scholarly journals Transition to adult care: Exploring factors associated with transition readiness among adolescents and young people in adolescent ART clinics in Uganda

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0249971
Author(s):  
Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda ◽  
Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka ◽  
Derrick Amooti Lusota ◽  
Philippa Musoke ◽  
Mathew Nyashanu ◽  
...  

Background Transition readiness refers to a client who knows about his/her illness and oriented towards future goals and hopes, shows skills needed to negotiate healthcare, and can assume responsibility for his/ her treatment, and participate in decision-making that ensures uninterrupted care during and after the care transition to adult HIV care. There is a paucity of research on effective transition strategies. This study explored factors associated with adolescent readiness for the transition into adult care in Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 786 adolescents, and young people living with HIV randomly selected from 9 antiretroviral therapy clinics, utilizing a structured questionnaire. The readiness level was determined using a pre-existing scale from the Ministry of Health, and adolescents were categorized as ready or not ready for the transition. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results A total of 786 adolescents were included in this study. The mean age of participants was 17.48 years (SD = 4). The majority of the participants, 484 (61.6%), were females. Most of the participants, 363 (46.2%), had no education. The majority of the participants, 549 (69.8%), were on first-line treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that readiness to transition into adult care remained significantly associated with having acquired a tertiary education (AOR 4.535, 95% CI 1.243–16.546, P = 0.022), trusting peer educators for HIV treatment (AOR 16.222, 95% CI 1.835–143.412, P = 0.012), having received counselling on transition to adult services (AOR 2.349, 95% CI 1.004–5.495, P = 0.049), having visited an adult clinic to prepare for transition (AOR 6.616, 95% CI 2.435–17.987, P = < 0.001) and being satisfied with the transition process in general (AOR 0.213, 95% CI 0.069–0.658, P = 0.007). Conclusion The perceived readiness to transition care among young adults was low. A series of individual, social and health system and services factors may determine successful transition readiness among adolescents in Uganda. Transition readiness may be enhanced by strengthening the implementation of age-appropriate and individualized case management transition at all sites while creating supportive family, peer, and healthcare environments.

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Katusiime ◽  
R Parkes-Ratanshi ◽  
A Kambugu

Background. There is limited literature on the transition of young people living with HIV/AIDS (YPLHIV) from adolescent/young adult HIV care to adult HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective. We aimed to share the experiences of HIV-seropositive young adults transitioning into adult care, to inform best practice for such transitioning. Methods. We conducted a retrospective evaluation of the transition of 30 young adults aged ≥25 years from our adolescent/young adult HIV clinic at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, to adult HIV healthcare services between January 2010 and January 2012. Results. Six major themes emerged from the evaluation: (i) adjustment to adult healthcare providers, (ii) the adult clinic logistics, (iii) positive attributes of the adult clinic, (iv) transfer to other health centres, (v) perceived sense of stigma, and (vi) patient-proposed recommendations. A model for transitioning YPLHIV to adult care was proposed. Conclusion. Th ere is a paucity of evidence to inform best practice for transitioning YPLHIV to adult care in resource-limited settings. Ensuring continuity in HIV care and treatment beyond young adult HIV programmes is essential, with provision of enhanced support beyond the transition clinic and youth-friendly approaches by adult-oriented care providers. S Afr J HIV Med 2013;14(1):20-23. DOI:10.7196/SAJHIVMED.885


10.2196/13741 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. e13741
Author(s):  
Phillipe Lepère ◽  
Yélamikan Touré ◽  
Alexandra M Bitty-Anderson ◽  
Simon P Boni ◽  
Gildas Anago ◽  
...  

Background The use of mobile technology in health care (mobile health [mHealth]) could be an innovative way to improve health care, especially for increasing retention in HIV care and adherence to treatment. However, there is a scarcity of studies on mHealth among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in West and Central Africa. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability of an mHealth intervention among PLHIV in three countries of West Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study among PLHIV was conducted in 2017 in three francophone West African countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. PLHIV followed in the six preselected HIV treatment and care centers, completed a standardized questionnaire on mobile phone possession, acceptability of mobile phone for HIV care and treatment, preference of mobile phone services, and phone sharing. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to describe variables and assess factors associated with mHealth acceptability. Results A total of 1131 PLHIV—643 from Côte d’Ivoire, 239 from Togo, and 249 from Burkina Faso—participated in the study. Median age was 44 years, and 76.1% were women (n=861). Almost all participants owned a mobile phone (n=1107, 97.9%), and 12.6% (n=140) shared phones with a third party. Acceptability of mHealth was 98.8%, with the majority indicating their preference for both phone calls and text messages. Factors associated with mHealth acceptability were having a primary school education or no education (adjusted odds ratio=7.15, 95% CI 5.05-10.12; P<.001) and waiting over one hour before meeting a medical doctor on appointment day (adjusted odds ratio=1.84, 95% CI 1.30-2.62; P=.01). Conclusions The use of mHealth in HIV treatment and care is highly acceptable among PLHIV and should be considered a viable tool to allow West and Central African countries to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 goals.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillipe Lepère ◽  
Yélamikan Touré ◽  
Alexandra M Bitty-Anderson ◽  
Simon P Boni ◽  
Gildas Anago ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The use of mobile technology in health care (mobile health [mHealth]) could be an innovative way to improve health care, especially for increasing retention in HIV care and adherence to treatment. However, there is a scarcity of studies on mHealth among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in West and Central Africa. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability of an mHealth intervention among PLHIV in three countries of West Africa. METHODS A cross-sectional study among PLHIV was conducted in 2017 in three francophone West African countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. PLHIV followed in the six preselected HIV treatment and care centers, completed a standardized questionnaire on mobile phone possession, acceptability of mobile phone for HIV care and treatment, preference of mobile phone services, and phone sharing. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to describe variables and assess factors associated with mHealth acceptability. RESULTS A total of 1131 PLHIV—643 from Côte d’Ivoire, 239 from Togo, and 249 from Burkina Faso—participated in the study. Median age was 44 years, and 76.1% were women (n=861). Almost all participants owned a mobile phone (n=1107, 97.9%), and 12.6% (n=140) shared phones with a third party. Acceptability of mHealth was 98.8%, with the majority indicating their preference for both phone calls and text messages. Factors associated with mHealth acceptability were having a primary school education or no education (adjusted odds ratio=7.15, 95% CI 5.05-10.12; <italic>P</italic>&lt;.001) and waiting over one hour before meeting a medical doctor on appointment day (adjusted odds ratio=1.84, 95% CI 1.30-2.62; <italic>P</italic>=.01). CONCLUSIONS The use of mHealth in HIV treatment and care is highly acceptable among PLHIV and should be considered a viable tool to allow West and Central African countries to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 goals.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Papageorgiou ◽  
Bethan Davies ◽  
Emily Cooper ◽  
Ariana Singer ◽  
Helen Ward

AbstractDespite developments in HIV treatment and care, disparities persist with some not fully benefiting from improvements in the HIV care continuum. We conducted a systematic review to explore associations between social determinants and HIV treatment outcomes (viral suppression and treatment adherence) in high-income countries. A random effects meta-analysis was performed where there were consistent measurements of exposures. We identified 83 observational studies eligible for inclusion. Social determinants linked to material deprivation were identified as education, employment, food security, housing, income, poverty/deprivation, socioeconomic status/position, and social class; however, their measurement and definition varied across studies. Our review suggests a social gradient of health persists in the HIV care continuum; people living with HIV who reported material deprivation were less likely to be virologically suppressed or adherent to antiretrovirals. Future research should use an ecosocial approach to explore these interactions across the lifecourse to help propose a causal pathway.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 1049-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Sorsdahl ◽  
NK Morojele ◽  
CD Parry ◽  
CT Kekwaletswe ◽  
N Kitleli ◽  
...  

Given that hazardous and harmful alcohol use has been identified as a significant barrier to adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa, alcohol reduction interventions delivered within HIV treatment services are being investigated. Prior to designing and implementing an alcohol-focused screening and brief intervention (SBI), we explored patients’ perceptions of alcohol as a barrier to HIV treatment, the acceptability of providing SBIs for alcohol use within the context of HIV services and identifying potential barriers to patient uptake of this SBI. Four focus groups were conducted with 23 participants recruited from three HIV treatment sites in Tshwane, South Africa. Specific themes that emerged included: (1) barriers to ART adherence, (2) available services to address problematic alcohol use and (3) barriers and facilitators to delivering a brief intervention to address alcohol use within HIV care. Although all participants in the present study unanimously agreed that there was a great need for SBIs to address alcohol use among people living with HIV and AIDS, our study identified several areas that should be considered prior to implementing such a programme.


HIV Medicine ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Fish ◽  
A Judd ◽  
E Jungmann ◽  
C O'Leary ◽  
C Foster ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (43) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaja-Triin Laisaar ◽  
Mait Raag ◽  
Irja Lutsar ◽  
Anneli Uusküla

Estonia had the highest rate of newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the European Union (24.6/100,000) and an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 1.3% in 2013. HIV medical care, including antiretroviral therapy (ART), is free of charge for people living with HIV (PLHIV). To maximise the health benefits of HIV treatment, universal access should be achieved. Using data from surveillance and administrative databases and the treatment cascade model, we assessed the number of people infected with HIV, diagnosed with HIV, linked to HIV care, retained in HIV care, on ART, and with suppressed viral load (HIV-RNA: < 200 copies/mL). We identified that about one quarter of the 8,628 HIV-positive people estimated to live in Estonia in 2013 had not been diagnosed with HIV, and another quarter, although aware of their HIV-positive serostatus, had not accessed HIV medical care. Although altogether only 12–15% of all PLHIV in Estonia had achieved viral suppression, the main gap in HIV care in Estonia were the 58% of PLHIV who had accessed HIV medical care at least once after diagnosis but were not retained in care in 2013.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Uzande ◽  
Jeffery Edwards ◽  
Philip Owiti ◽  
Admire Tatenda Maravanyika ◽  
Simba Mashizha ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:The third 90-90-90 UNAIDS goal require that 90% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) achieve viral load (VL) suppression. This study assessed the proportion of VL suppression and related factors among PLHIV on 1st and 2nd line ART in Mutare District, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe between 2015-2017.Methods:A retrospective study using routine HIV programme data from the electronic monitoring system for nine health facilities in Mutare District. VL suppression was defined as < 1,000 copies/ml.Results:Of 16,590 registered patients, 15,566(94%) were on first-line and 1024(6%) on second-line ART. Of those on 1st-line ART, 2856(18%) had a VL test result documented, while 367(36%) of 2nd-line ART patients had VL results. VL suppression rates were 86% among those on 1st-line and 45% in 2nd-line ART. Independent risk factors associated with VL non-suppression for those on 1st-line ART were age 0-9 years (adjusted relative risk, aRR=2.9; 95% confidence interval, CI=1.7-4.8;P<0.001), 10-19 years (aRR=2.2;95%CI=1.4-3.2,P<0.001) compared to those 20-49 years, concurrent TB (aRR=9; CI=3.0-29.7,P<0.001) and male gender (aRR=1.5,95%CI=1.1-2.1;P=0.02). There were no significant risk factors associated with VL non-suppression for 2nd-line ART patients.Conclusion:For PLHIV on 1st-line ART in Mutare district, Manicaland, Zimbabwe, the frequency of reported VL results were only 18% among those on 1st-line ART, while the rate of VL suppression was near 90%. Viral Load testing coverage appears to be lagging behind current Zimbabwe goals and increased support is needed to improve the quality of HIV care and help reduce the threat of possible HIV drug resistance in the future.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Arayasirikul ◽  
Caitlin Turner ◽  
Dillon Trujillo ◽  
Victory Le ◽  
Erin C Wilson

BACKGROUND Young people are disproportionately impacted by HIV infection and exhibit poor HIV care continuum outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are promising approaches to meet the unique needs of young people living with HIV. Youth-focused interventions are needed to improve HIV care continuum outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study assessed the preliminary efficacy and impact of a digital HIV care navigation intervention among young people living with HIV in San Francisco. Health electronic navigation (eNavigation or eNav) is a 6-month, text message–based, digital HIV care navigation intervention, in which young people living with HIV are connected to their own HIV care navigator through text messaging to improve engagement in HIV primary care. METHODS This study had a single-arm, prospective, pre-post design. The analysis included 120 young men who have sex with men or transwomen living with HIV aged between 18 and 34 years. We analyzed self-reported sociobehavioral information pre- and postintervention at baseline and 6 months, which was collected using computer-assisted self-interviewing surveys. We characterized the sample and built generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to assess differences in HIV care continuum outcomes at baseline and 6 months. RESULTS The characteristics according to the intervention completion status were not different from those of the overall sample. The mean age of the participants was 27.75 years (SD 4.07). Most participants (103/120, 85.8%) identified as men, and the sample was racially/ethnically diverse. At baseline, majority (99/120, 82.5%) of the participants had recently received primary HIV care, yet this was more likely in those who completed the intervention than in those who did not (54/60, 90% vs 45/60, 75%; χ<sup>2</sup><sub>1</sub>=4.68, <i>P</i>=.03). More than half of the sample reported taking antiretroviral therapy (92/120, 76.7%) and having an undetectable viral load (65/120, 54.2%). The 6-month follow-up surveys were completed by 73.3% (88/120) of participants, and these participants were not characteristically different from the overall sample at baseline. GEE models indicated that participants had increased odds of viral suppression at 6 months as compared with baseline. No relevant additive or multiplicative interactions were noted on comparing outcome effects over time according to intervention completion. CONCLUSIONS Digital HIV care navigation fills a critical gap in public health and HIV care systems, making these systems more responsive and accountable to the needs of the most vulnerable individuals. Our intervention bridges the time between primary care visits with interactive, tailored, personalized, and peer-delivered social support; information; and motivational interviewing to scaffold behavioral change. This study is part of the next wave of system-informed mHealth intervention research that will offer potentially disruptive solutions to traditional in-person delivered interventions and improve the health of the most vulnerable individuals. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/16406


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S462-S463
Author(s):  
Daniel Sack ◽  
Ariano Matino ◽  
Graves Erin ◽  
Almiro Emilio ◽  
Bryan Shepherd ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Depression contributes to HIV treatment outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 15% of people living with HIV have comorbid depression. HoPS+, a cluster randomized trial among seroconcordant couples living with HIV, assesses male partner involvement during antenatal HIV care and HIV outcomes. We describe predictors of depressive symptoms among pregnant partners living with HIV in Zambézia Province, Mozambique. Methods This baseline cross-sectional analysis includes 1079 female HoPS+ participants. We show demographic (age, enrollment date, relationship status, education, and occupation) and clinical (WHO HIV stage, body mass index [BMI], and antiretroviral therapy [ART] use history) factors. We model females’ depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) using proportional odds models with continuous covariates as restricted cubic splines (enrollment date, age, BMI, partner’s PHQ-9 score), categorical covariates (district, relationship status, education, occupation, WHO stage), and ART use history. Missing covariates were imputed 20 times. Results Participants’ median age was 23 (interquartile range [IQR] 20-28). Most women reported no or &lt; 7 years of education (84.1%), were farmers (61.3%), and were WHO stage I (81.9%). They had a median PHQ-9 score of 3 (IQR 0-5) and 47 (43.6%) had moderately severe or severe depressive symptoms, with 19.6% missing PHQ-9 scores. Among 867 pregnant partners with PHQ-9s, demographic and clinical covariates were not meaningful predictors of PHQ-9 score. Male partner’s PHQ-9 score, however, was associated with (covariate-adjusted Spearman’s rho 0.58, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.51-0.65) and strongly predictive of a pregnant partner’s score (Figure). An increase in a male partner’s PHQ-9 score from 9 to 10 was associated with 1.47 times increased odds (95% CI: 1.37-1.58) of a ≥1-point increase in a woman’s PHQ-9 score Figure: Female Partner's Depressive Symptoms Conclusion Depressive symptoms are highly correlated among pregnant people and their partners, which may have implications for pregnancy care. Interventions aimed to reduce depressive symptoms and improve HIV-related outcomes during pregnancy may have greater success when focused on addressing both partners’ depressive symptoms. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


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