| 1. |
- Abraha, Atakelti, et al.
(author)
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The effects of maternal and child HIV infection on health equity in Tigray Region, Ethiopia, and the implications for the health system : a case-control study
- 2019
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In: AIDS Care. - : Routledge. - 0954-0121 .- 1360-0451. ; 31:10, s. 1271-1281
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Services that aim to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) can simultaneously reduce the overall impact of HIV infection in a population while also improving maternal and child health outcomes. By taking a health equity perspective, this retrospective case control study aimed to compare the health status of under-5 children born to HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Two hundred and thirteen HIV-positive women (cases), and 214 HIV-negative women (controls) participated through interviews regarding their oldest children. Of the children born to HIV-positive mothers, 24% had not been tested, and 17% of those who had been tested were HIV-positive themselves. Only 29% of the HIV-positive children were linked to an ART programme. Unexpectedly, exposed HIV-negative children had fewer reports of perceived poor health as compared to unexposed children. Over 90% of all the children, regardless of maternal HIV status, were breastfed and up-to-date with the recommended immunizations. The high rate of HIV infection among the babies of HIV-positive women along with their low rates of antiretroviral treatment raises serious concerns about the quality of outreach to pregnant women in Tigray Region, and of the follow-up for children who have been exposed to HIV via their mothers.
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| 2. |
- Biru, Mulatu, et al.
(author)
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Caregiver-reported antiretroviral therapy non-adherence during the first week and after a month of treatment initiation among children diagnosed with HIV in Ethiopia
- 2017
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In: AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0121. ; 29:4, s. 436-440
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To achieve optimal virologic suppression for children undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence must be excellent. This is defined as taking more than 95% of their prescribed doses. To our knowledge, no study in Ethiopia has evaluated the level of treatment adherence at the beginning of the child's treatment. Our aim was therefore to evaluate caregiver-reported ART non-adherence among children and any predictors for this during the early course of treatment. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 306 children with HIV in eight health facilities in Ethiopia who were registered at ART clinics between 20 December 2014 and 20 April 2015. The adherence rate reported by caregivers during the first week and after a month of treatment initiation was 92.8% and 93.8%, respectively. Our findings highlight important predictors of non-adherence. Children whose caregivers were not undergoing HIV treatment and care themselves were less likely to be non-adherent during the first week of treatment (aOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.71) and the children whose caregivers did not use a medication reminder after one month of treatment initiation (aOR = 5.21, 95% CI: 2.23, 12.16) were more likely to miss the prescribed dose. Moreover, after one month of the treatment initiation, those receiving protease inhibitor (LPV/r) or ABC-based treatment regimens were more likely to be non-adherent (aOR = 12.32, 95% CI: 3.25, 46.67). To promote treatment adherence during ART initiation in children, particular emphasis needs to be placed on a baseline treatment regimen and ways to issue reminders about the child's medication to both the health care system and caregivers. Further, large scale studies using a combination of adherence measuring methods upon treatment initiation are needed to better define the magnitude and predictors of ART non-adherence in resource-limited settings.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Evans, D., et al.
(author)
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Social and behavioral factors associated with failing second-line ART - results from a cohort study at the Themba Lethu Clinic, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2018
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In: Aids Care-Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of Aids/Hiv. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0121. ; 30:7, s. 863-870
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Poor adherence is a main challenge to successful second-line ART in South Africa. Studies have shown that patients can re-suppress their viral load following intensive adherence counselling. We identify factors associated with failure to re-suppress on second-line ART.The study was a retrospective cohort study which included HIV-positive adults who experienced an elevated viral load 400copies/ml on second-line ART between January 2013-July 2014, had completed an adherence counselling questionnaire and had a repeat viral load result recorded within 6 months of intensive adherence counselling. Log-binomial regression was used to evaluate the association between patient characteristics and social, behavioral or occupational factors and failure to suppress viral load (400copies/ml).A total of 128 patients were included in the analysis, and of these 39% (n=50) failed to re-suppress their viral load. Compared to those who suppressed, far more patients who failed to suppress reported living with family (44.2% vs. 23.7%), missing a dose in the past week (53.3% vs. 30.0%), using traditional/herbal medications (63.2% vs. 34.3%) or had symptoms suggestive of depression (57.7% vs. 34.3%).These patient-related factors could be targeted for interventions to reduce the risk for treatment failure and prevent switching to expensive third-line ART.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- George, Gavin, et al.
(author)
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Greater risk for more money: the economics of negotiating condom use amongst sex workers in South Africa
- 2019
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In: AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0121 .- 1360-0451. ; 31:9, s. 1168-1171
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The economics of sex work and the effect on safe sex practices remain understudied. This research contributes to a better understanding of how economic opportunity and vulnerability place sex workers (SWs) at an increased risk of STI infection. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we investigated the role of economic incentives in determining condom use among SWs. The data reveals that SWs are on average, nearly doubling their rates for condomless sex. Our findings that SWs are engaging in condomless sex to increase their earnings, illustrates the point that the context in which they operate influences condom negotiation and consequently, increases risky sexual behaviour.
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| 7. |
- Herder, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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Navigating between rules and reality : a qualitative study of HIV positive MSM’s experiences of communication at HIV clinics in Sweden about the rules of conduct and infectiousness
- 2019
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In: AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0121. ; 31:10, s. 1304-1310
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rules of conduct given to people living with HIV in Sweden in accordance with the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act stipulate disclosure obligation to sexual partners and mandatory condom use. Since 2013, treating physicians have the possibility to exempt patients from this disclosure obligation when no considerable risk of transmission is present. This study explored experiences of communication with clinical staff at HIV clinics regarding rules of conduct and infectiousness among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV in Sweden. In-depth interviews were carried out with 10 MSM living with HIV in Sweden. Study participants all reported unmeasurable viral loads. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Five categories and one theme, “Navigating between rules and reality”, were identified. We found that MSM living with HIV had good relationships with clinical staff at HIV clinics. Inconsistencies emerged regarding how they experienced receiving information about the rules of conduct and infectiousness. The findings indicate that lack of sound routines regarding how information and rules of conduct are communicated negatively affects MSM living with HIV and poses potential risks for the individual. The participants’ expressed trust in staff at HIV clinics can provide a good basis for improved communication.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Houle, Brian, et al.
(author)
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Sexual behavior and HIV risk across the life course in rural South Africa : trends and comparisons
- 2018
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In: AIDS Care. - : ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 0954-0121 .- 1360-0451. ; 30:11, s. 1435-1443
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is limited information about sexual behavior among older Africans, which is problematic given high HIV rates among older adults. We use a population-based survey among people aged 15-80+ to examine the prevalence of sexual risk and protective behaviors in the context of a severe HIV epidemic. We focus on variation across the life course, gender and HIV serostatus to compare the similarities and differences of young, middle aged, and older adults. Younger adults continue to be at risk of HIV, with potential partners being more likely to have been diagnosed with an STI and more likely to have HIV, partner change is high, and condom use is low. Middle aged and older adults engage in sexual behavior that makes them vulnerable at older ages, including extramarital sex, low condom use, and cross-generational sex with people in age groups with the highest rates of HIV. We find insignificant differences between HIV positive and negative adults' reports of recent sexual activity. This study provides new information on sexual behavior and HIV risk across the life course in rural South Africa to inform HIV prevention and treatment programing.
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| 10. |
- Jallow, Amadou, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence, incidence, mortality and co-morbidities amongst human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) patients in Stockholm County, Sweden - The Greater Stockholm HIV Cohort Study
- 2015
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In: AIDS Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0121 .- 1360-0451. ; 27:2, s. 142-149
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective of this study was to develop a multidisciplinary guideline that supports the care and vocational rehabilitation of HIV-infected people with employment-related problems. The guideline was developed according to the "evidence-based guideline development" method developed by the Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement. This method consists of the following steps: forming a multidisciplinary core group and an expert panel, formulating key questions, searching and appraising the available literature, formulating considerations and recommendations, peer reviewing the draft guideline, and authorizing the final guideline. All relevant professional associations were represented in the core group that was assembled to develop the guideline, i.e., HIV doctors, HIV nurses, general practitioners, occupational health physicians, psychologists, social workers, occupational health nurses, vocational experts, and insurance physicians. Five key questions for the guideline were formulated with the following themes: determinants of employment, disclosure and stigma, self-management, interventions, and the organization of care. In the literature review on these topics, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included articles was poor. Factors such as patient preferences and medical/ethical issues were considered. The recommendations in the guideline are a weighting of the scientific evidence and the considerations of the core group. The guideline, as well as its summary for daily practice, clarifies the most important barriers and facilitators to people with HIV either staying at work or returning to work, and it constitutes a clinical, easy-to-use guideline for health-care providers and how they can support people with HIV who want to work.
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