Challenges to HIV service delivery and the impacts on patient care during COVID-19: perspective of HIV care providers in Guangxi, China

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immense challenges on the health system including HIV care service. Based on online survey data of 1,029 HIV care providers in Guangxi, China, we assessed their perspectives on the challenges for HIV service delivery and perceived impacts of such challenges on patient care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to test the association between specific challenges and patient care outcomes controlling for socio-demographics of HIV care providers. The prominent impacts of COVID-19 on patient care outcomes included “not being able to make follow-up visits on time”, “not being able to get ARV refills timely”, and “compromised ART adherence”. Patient care outcome was significantly associated with “not being able to go to work due to quarantine and traffic restriction”, “no overall arrangement”, “no guideline for HIV service”, “conflicts between HIV care and response to COVID-19”, and “clinics were overwhelmed by COVID-19 care”. In response to dual epidemics of COVID-19 and HIV, policy makers may consider the potential impact of large-scale preventive strategies (e.g., lockdowns) on HIV care, assist healthcare providers to navigate shifting tasks and resetting priorities effectively, and develop clear guidelines and clinic-level arrangements to best serve both COVID-19 and HIV patients.