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
Factors Influencing Tobacco Smoking and Cessation Among People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
AbstractTobacco smoking is highly prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH), yet there is a lack of data on smoking behaviours and effective treatments in this population. Understanding factors influencing tobacco smoking and cessation is crucial to guide the design of effective interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted in both high-income (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) synthesised existing evidence on associated factors of smoking and cessation behaviour among PLWH. Male gender, substance use, and loneliness were positively associated with current smoking and neg...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 13, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Low Self-Perceived Need for PrEP and Behavioral Indications of MSM Who Recently Refused Daily PrEP: A Mixed Methods Study in Three U.S. Cities
AbstractPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduces sexual risk for HIV transmission by 99% when used appropriately, but remains underutilized among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). In this mixed-method study, we describe reasons for PrEP refusal associated with low self-perceived need for PrEP among MSM who recently declined daily oral PrEP when offered by a provider. Data are from a quantitative behavioral survey of MSM (N = 93) living in Atlanta, Chicago, and Raleigh-Durham, who also either responded to an in-depth interview (n = 51) or participated in one of 12 focus groups (n = 42). T...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 8, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
The Effect of Stigma on Family Planning and HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Decisions of Young Women Accessing Post-Abortion Care in Kenya
AbstractAdolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Eastern and Southern Africa face parallel epidemics of unintended pregnancy and HIV. Their sexual health decisions are often dominated by intersecting stigmas. In an implementation science project integrating delivery of daily, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention into 14 post-abortion care (PAC) clinics in Kenya, we enrolled a subset of PrEP initiating AGYW (aged 15 to 30 years) into a research cohort. Utilizing log binomial models, we estimated the effect of PrEP stigma on PrEP continuation (measured via self-report and urine assay for tenofovir) and...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 7, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Measurement Instruments Assessing Multi-Faceted Stigma Regarding Sexual and Gender Minorities: A Systematic Review of Psychometric Properties
AbstractStigma against sexual and gender minorities (SGM) populations has serious negative health effects for SGM populations. Despite the growing need for accurate stigma measurement in SGM, there are insufficient valid measurement instruments. Moreover, the lack of consistency in construct usage makes comparisons across studies particularly challenging. A critical review and comparative evaluation of the psychometric properties of the various stigma measures for SGM is necessary to advance our understanding regarding stigma measurement against/among SGMs. Based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Revi...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 5, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
PrEP Uptake and Methamphetamine Use Patterns in a 4-Year U.S. National Prospective Cohort Study of Sexual and Gender Minority People, 2017 –2022
AbstractMethamphetamine use is on the rise among sexual and gender minority people who have sex with men (SGMSM), escalating their HIV risk. Despite pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being an effective biomedical HIV prevention tool, its uptake in relation to methamphetamine use patterns in SGMSM has not been studied. In a U.S. cohort study from 2017 to 2022, 6,253 HIV-negative SGMSM indicated for but not using PrEP were followed for four years. Methamphetamine use was categorized (i.e., newly initiated, persistently used, never used, used but quit), and PrEP uptake assessed using generalized estimating equation (GEE), adjus...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - March 4, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
