HIV Cascade Research Articles

Cascade of HIV Prevention, Care, and Treatment Services in Morocco in 2019

Background The HIV care cascade is a way to show the proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) engaged at each stage of HIV care. Analyzing an HIV testing, care, and treatment cascade provides a framework for evaluating and improving service delivery. Objective The objective of this study is to analyze the continuums of HIV prevention, care, and treatment services at the national level in Morocco for the period 2015-2019. Methods This is a retrospective study concerning the reference centers for HIV care in Morocco carried out in 2019. Three types of cascades of HIV prevention and care were studied: a transversal cascade at the national level (2019), a longitudinal cascade for newly diagnosed PLHIV (between 2015 and 2017), and a cascade of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) among pregnant women (2016-2017). Results For the transversal cascade of the year 2019, the objectives of the three 90s were achieved except for the 1st 90 with a difference of 12%. For the longitudinal cascade after the start of treatment between 2015-2017, retention under treatment at 48 months was 83.3%, at 36 months was 83.8%, and at 24 months 91.0%. The 48-month loss to follow-up rate was 12.5%; 7.0% at 36 months; and 4.0% at 24 months. More than 90% of PLHIV started antiretrovirals within 3 months of diagnosis. The 2016-2017 PMTCT cascade conducted on 13 pregnant women according to available data indicated the absence of transmission of HIV from mothers to their children. Conclusions Our 2019 HIV cascade study demonstrated several successes. The achievement of the three 90s except for the first objective (of people who know their status), good retention of PLHIV in long-term treatment, and the success of PMTCT especially since Morocco aims to validate the elimination of mother-to-child transmission.

ДОСТУП ДО ПСИХОСОЦІАЛЬНИХ ПОСЛУГ НА САЙТАХ ЗАМІСНОЇ ПІДТРИМУВАЛЬНОЇ ТЕРАПІЇ – ЧИННИК ПРОФІЛАКТИКИ ВІЛ

Ukraine is one of the leading countries in Europe in terms of HIV prevalence, with injecting drug use being one of the main drivers of HIV transmission. Medication-assisted therapies (MAT) are the most effective means of preventing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). As of January 1, 2022, 17,043 PWID in Ukraine were receiving MAT, which constitutes about 6% of the estimated number of PWID in the country. According to the official data, 6,002 MAT patients (35.2%) live with HIV, 5,736 (95.6%) of whom receive relevant HIV treatment. MAT in Ukraine is provided on the basis of more than 240 healthcare facilities, but not all of them offer psychosocial services to their patients. The aim of this study was to examine the access of MAT patients to psychosocial services on their MAT sites as well as to assess the role of access to such services at each stage of the HIV cascade. The source of data for this study was the national registry of all MAT patients in Ukraine. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis. The results of the analysis showed that patients' access to psychosocial services at MAT sites significantly improves the performance of the HIV service cascade at every stage: all MAT patients living with HIV are aware of their HIV-positive status; as for the access to appropriate HIV treatment – 97% and 95% of patients who have and do not have access to psychosocial services at their MAT sites receive antiretroviral therapy, respectively; and 83% and 67%, respectively, have an undetectable level of HIV viral load. Thus, access to psychosocial services at MAT sites significantly improves the HIV cascade indicators at each stage.

Using Human-Centered Design to Develop a Program to Engage South African Men Living With HIV in Care and Treatment.

Although HIV care is widely available in South Africa, men are less likely than women to know their HIV status, begin treatment upon diagnosis, and adhere to treatment. Men are also more likely to die from causes related to HIV compared to women. To overcome this inequity, tailored approaches designed with men's specific needs are required. As part of the Testing and Treatment for Men project, a 3-year multicomponent, mixed-methods study that aimed to better understand young South African men's needs concerning HIV testing and treatment, we used human-centered design (HCD) methods to identify, develop, and pilot test a male-friendly peer-support intervention. We engaged key stakeholders in the development of several prototype interventions to improve men's engagement across the HIV cascade, one of which was selected for further development. Use of HCD methods, informed by the results of our team's prior qualitative and quantitative research, led to the development of Coach Mpilo, a peer-support intervention to engage and retain men living with HIV in South Africa in care and treatment. By designing with empathy for the lived experiences of these men, our intervention achieved the authenticity and credibility required to build trusting relationships in the affected communities. Preliminary results of Coach Mpilo have demonstrated a high level of acceptability by men living with HIV as well as key government and other implementing partners. HCD as a critical ingredient became an integral and essential component in developing and field-testing the Coach Mpilo pilot. The key elements of our HCD approach that resulted in the successful generation of the Coach Mpilo pilot intervention and its implementation were understanding and addressing the specific issues identified by men living with HIV and leveraging newly created empathy with men as an approach to solving the issues collaboratively and innovatively.

Correlates of Sexual Risky Behaviours, HIV Testing, and HIV Testing Intention among Sexually Active Youths in Northern Tanzania.

Background:HIV testing services are important entry-point into the HIV cascade to care and treatment in order to slow down the spread of HIV infection. Over half of all new HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa occur among young people under the age of 25, particularly women. The study aimed to determine factors influencing young people's decision to undergo HIV testing services in Northern Tanzania.Methods:A total of 536 sexually active participants aged 15 to 24 years old completed a semi-structured questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).Results:Males compared to femaleparticipants were significantly younger at first age of sexual intercourse (15.4 vs. 16.7 years; p = .001). Out of 536 participants, 418(78%) reported inconsistent condom use, and 203/303(67%) were those practicing casual sex. Only, 189/536(35.3%) of the participants reported to have had an HIV-test. Age, socioeconomic status, perceived HIV severity, attitudes and social approval regarding testing and beliefs about testing procedures and perceived barriers to testing were significant predictors of HIV testing (R2 =.22). Age, unsafe casual sex, perceived severity, HIV-testing attitudes, self-efficacy, social approval, cues for actions and perceived quality of testing procedures were significant and positively related to HIV-testing intentions, while perceived barriers to testing were negatively related (R2 = .36).Conclusion:The integrated constructs of HBM and TPB provides a framework for identifying correlates of HIV testing behaviours and HIV testing intentions among sexually active youths. Future behaviour change interventions should focus on reduction of sexually risky behaviours, increasing perceived HIV severity, enhance positive attitudes and social approvals on testing, reduce misconceptions about testing procedures, alleviation of perceived barriers to testing and improve testing self-efficacy among sexually active youths in this setting.

A HIV diagnosis and treatment cascade for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia

ABSTRACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) people are a priority population for HIV care in Australia; however, no HIV cascade exists for this population. We developed annual HIV cascades for 2010–2017 specific to Aboriginal peoples. By 2017, an estimated 595 Aboriginal people were living with HIV (PLWH); however, 14% remained undiagnosed. Cascade steps below global targets were: PLWH aware of their diagnosis (86%), and retention in care (81% of those who had received any care in previous two years in a sentinel network of clinics). For people retained in care, treatment outcomes surpassed global targets (92% receiving treatment, 93% viral suppression). Increases occurred across all HIV cascade steps over time; however, the least improvement was for retention in care, while the greatest improvement was achieving viral suppression. The HIV cascade for Aboriginal peoples highlights both gaps and strengths in the Australian HIV care system, and importantly highlights where potential interventions may be required to achieve the global UNAIDS targets.

Improvements in transition times through the HIV cascade of care among gay and bisexual men with a new HIV diagnosis in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia (2012–19): a longitudinal cohort study

Most studies assessing the HIV care cascade have typically been cross-sectional analyses, which do not capture the transition time to subsequent stages. We aimed to assess the longitudinal HIV cascade of care in Australia, and changes over time in transition times and associated factors. In this longitudinal cohort study, we included linked data for gay and bisexual men (GBM) with a new HIV diagnosis who attended clinics participating in the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance in New South Wales and Victoria between Jan 1, 2012, and Dec 31, 2019. We assessed three cascade transition periods: diagnosis to linkage to care (stage 1 transition); linkage to care to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation (stage 2 transition); and ART initiation to virological suppression (viral load ≤200 copies per mL; stage 3 transition). We also calculated the probability of remaining virologically suppressed after the first recorded viral load of less than 200 copies per mL. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate transition times and cumulative probability of stage transition. We included 2196 GBM newly diagnosed with HIV between 2012 and 2019 contributing 6747 person-years of follow-up in our analysis. Median time from HIV diagnosis to linkage to care (stage 1 transition) was 2 days (IQR 1-3). Median time from linkage to care to ART initiation (stage 2 transition) was 33 days (30-35). Median time from ART initiation to first recorded virological suppression (stage 3 transition) was 49 days (47-52). The cumulative probability of ART initiation within 90 days of linkage to care increased from 36·9% (95% CI 32·9-40·6) in the 2012-13 calendar period to 94·1% (91·2-96·0) in the 2018-19 calendar period and cumulative probability of virological suppression within 90 days of ART initiation increased from 54·3% (48·8-59·3) in the 2012-13 calendar period to 82·9% (78·4-86·4) in the 2018-19 calendar period. 91·6% (90·1-93·1) of GBM remained virologically supressed up to 2 years after their first recorded virological suppression event. In countries with high cross-sectional cascade estimates such as Australia, the impact of treatment as prevention is better estimated using longitudinal cascade analyses. National Health and Medical Research Council Australia.

The HIV cascade of care among serodiscordant couples in four high HIV prevalence settings in sub-Saharan Africa.

HIV-serodiscordant couples are at high risk of HIV transmission. In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV-serodiscordant couples contribute ~30% of all new infections in the region. To quantify the prevalence of HIV-serodiscordant couples and evaluate steps of the HIV cascade of care among people living with HIV in serodiscordant relationships in four high-prevalence settings in sub-Saharan Africa. Four HIV prevalence surveys were conducted: in Ndhiwa (Kenya) in 2012, in Chiradzulu (Malawi) in 2013, and in Gutu (Zimbabwe) and Nsanje (Malawi) in 2016. Eligible individuals aged 15 - 59 years were asked to participate in voluntary rapid HIV testing. Viral load and CD4 counts were measured on those who tested HIV-positive. A couple was defined as a man and a woman who reported being married or cohabiting and were living together in the same household. Among 4 385 couples, the prevalence of HIV serodiscordancy was 10.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.2 - 11.5) overall, ranging from 6.7% (95% CI 5.6 - 7.9) in Nsanje to 15.8% (95% CI 14.5 - 17.3) in Ndhiwa. Men were the HIV-positive partner in 62.7% of the serodiscordant couples in Ndhiwa, in 60.4% in Gutu, in 48.8% in Chiradzulu and in 50.9% in Nsanje. Status awareness among HIV-positive partners in serodiscordant couples ranged from 45.4% in Ndhiwa to 70.7% in Gutu. Viral load suppression (VLS) ranged from 33.9% in Ndhiwa to 68.5% in Nsanje. VLS was similar by sex in three settings, Ndhiwa (37.8% (men) v. 27.8% (women); p=0.16), Nsanje (60.7% v. 76.9%; p=0.21) and Gutu (48.2% v. 55.6%; p=0.63), and dissimilar by sex in Chiradzulu (44.4% v. 62.7%; p=0.03). Low HIV status awareness and poor VLS among HIV-positive partners are major gaps in preventing transmission among serodiscordant couples. Intensifying programmes that target couples to test for HIV and timely antiretroviral therapy initiation could increase VLS and reduce HIV transmission.

Disparities between HIV patient subgroups in Oman: An analysis of the 2019 cascade of care.

BackgroundThe HIV cascade of care is a framework for monitoring HIV care, identifying gaps and informing appropriate interventions. This study aimed to describe the cascade of care in Oman in 2019 and highlight disparities at the sub-population level.MethodsWe used the UNAIDS Spectrum modelling software to estimate the number of people living with HIV. A national HIV surveillance database was used to identify Omani people (≥13 years old) diagnosed with HIV from 1984 through December 2019. We calculated the cascade indicators as of 31 December 2019 stratified by sex, age, HIV risk factor, residence, and region of HIV care. We also performed multivariate logistic regression to determine the predictors of attrition at linkage, retention, on ART, and viral suppression.ResultsAs of December 2019, the estimated number of people living with HIV in Oman was 2440. Out of the estimated number of people living with HIV, 69% were diagnosed, 66% were linked to care, 61% were retained in care, 60% were on ART, and 55% were virally suppressed. Of the 1673 diagnosed individuals, 96% were linked to care, 88% were retained in care, 87% were on ART, and 81% were virally suppressed. People who received HIV care outside Muscat had the largest attrition (11% loss) in the transition from linkage (97%) to retention (86%). Similarly, people aged 13–24 years had the largest attrition (13% loss) from “on ART” (88%) to viral suppression (75%). Logistic regression showed that both not reporting a specific HIV risk factor and receipt of HIV care outside Muscat independently predicted attrition at each cascade stage from linkage to care through viral suppression.ConclusionsOur findings identified substantial disparities across various subpopulations along the cascade of care in Oman. This analysis will be invaluable in informing future interventions targeting patient subgroups who are at the highest risk of attrition.

Cascade of care in people living with HIV in Iran in 2019; how far to reach UNAIDS/WHO targets

ABSTRACT Systematic HIV program evaluation requires looking at all steps of the HIV cascade of care, from diagnosis to treatment outcomes. Our study was carried out to assess the treatment cascade of people living with HIV (PLWH) in Iran in 2019. We used data from the HIV Case Registry System of Iran through December 2019. We estimated the number of PLWH in 2019 by using Spectrum, and then the proportion of them being diagnosed, linked to care, received antiretroviral treatment and suppressed viral load. We estimated that there are 59,314 (UI: 32,685–125,636) PLWH in Iran, of whom 22,054 people (37% of PLWH) were diagnosed. At the end of 2019, of whom, 14,685 (25% of PLWH) people received antiretroviral therapy. Also, of whom 6338 (11% of PLWH) people had viral load suppression by 2019. Our results showed that about one-third of total PLWH were diagnosed, while this defect is somewhat less in children than adults. To reach the 90.90.90 targets Iran needs to developed the current national HIV care guidelines, which recommend best strategies to scale up the case finding and linkage to care among undiagnosed people specifically those who infected by sexual contact in general and key populations as well.

Determinants of gender disparities in scaling up the first 90 towards the UNAIDS 90\u201390\u201390 targets in South Africa: findings from the 2017 household-based national cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe first 90 of UNAIDS 90–90–90 targets to have 90% of the people living with HIV know their status is an important entry point to the HIV treatment cascade and care continuum, but evidence shows that there is a large gap between males and females in this regard. It is therefore important to understand barriers and facilitators of achieving the first 90 target. This study examined determinants of the first 90 target among females and males in order to inform strategies aimed at improving the HIV cascade in South Africa.MethodsThe data used in the analysis were obtained from a 2017 household-based cross-sectional nationally representative survey conducted using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling design. A series of hierarchical multiple logistic regression models were fitted to identify the determinants of the first 90 target by gender.ResultsOverall, 84.8% of HIV-positive individuals aged 15 years and older were aware of their HIV status. Females were significantly more aware of their HIV status compared to males (88.7% vs 78.2%, p < 0.001). Both females aged 25 to 49 years [aOR = 3.20 (95% CI 1.35–7.57), p = 0.008], and 50 years and older [aOR = 3.19 (95% CI 1.04–9.76), p = 0.042] and males aged 25 to 49 years [aOR = 3.00 (95% CI 1.13–7.97), p = 0.028], and 50 years and older [aOR = 7.25 (95% CI 2.07–25.36), p = 0.002] were significantly more likely to know their HIV status compared to those aged 15 to 19 years. Males with tertiary education level were significantly more likely to be aware of their HIV positive status [aOR = 75.24 (95% CI 9.07–624.26), p < 0.001] compared to those with no education or with primary level education. Females with secondary [aOR = 3.28 (95% CI 1.20–8.99), p = 0.021] and matric [aOR = 4.35 (95% CI 1.54–12.37), p = 0.006] educational levels were significantly more likely to be aware of their HIV positive status, compared to those with no education or with primary level education.ConclusionSignificant progress has been made with regards to reaching the UNAIDS first 90 target. In this context achieving the first 90 target is feasible but there is a need for additional interventions to reach the males especially youth including those with no education or low levels of education.

What gaps remain in the HIV cascade of care? Results of a population-based survey in Nsanje District, Malawi.

IntroductionThe Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) has been in collaboration with Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) to increase access to quality HIV care through decentralization of antiretroviral therapy (ART) diagnosis and treatment from hospital to clinics in Nsanje District since 2011. A population-based household survey was implemented to provide information on HIV prevalence and cascade of care to inform and prioritize community-based HIV interventions in the district.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between September 2016 and January 2017. Using two-stage cluster sampling, eligible adult individuals aged ≥15 years living in the selected households were asked to participate. Participants were interviewed and tested for HIV at home. Those tested HIV-positive had their HIV-RNA viral load (VL) measured, regardless of their ART status. All participants tested HIV-positive at the time of the survey were advised to report their HIV test result to the health facility of their choice that MSF was supported in the district. HIV-RNA VL results were made available in this health facility.ResultsAmong 5,315 eligible individuals, 91.1% were included in the survey and accepted an HIV test. The overall prevalence was 12.1% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 11.2–13.0) and was higher in women than in men: 14.0% versus 9.5%, P<0.001. Overall HIV-positive status awareness was 80.0% (95%CI: 76.4–83.1) and was associated with sex (P<0.05). Linkage to care was 78.0% (95%CI: 74.3–81.2) and participants in care 76.2% (95%CI: 72.4–79.5). ART coverage among participants aware of their HIV-positive status was 95.3% (95%CI: 92.9–96.9) and was not associated with sex (P = 0.55). Viral load suppression among participants on ART was 89.9% (95%CI: 86.6–92.4) and was not statistically different by sex (p = 0.40).ConclusionsDespite encouraging results in HIV testing coverage, cascade of care, and UNAIDS targets in Nsanje District, some gap remains in the first 90, specifically among men and young adults. Enhanced community engagement and new strategies of testing, such as index testing, could be implemented to identify those who are still undiagnosed, particularly men and young adults.

Characteristics of the HIV cascade of care and unsuppressed viral load among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men living with HIV across Canada's three largest cities.

IntroductionTreatment as prevention strategies have been variously applied across provinces in Canada. We estimated HIV care cascade indicators and correlates of unsuppressed viral load (VL) among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) recruited in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.MethodsSexually active GBM, aged ≥16 years, were recruited through respondent‐driven sampling (RDS) from February 2017 to August 2019. Participants completed a Computer‐Assisted Self‐Interview and tests for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted bivariate analyses comparing RDS‐adjusted proportions across cities. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine factors associated with having a measured VL ≥ 200 copies/mL with data pooled from all three cities.ResultsWe recruited 1179 participants in Montreal, 517 in Toronto and 753 in Vancouver. The RDS‐adjusted HIV prevalence was 14.2% (95% CI 11.1 to 17.2) in Montreal, 22.1% (95% CI 12.4 to 31.8) in Toronto and 20.4% (95% CI 14.5 to 26.3) in Vancouver (p < 0.001). Of participants with confirmed HIV infection, 3.3% were previously undiagnosed in Montreal, 3.2% undiagnosed in Toronto and 0.2% in Vancouver (p = 0.154). In Montreal, 87.6% of GBM living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 10.6% had an unsuppressed VL; in Toronto, 82.6% were receiving ART and 4.0% were unsuppressed; in Vancouver, 88.5% were receiving ART and 2.6 % were unsuppressed (p < 0.001 and 0.009 respectively). Multivariable modelling demonstrated that participants in Vancouver (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.23; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.82), but not Toronto (AOR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.07 to 1.03), had lower odds of unsuppressed VL, compared to Montreal, as did older participants (AOR 0.93 per year; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.97), those at high‐risk for hazardous drinking (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.70), those with a primary care provider (AOR = 0.11; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.57), and those ever diagnosed with other STIs (AOR = 0.12; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.32).ConclusionsGBM living in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver are highly engaged in HIV testing and treatment and all three cities have largely achieved the 90‐90‐90 targets for GBM. Nevertheless, we identified disparities which can be used to identify GBM who may require additional interventions, in particular younger men and those who are without a regular primary care provider.

HIV/AIDS epidemic in a western border municipality of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: evolution, HIV cascade of care and lethality.

To analyze the characteristics and trends of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, between 2005 and 2015 through indicators related to infection and the cascade of care of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Descriptive study performed with data from the Health Information Systems of the Ministry of Health. Historical sets of indicators related to detection of HIV/AIDS cases and deaths were developed, comparing with national and state data from 2005 to 2015. Also, the cascades of care for PLWHA were elaborated for the municipality between 2013 and 2015. AIDS detection rates of Uruguaiana were higher in comparison to the country and state, the same happened with the mortality and lethality indicators, which varied between 35.1 and 17.7 deaths/100,000 inhabitants and 6.5 and 2.7 deaths/100 inhabitants, respectively. The cascades of care for PLWHA showed an increase in individuals diagnosed with HIV in the period (from 1,125 to 1,527). The main gap occurred between the "diagnosed" and "connected" categories, expanding over time (78, 48 and 43.4%, respectively). There was a low proportion of individuals in the "undetectable viral load" category in the three years, ranging from 32 to 22.9%. Indicators of detection, mortality, and lethality due to HIV/AIDS are high in Uruguaiana, with an increase in the number of people diagnosed with HIV and decrease in their link with health services, suggesting the need for advances in strategies to attract and link PLWHA to the health care network.

A Sustainable Surveillance-Based Approach to Creating a State-Level HCV Cascade of Care for HIV/HCV Co-Infected Persons

Background: The HIV cascade of care (CoC) model has been used to evaluate HIV-related health outcomes. Similar approaches have been applied to HCV mono-infected individuals; published CoC have relied on sources other than public health surveillance data. This study addresses this through a surveillance-only approach using two public health surveillance databases. Methods: We linked Connecticut’s (CT) HIV (the enhanced HIV/AIDS reporting System [eHARS]) and HCV (the CT Electronic Disease Surveillance System [CTEDSS]) surveillance databases, creating a co-infected list. We used HCV laboratory results to define the care status of each patient for appropriate CoC designation. Three CoC algorithms were assessed to measure their effects on calculated sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. Multivariate analysis was completed to measure those most likely to achieve SVR for each algorithm. Findings: HCV CoC SVR rates ranged from 37.1%-69.2%, depending on the algorithm used. Those significantly more likely to achieve SVR were baby-boomers and those with HIV viral suppression. Trends across CoC algorithms showed Black and Hispanic persons, females, and those with heterosexual HIV transmission were less likely to achieve SVR. Interpretation: We successfully developed a surveillance-based approach to creating a statewide HCV CoC for HIV/HCV co-infected individuals. Those not achieving SVR were identified, allowing future engagement strategies to focus on them. Furthermore, the methods presented can be adopted and implemented at state, local, or national level agencies. Funding: This work is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award U90HA31462. Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: The Department of Public Health Human Investigations Committee approved this research project

Opportunities for use the cascade model of medical care for people living with HIV

The HIV cascade model can be used as an epidemiological surveillance tool and for assessing the quality of medical care for HIV-positive people. It is possible to use the model for the entire population of people living with HIV, in various socio-demographic groups, by region, years and other indicators. This article describes the features of a HIV cascade model depending on the goals for its use.

Costs of providing HIV care and optimal allocation of HIV resources in Guyana.

Great strides in responding to the HIV epidemic have led to improved access to and uptake of HIV services in Guyana, a lower-middle-income country with a generalized HIV epidemic. Despite efforts to scale up HIV treatment and adopt the test and start strategy, little is known about costs of HIV services across the care cascade. We collected cost data from the national laboratory and nine selected treatment facilities in five of the country's ten Regions, and estimated the costs associated with HIV testing and services (HTS) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) from a provider perspective from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. We then used the unit costs to construct four resource allocation scenarios. In the first two scenarios, we calculated how close Guyana would currently be to its 2020 targets if the allocation of funding across programs and regions over 2017-2020 had (a) remained unchanged from latest-reported levels, or (b) been optimally distributed to minimize incidence and deaths. In the next two, we estimated the resources that would have been required to meet the 2020 targets if those resources had been distributed (a) according to latest-reported patterns, or (b) optimally to minimize incidence and deaths. The mean cost per test was US$15 and the mean cost per person tested positive was US$796. The mean annual cost per of maintaining established adult and pediatric patients on ART were US$428 and US$410, respectively. The mean annual cost of maintaining virally suppressed patients was US$648. Cost variation across sites may suggest opportunities for improvements in efficiency, or may reflect variation in facility type and patient volume. There may also be scope for improvements in allocative efficiency; we estimated a 28% reduction in the total resources required to meet Guyana's 2020 targets if funds had been optimally distributed to minimize infections and deaths. We provide the first estimates of costs along the HIV cascade in the Caribbean and assessed efficiencies using novel context-specific data on the costs associated with diagnostic, treatment, and viral suppression. The findings call for better targeting of services, and efficient service delivery models and resource allocation, while scaling up HIV services to maximize investment impact.

"It gets people through the door": a qualitative case study of the use of incentives in the care of people at risk or living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada

BackgroundThere has been growing interest in the use of incentives to increase the uptake of health-related behaviours and achieve desired health outcomes at the individual and population level. However, the use of incentives remains controversial for ethical reasons. An area in which incentives have been not only proposed but used is HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care—each one representing an interconnecting step in the "HIV Cascade."MethodsThe main objective of this qualitative case study was to document the experiences of health care and service providers tasked with administrating incentivized HIV testing, treatment, and care in British Columbia, Canada. A second objective was to explore the ethical and professional tensions that arise from the use of incentives as well as strategies used by providers to mitigate them. We conducted interviews with 25 providers and 6 key informants, which were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. We also collected documents and took field notes.ResultsOur findings suggest that incentives target populations believed to pose the most risk to public health. As such, incentives are primarily used to close the gaps in the HIV Cascade by getting the "right populations" to test, start treatment, stay on treatment, and, most importantly, achieve (and sustain) viral suppression. Participants considered that incentives work because they "bring people through the door." However, they believed the effectiveness of incentives to be superficial, short-lived and one-dimensional—thus, failing to address underlying structural barriers to care and structural determinants of health. They also raised concerns about the unintended consequences of incentives and the strains they may put on the therapeutic relationship. They had developed strategies to mitigate the ensuing ethical and professional tensions and to make their work feel relational rather than transactional.ConclusionsWe identify an urgent need to problematize the use of incentives as a part of the "HIV Cascade" agenda and interrogate the ethics of engaging in this practice from the perspective of health care and service providers. More broadly, we question the introduction of market logic into the realm of health care—an area of life previously not subject to monetary exchanges.

Impact of test-and-treat and risk reduction strategies on HCV transmission among MSM living with HIV in France: a modelling approach

ObjectiveSince the early 2000s, there has been an epidemic of HCV occurring among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV, mainly associated with high-risk sexual and drug-related...

Successes and gaps in the HIV cascade of care of a high HIV prevalence setting in Zimbabwe: a population-based survey.

IntroductionGutu, a rural district in Zimbabwe, has been implementing comprehensive HIV care with the support of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since 2011, decentralizing testing and treatment services to all rural healthcare facilities. We evaluated HIV prevalence, incidence and the cascade of care, in Gutu District five years after MSF began its activities.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was implemented between September and December 2016. Using multistage cluster sampling, individuals aged ≥15 years living in the selected households were eligible. Individuals who agreed to participate were interviewed and tested for HIV at home. All participants who tested HIV‐positive had their HIV‐RNA viral load (VL) measured, regardless of their antiretroviral therapy (ART) status, and those not on ART with HIV‐RNA VL ≥ 1000 copies/mL had Limiting‐Antigen‐Avidity EIA Assay for cross‐sectional estimation of population‐level HIV incidence.ResultsAmong 5439 eligible adults ≥15 years old, 89.0% of adults were included in the study and accepted an HIV test. The overall prevalence was 13.6% (95%: Confidence Interval (CI): 12.6 to 14.5). Overall HIV‐positive status awareness was 87.4% (95% CI: 84.7 to 89.8), linkage to care 85.5% (95% CI: 82.5 to 88.0) and participants in care 83.8% (95% CI: 80.7 to 86.4). ART coverage among HIV‐positive participants was 83.0% (95% CI: 80.0 to 85.7). Overall, 71.6% (95% CI 68.0 to 75.0) of HIV‐infected participants had a HIV‐RNA VL < 1000 copies/mL. Women achieved higher outcomes than men in the five stages of the cascade of care. Viral Load Suppression (VLS) among participants on ART was 83.2% (95% CI: 79.7 to 86.2) and was not statistically different between women and men (p = 0.98). The overall HIV incidence was estimated at 0.35% (95% CI 0.00 to 0.70) equivalent to 35 new cases/10,000 person‐years.ConclusionsOur study provides population‐level evidence that achievement of HIV cascade of care coverage overall and among women is feasible in a context with broad access to services and implementation of a decentralized model of care. However, the VLS was relatively low even among participants on ART. Quality care remains the most critical gap in the cascade of care to further reduce mortality and HIV transmission.

The psychosocial health needs of bisexual men in Senegal: A research translation experience

Abstract Background Criminalization of same-sex relations is a driver of the HIV epidemic. Whilst LGBT activists advocate for social change in sub-Saharan Africa, men who engage in same-sex relations -many of which have sex with women (MSM/W)- face obstacles in all steps of the HIV cascade of care. In Senegal, research on MSM/W has been authorized given their assigned status as a key population in the fight against HIV. In 2018-19, a grounded theory research was done with the aim to understand the health experiences of MSM/W in Dakar. Methods Individual interviews were conducted with 19 MSM/W. Respondents were recruited with the aid of local grassroots. A non-structured life story guide was used to help them recall in chronological order their experiences with healthcare. Results No major constraints in using HIV services were expressed. There were narratives of self-hatred, internalized homophobia, emotional stress, sleep disorders, and low self-esteem. A few mentioned suicidal thoughts. Histories of sexual abuse, and feelings of sexual orientation being passed on by the perpetrators were common. Fear of hatred and violence caused some respondents to pursue heterosexual relationships, and, in a few cases, to resort to spiritual healers to change their sexual identity. In spite of religion being identified as a fueler of stigmatization, many found relief in practicing Islam. Conclusions Findings informed a Training Program on MSM/W Psychosocial Health, which will target 100 healthcare workers in 2020. This study shows that psychosocial health for MSM/W needs to be promoted not just as a component in the Zero HIV Transmission for 2030 efforts. It is time to move from an HIV Care for All MSM to a Wellbeing for All MSM paradigm. Further research on same-sex identities as determinants of diseases other than HIV is needed. Human rights should be at the fore of efforts to build capacities to tackle the psychosocial needs of all MSM/W in Senegal.