decisio...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Primary Care and Infectious Disease Provider Adherence to HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Prescribing and Monitoring Recommendations
This study aimed to compare primary care (PC) and infectious diseases (ID) provider adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescribing and monitoring parameters outlined in Centers for Disease Control/Department of Health and Human Services (CDC/DHHS) guidelines. This retrospective cohort analysis from 2017 to 2022 used prescription and laboratory order data to identify patients prescribed PrEP by PC or ID providers. Primary endpoints assessed were adherence to baseline and follow-up HIV monitoring recommendations in the 12 months following the initial PrEP prescription. Secondary endpoints included appropriate P...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Applying the HIV Prevention Cascade to an Evaluation of a Large-Scale Combination HIV Prevention Programme for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa
AbstractAdolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa are at a three times higher risk of acquiring HIV than their male counterparts. The HIV prevention cascade is a tool which can be used to measure coverage of HIV prevention services, although there is limited empirical evidence to demonstrate its application in low-resourced settings. The unifying framework is a conceptualisation of the HIV prevention cascade which theorises that both motivation and access are required for an individual to effectively use an HIV prevention method. We applied this framework to data from a random sample of 127,951 beneficiaries ...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

The Relative Influence of Perceived Immigration Laws and Consequences on HIV Testing Among US Latino Immigrants
AbstractThe CDC recommends that persons aged 13 –64 receive an HIV test at least once in their lifetime and that some groups test annually or more frequently. Nearly one-half of US Latino immigrants have never been tested for HIV. To the extent that immigration-related laws deter documented and undocumented immigrants from engaging in communica ble disease control measures, these laws undermine public health efforts. 1750 noncitizen adult, sexually active, Spanish-speaking Latino immigrants across four cities in the US completed a cross-sectional survey assessing perceptions of immigration-related laws and immigration co...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Impact of COVID-19 on the Utilization of HIV Testing and Linkage Services in Sierra Leone: Experience from Three Public Health Facilities in Freetown
In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on HIV testing and linkage services at three public health facilities in Freetown, Sierra Leone. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HIV testing and linkage to treatment services (HTS) at Con naught Hospital (CH-tertiary), Lumley Government Hospital (LGH-secondary) and George Brooke Community Health Center (GBC-primary) in Freetown. Statistical analyses were conducted in Stata (16.1, StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX). Intra-pandemic HTS (2020) and HTS during recovery (2021) were compa red with pre-pandemic HTS (2019). Of the...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Prevalence, Trends and Correlates of HIV, Syphilis and HCV Infection Among Chinese Local and Cross-border Migrant Female Sex Workers in the Sino-Vietnam Border Area of Guangxi, 2016 –2021
AbstractFemale sex workers (FSWs) are considered a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, limited data exist on the prevalence and trends of HIV, syphilis and HCV among FSWs in the Sino-Vietnam border area. To determine the prevalence, trends and correlates of STIs among Chinese local FSWs (CL-FSWs) and cross-border migrant FSWs (CM-FSWs), we conducted consecutive cross-sectional surveys from 2016 to 2021, recruiting 7747 CL-FSWs and 932 CM-FSWs. The overall HIV, syphilis and HCV prevalence declined from 1.0%, 8.8% and 1.7% to 0.1%, 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively. There was no significant downwar...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Managing HIV During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Help-Seeking Behaviors on a Social Media Forum
Discussions about PrEP and PEP were the least common, representing less than 6% of all posts each. Social media has increasingly become an important health resource for vulnerable populations seeking information, advice, and support. Public health organizations should recognize how the lay public uses social media and col laborate with social media companies to ensure that the needs of help-seekers on these platforms are met. (Source: AIDS and Behavior)
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Response Rate, Acceptability and Effectiveness of an Intervention Offering HIV/STI Testing Via Apps Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Barcelona, Spain, from 2016 to 2020
This study demonstrates that the use of these apps is an acceptable and effective method of prevention and sexual health promotion in GBMSM in this setting and identifies the associated factors that could guide such interventions. (Source: AIDS and Behavior)
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the PrEP Cascade at Two Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems
AbstractOverall, fewer Veterans were eligible for PrEP in 2020, compared to 2019, and 2018 (Maryland Veterans Affairs Health Care System- MVAHCS-: n  = 890 (2020), n = 1533 (2019); Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center -DC VAMC- n = 1119 (2020), n = 1716 (2019)). While the proportion of Veterans engaged in PrEP out of those eligible for PrEP increased in 2020 compared to 2019 at both sites (MVAHCS: 5.73% (2020) vs. 3.39% (2019) p-value = 0.006; F = 7.58, and DC VAMC: 15.91% (2020) vs. 9.38% (2019) p-value <  0.001; F = 27.64), the absolute number of Veterans engaged in PrEP remai...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Pathways to Poor Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living with HIV: The Role of Food Insecurity and Alcohol Misuse
AbstractDaily adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) increases the length and quality of life of people living with HIV (PLHIV). We explored whether socioeconomic status directly impacts ART adherence and whether part of the effect is mediated by pathways through alcohol misuse or food insecurity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (November/2019 to March/2020) with PLHIV aged  ≥ 18 years. Validated instruments were used to measure alcohol use, food insecurity, and ART adherence. Using structural equation modeling we assessed the direct and indirect effects of variables on ART adherence...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Correction to: Latent Constructs of Economic Marginality Associated with Sexual Behavior, Healthcare Access and HIV Outcomes Among Transgender and Nonbinary People in Three U.S. Cities
(Source: AIDS and Behavior)
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Acceptability and Feasibility of a Tai Chi/Qigong Intervention for Older People Living With HIV
This study is a feasibility clinical trial of a remote TCQ intervention for older PWH. Participants (n  = 48) were recruited via clinic sites and social media and randomized to a TCQ, sham qigong, or wait-list control group. The 12-week intervention included fourteen 45–60-minute sessions. Acceptability (satisfaction, attitudes, practice, attendance) and feasibility (retention rate, adverse eve nts, remote delivery) data were surveyed. Overall retention rate was 72.9%, but 81.2% for the TCQ group. Most TCQ participants attended at least 10 sessions (62.5%) and were practicing TCQ after 2 weeks (72.7%). Over 92% of TC...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 16, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Outcomes of the MAMA Training: A Simulation and Experiential Learning Intervention for Labor and Delivery Providers to Improve Respectful Maternity Care for Women Living with HIV in Tanzania
In this study, we evaluated the MAMA training, a team-based simulation training for labor and delivery (L&D) providers to improve RMC and reduce stigma in caring for WLHIV. The study was conducted in six clinical sites in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. 60 L&D providers participated in the MAMA training, which included a two-and-a-half-day workshop followed by a half-day on-site refresher. We assessed the impact of the MAMA training using a pre-post quasi-experimental design. To assess provider impacts, participants completed assessments at baseline and post-intervention periods, measuring RMC practices, HIV st...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 14, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

HealthCall: Smartphone Enhancement of Brief Interventions to Improve HIV Medication Adherence Among Patients in HIV Care
The objective of the current study is to evaluate the efficacy of HealthCall to improve ART ad herence among PLWH who drink heavily when paired with two brief interventions: the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) Clinician’s Guide (CG) or Motivational Interviewing (MI). Therefore, we conducted a 1:1:1 randomized trial among 114 participants with alcohol dependence at a large urban HIV clinic. Participants were randomized to one of three groups: (1) CG only (n = 37), (2) CG and HealthCall (n = 38), or (3) MI and HealthCall (n = 39). Baseline interventions targeting drinking reduction ...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 13, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research