HIV Clinic In Kenya Research Articles

Effect of differentiated direct-to-pharmacy PrEP refill visits supported with client HIV self-testing on clinic visit time and early PrEP continuation.

Delivery of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is being scaled up in Africa, but clinic-level barriers including lengthy clinic visits may threaten client continuation on PrEP. Between January 2020 and January 2022, we conducted a quasi-experimental evaluation of differentiated direct-to-pharmacy PrEP refill visits at four public health HIV clinics in Kenya. Two clinics implemented the intervention package, which included direct-to-pharmacy for PrEP refill, client HIV self-testing (HIVST), client navigator, and pharmacist-led rapid risk assessment and dispensing. Two other clinics with comparable size and client volume served as contemporaneous controls with the usual clinic flow. PrEP continuation was evaluated by visit attendance and pharmacy refill records, and time and motion studies were conducted to determine time spent in the clinics. Dried blood spots were collected to test for tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) at random visits. We used logistic regression to assess the intervention effect on PrEP continuation and the Wilcoxon rank sum test to assess the effect on clinic time. Overall, 746 clients were enrolled, 366 at control clinics (76 during pre-implementation and 290 during implementation phase), and 380 at direct-to-pharmacy clinics (116 during pre-implementation and 264 during implementation phase). Prior to implementation, the intervention and control clinics were comparable on client characteristics (female: 51% vs. 47%; median age: 33 vs. 33 years) and PrEP continuation (35% vs. 37% at 1 month, and 37% vs. 39% at 3 months). The intervention reduced total time spent at the clinic by 35% (median of 51 minutes at control vs. 33 minutes at intervention clinics; p<0.001), while time spent on HIV testing (20 vs. 20 minutes; p = 0.50) and pharmacy (8 vs. 8 minutes; p = 0.8) was unchanged. PrEP continuation was higher at intervention versus the control clinics: 45% versus 33% at month 1, 34% versus 25% at month 3 and 23% versus 16% at month 6. TFV-DP was detected in 85% (61/72) of samples, similar by the study group (83% vs. 85%). A client-centred PrEP delivery approach with direct-to-pharmacy PrEP refill visits plus client HIVST significantly reduced clinic visit time by more than one-third and improved PrEP continuation in public health HIV clinics in Kenya.

HIV Self-Testing for Efficient PrEP Delivery Is Highly Acceptable and Feasible in Public Health HIV Clinics in Kenya: A Mixed Methods Study.

HIV self-testing (HIVST) has the potential to reduce barriers associated with clinic-based preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery. We conducted a substudy nested in a prospective, pilot implementation study evaluating patient-centered differentiated care services. Clients chose either a blood-based or oral fluid HIVST kit at the first refill visit. Data were abstracted from program files and surveys were administered to clients. We purposively sampled a subset of PrEP clients and their providers to participate in in-depth interviews. We surveyed (n = 285). A majority (269/285, 94%) reported HIV risk. Blood-based HIVST was perceived as easy to use (76/140, 54%), and (41/140, 29%) perceived it to be more accurate. Oral fluid-based HIVST was perceived to be easy to use (95/107, 89%), but almost all (106/107, 99%) perceived it as less accurate. HIVST improved privacy, reduced workload, and saved time. HIVST demonstrates the potential to streamline facility-based PrEP care in busy African public health facilities.

Adolescent experiences, perceptions, and preferences for the process of HIV status disclosure in Kenya.

Disclosure of HIV status to adolescents living with HIV has been associated with improved treatment outcomes. However, there are limited data regarding the experiences of, perceptions of, and preferences for the process of disclosure of HIV status among adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYLH), especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Young adults living with HIV from 20 HIV clinics in Kenya who participated in a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of a disclosure and transition package completed an anonymous survey in 2019. We described their experiences and preferences using counts and proportions and assessed factors associated with satisfaction with the disclosure process using linear regression, reporting age-adjusted mean differences (aMD), and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Of the 375 enrolled AYLH, 265 (71%) had perinatally acquired HIV, of whom 162 (61%) were female. The median age of the enrolled AYLH was 16 years (IQR: 14-19 years), and all of them were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). For over half (55%) of the participants, caregivers disclosed their HIV status, and 57% preferred that their caregivers disclose the status to them. Most (78%) of the participants preferred full disclosure by 12 years of age. The majority (69%) believed the disclosure was planned, and 11% suspected being HIV positive before the disclosure. Overall, 198 (75%) AYLH reported that they were ready for disclosure when it happened, and 86% were satisfied with the process. During both pre-disclosure (67 and 70%, respectively) and post-disclosure (>75% for each), AYLH felt supported by the clinic and caregivers. Factors associated with higher satisfaction with the disclosure process were pre-disclosure clinic support (aMD: 0.19 [95%CI: 0.05-0.33]) and pre-disclosure (aMD: 0.19 [0.06-0.31]) and post-disclosure (aMD: 0.17 [0.03-0.31]) caregiver support. AYLH who suspected they were HIV positive before they were disclosed to tended to have lower satisfaction when compared to those who never suspected (aMD: -0.37 [-0.74-(-0.01)]). Overall, they reported that disclosure positively influenced their ART adherence (78%), clinic attendance (45%), and communication with caregivers (20%), and 40% reported being happier after disclosure. Young adults living with HIV advocated for an appropriately timed disclosure process with the involvement of caregivers and healthcare workers (HCWs). Support from caregivers and HCWs before and during disclosure is key to improving their disclosure experience.

Kenyan HIV Clinics With Youth-Friendly Services and Trained Providers Have a Higher Prevalence of Viral Suppression Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Results From an Observational Study.

Sustained viral suppression in adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYALWH) is necessary for epidemic control. We evaluated facility and individual correlates of viral suppression using programmatic data from AYALWH between ages 10 and 24 years at 24 HIV clinics in Kenya. Binomial regression was used to evaluate correlates of viral load (VL) suppression (<1,000 copies/ml). Of 5,316 AYALWH on antiretroviral therapy ≥6 months, 2,081 (39%) had VLs available in the medical record, of which 76% were virally suppressed. In multivariable analyses, antiretroviral therapy initiation among AYALWH older than 10 years was associated with higher viral suppression than initiation younger than 10 years (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 10-14 = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.10; aRR 15-19 = 1.30, 95% CI 1.19-1.41; aRR 20-24 = 1.43, 95% CI 1.24-1.63). Facilities with both youth-friendly services (YFS) and trained providers had significantly higher VL suppression compared with facilities without YFS or trained providers (adjusted odds ratio: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.71-2.52). Viral suppression remains suboptimal among AYALWH. YFS and trained providers plus greater use of VL data may help increase viral suppression among AYALWH.

Process evaluation of PrEP implementation in Kenya: adaptation of practices and contextual modifications in public HIV care clinics.

IntroductionIn Africa, oral pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is largely provided via over‐burdened public HIV care clinics. Successfully incorporating PrEP services into these clinics may require adaptations to practices outlined in national implementation guidelines and modifications to routine existing service delivery. We aimed to describe adaptations made by public HIV clinics in Kenya to integrate PrEP delivery into existing services.MethodsThe Partners Scale‐Up Project aimed to catalyse integration of PrEP in 25 public HIV care clinics. Between May and December 2018, we conducted qualitative interviews with health providers and documented clinic observations in technical assistance (TA) reports to understand the process of PrEP service integration. We analysed 36 health provider interview transcripts and 25 TA reports to identify clinic‐level adaptations to activities outlined in Kenyan Ministry of Health PrEP guidelines and modifications made to existing service delivery practices to successfully incorporate PrEP services. Identified adaptations were reported using the expanded framework for reporting adaptations and modifications (FRAME).ResultsAll clinics (n = 25) performed HIV testing, HIV risk assessment, PrEP education and adherence counselling as stipulated in the guidelines. Most clinics initiated clients on PrEP without creatinine testing if otherwise healthy. While monthly refill appointments are recommended, a majority of clinics issued PrEP users two to three months of pills at a time. Clinics also implemented practices that had not been specified in the guidelines including incorporating PrEP‐related topics into routine health talks, calling clients with missed PrEP appointments, discussing PrEP service delivery in regular staff meetings, ‘fast‐tracking’ PrEP clients and dispensing PrEP in clinic rooms rather than at clinic‐based pharmacies. PrEP initiation numbers were highest among clinics that did not require creatinine testing, conducted peer on‐the‐job PrEP training and those that discussed PrEP delivery in their routine meetings. Above‐average continuation was observed among clinics that discussed PrEP in their routine meetings, dispensed PrEP in clinic rooms and offered PrEP at nonregular hours.ConclusionsHealth providers in public HIV care clinics instituted practices and made innovative adaptations to PrEP delivery to reduce barriers for clients and staff. Encouraging clinic level adaptations to national implementation guidelines will facilitate scale‐up of PrEP delivery.

Implementing enhanced patient care to promote patient engagement in HIV care in a rural setting in Kenya

BackgroundPatient engagement is effective in promoting adherence to HIV care. In an effort to promote patient-centered care, we implemented an enhanced patient care (EPC) intervention that addresses a combination of system-level barriers including provider training, continuity of clinician-patient relationship, enhanced treatment dialogue and better clinic scheduling. We describe the initial implementation of the EPC intervention in a rural HIV clinic in Kenya, and the factors that facilitated its implementation.MethodsThe intervention occurred in one of the rural Academic Model Providing Healthcare (AMPATHplus) health facilities in Busia County in the western region of Kenya. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through training and meeting proceedings/minutes, a patient tracking tool, treatment dialogue and a peer confirmation tool. Qualitative data were coded and emerging themes on the implementation and adaptation of the intervention were developed. Descriptive analysis including percentages and means were performed on the quantitative data.ResultsOur analysis identified four key factors that facilitated the implementation of this intervention. (1) The smooth integration of the intervention as part of care that was facilitated by provider training, biweekly meetings between the research and clinical team and having an intervention that promotes the health facility agenda. (2) Commitment of stakeholders including providers and patients to the intervention. (3) The adaptability of the intervention to the existing context while still maintaining fidelity to the intervention. (4) Embedding the intervention in a facility with adequate infrastructure to support its implementation.ConclusionsThis analysis demonstrates the value of using mixed methods approaches to study the implementation of an intervention. Our findings emphasize how critical local support, local infrastructure, and effective communication are to adapting a new intervention in a clinical care program.

1258. The Pregnancy Factor: Differences in the Prevalence of Depression Among Pregnant and Nonpregnant Sub-Saharan African Women Living with HIV

BackgroundIn Sub-Saharan African (SSA) women living with HIV, pregnancy creates unique stressors that may induce or exacerbate depression. We described the prevalence of depression during the perinatal period among women living with HIV that became pregnant (P-WLWH) as compared with those that did not (NP-WLWH).MethodsWe analyzed data from WLWH, age < 45 years, across 11 HIV clinics in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania, within the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS). Depression screening was performed via the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CESD) scale at enrollment and every 6 months in the study. For these analyses, the CESD score was assessed during three periods in time. For P-WLWH, these periods were: (1) enrollment, (2) during pregnancy and (3) the study visit following delivery. For NP-WLWH, three sequential evaluations were analyzed, with visit 1 being enrollment. We compared the prevalence of depression between groups at each period using χ 2 analysis and calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR) using logistic regression for variables associated with positive depression screening (CESD score ≥16).ResultsThere were 764 WLWH selected for analysis, including 164 P-WLWH and 600 NP-WLWH. At enrollment, P-WLWH tended to be younger than NP-WLWH (mean age=30 vs. 34, P < 0.01). Neither group differed significantly with respect to marital status, employment, education, viral load, or duration of HIV. The crude prevalence of depression during periods 1 thru 3 for P-WLWH and NP-WLWH was: 20% (in both groups, P = 0.99), 10% and 13% (P = 0.26), and 4% and 10% (P = 0.01), respectively (figure). P-WLWH had 74% lower odds [OR = 0.26 [0.09–0.75], P = 0.01] of positive depression screening during period 3 than NP-WLWH, when controlling for age, marital status, educational level, viral load, and duration of HIV.ConclusionSurprisingly, our analyses demonstrate P-WLWH were less likely to have positive screening for depression following their pregnancies. These findings may highlight the strength of comprehensive maternal health initiatives in SSA. Additionally, these women will be followed further longitudinally to evaluate patterns of depression in the months following pregnancy. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and preventative cryotherapy at an HIV treatment clinic in Kenya

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the potential cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening in HIV treatment clinics in Nairobi, Kenya.MethodsA Markov model was used to project health outcomes and costs of cervical cancer screening and cryotherapy at an HIV clinic in Kenya using cryotherapy without screening, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), Papanicolaou smear (Pap), and testing for human papillomavirus (HPV). Direct and indirect medical and non-medical costs were examined from societal and clinic perspectives.ResultsCosts of cryotherapy, VIA, Pap, and HPV for women with CD4 200–500 cells/mL were $99, $196, $219, and $223 from a societal perspective and $19, $94, $124, and $113 from a clinic perspective, with 17.3, 17.1, 17.1, and 17.1 years of life expectancy, respectively. Women at higher CD4 counts (>500 cells/mL) given cryotherapy VIA, Pap, and HPV resulted in better life expectancies (19.9+ years) and lower cost (societal: $49, $99, $115, and $102; clinic: $13, $51, $71, and $56). VIA was less expensive than HPV unless HPV screening could be reduced to a single visit.ConclusionsPreventative cryotherapy was the least expensive strategy and resulted in highest projected life expectancy, while VIA was most cost-effective unless HPV could be reduced to a single visit.

Training Healthcare Workers on the Use of Electronic Medical Records in HIV clinics in Kenya: An Evaluation of Three Training Models

Training Healthcare Workers on the Use of Electronic Medical Records in HIV clinics in Kenya: An Evaluation of Three Training Models

Costs of integrating cervical cancer screening at an HIV clinic in Kenya.

To estimate the societal-level costs of integrating cervical cancer screening into HIV clinics in Nairobi, Kenya. A cross-sectional micro-costing study was performed at Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases and Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya, between July 1 and October 31, 2014. To estimate direct medical, non-medical, and indirect costs associated with screening, a time-and-motion study was performed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with women aged at least 18years attending the clinic for screening during the study period and with clinic staff who had experience relevant to cervical cancer screening. There were 148 patients and 23 clinic staff who participated in interviews. Visual inspection with acetic acid was associated with the lowest estimated marginal per-screening costs ($3.30), followed by careHPV ($18.28), Papanicolaou ($24.59), and Hybrid Capture 2 screening ($31.15). Laboratory expenses were the main cost drivers for Papanicolaou and Hybrid Capture 2 testing ($11.61 and $16.41, respectively). Overhead and patient transportation affected the costs of all methods. Indirect costs were cheaper for single-visit screening methods ($0.43 per screening) than two-visit screening methods ($2.88 per screening). Integrating cervical cancer screening into HIV clinics would be cost-saving from a societal perspective compared with non-integrated screening. These findings could be used in cost-effectiveness analyses to assess incremental costs per clinical outcome in an integrated setting.

Untangling the Relationship Between Antiretroviral Therapy Use and Incident Pregnancy: A Marginal Structural Model Analysis Using Data From 47,313 HIV-Positive Women in East Africa

Scale-up of triple-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa has transformed the context of childbearing for HIV-positive women and may impact pregnancy incidence in HIV programs. Using observational data from 47,313 HIV-positive women enrolled at 26 HIV clinics in Kenya and Uganda between 2001 and 2009, we calculated the crude cumulative incidence of pregnancy for the pre-ART and on-ART periods. The causal effect of ART use on incident pregnancy was assessed using inverse probability weighted marginal structural models, and the relationship was further explored in multivariable Cox models. Crude cumulative pregnancy incidence at 1 year after enrollment/ART initiation was 4.0% and 3.9% during the pre-ART and on-ART periods, respectively. In marginal structural models, ART use was not significantly associated with incident pregnancy [hazard ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99 to 1.12]. Similarly, in Cox models, there was no significant relationship between ART use and incident pregnancy (cause-specific hazard ratio: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.91 to 1.05), but effect modification was observed. Specifically, women who were pregnant at enrollment and on ART had an increased risk of incident pregnancy compared to those not pregnant at enrollment and not on ART (cause-specific hazard ratio: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.23). In this large cohort, ART initiation was not associated with incident pregnancy in the general population of women enrolling in HIV care but rather only among those pregnant at enrollment. This finding further highlights the importance of scaling up access to lifelong treatment for pregnant women.

Movement between facilities for HIV care among a mobile population in Kenya: transfer, loss to follow-up, and reengagement

ABSTRACTHIV treatment is life-long, yet many patients travel or migrate for their livelihoods, risking treatment interruption. We examine timely reengagement in care among patients who transferred-out or were lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) from a rural HIV facility. We conducted a cohort study among 369 adult patients on antiretroviral therapy between November 2011 and November 2013 on Mfangano Island, Kenya. Patients who transferred or were LTFU (i.e., missed a scheduled appointment by ≥90 days) were traced to determine if they reengaged or accessed care at another clinic. We report cumulative incidence and time to reengagement using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for patient demographic and clinical characteristics. Among 369 patients at the clinic, 23(6%) requested an official transfer and 78(21%) were LTFU. Among official transfers, cumulative incidence of linkage to their destination facility was 91% at three months (95%CI (confidence intervals) 69–98%). Among LTFU, cumulative incidence of reengagement in care at the original or a new clinic was 14% at three months (95%CI 7–23%) and 60% at six months (95%CI 48–69%). In the adjusted Cox model, patients who left with an official transfer reengaged in care six times faster than those who did not (adjusted hazard ratio 6.2, 95%CI 3.4–11.0). Patients who left an island-based HIV clinic in Kenya with an official transfer letter reengaged in care faster than those who were LTFU, although many in both groups had treatment gaps long enough to risk viral rebound. Better coordination of transfers between clinics, such as assisting patients with navigating the process or improving inter-clinic communication surrounding transfers, may reduce delays in treatment during transfer and improve overall clinical outcomes.

Pitfalls of practicing cancer epidemiology in resource-limited settings: the case of survival and loss to follow-up after a diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma in five countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

BackgroundSurvival after diagnosis is a fundamental concern in cancer epidemiology. In resource-rich settings, ambient clinical databases, municipal data and cancer registries make survival estimation in real-world populations relatively straightforward. In resource-poor settings, given the deficiencies in a variety of health-related data systems, it is less clear how well we can determine cancer survival from ambient data.MethodsWe addressed this issue in sub-Saharan Africa for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), a cancer for which incidence has exploded with the HIV epidemic but for which survival in the region may be changing with the recent advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). From 33 primary care HIV Clinics in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria and Cameroon participating in the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Consortia in 2009–2012, we identified 1328 adults with newly diagnosed KS. Patients were evaluated from KS diagnosis until death, transfer to another facility or database closure.ResultsNominally, 22 % of patients were estimated to be dead by 2 years, but this estimate was clouded by 45 % cumulative lost to follow-up with unknown vital status by 2 years. After adjustment for site and CD4 count, age <30 years and male sex were independently associated with becoming lost.ConclusionsIn this community-based sample of patients diagnosed with KS in sub-Saharan Africa, almost half became lost to follow-up by 2 years. This precluded accurate estimation of survival. Until we either generally strengthen data systems or implement cancer-specific enhancements (e.g., tracking of the lost) in the region, insights from cancer epidemiology will be limited.

Shamba Maisha: Pilot agricultural intervention for food security and HIV health outcomes in Kenya: design, methods, baseline results and process evaluation of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundDespite advances in treatment of people living with HIV, morbidity and mortality remains unacceptably high in sub-Saharan Africa, largely due to parallel epidemics of poverty and food insecurity.Methods/DesignWe conducted a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a multisectoral agricultural and microfinance intervention (entitled Shamba Maisha) designed to improve food security, household wealth, HIV clinical outcomes and women’s empowerment. The intervention was carried out at two HIV clinics in Kenya, one randomized to the intervention arm and one to the control arm. HIV-infected patients >18 years, on antiretroviral therapy, with moderate/severe food insecurity and/or body mass index (BMI) <18.5, and access to land and surface water were eligible for enrollment. The intervention included: 1) a microfinance loan (~$150) to purchase the farming commodities, 2) a micro-irrigation pump, seeds, and fertilizer, and 3) trainings in sustainable agricultural practices and financial literacy. Enrollment of 140 participants took four months, and the screening-to-enrollment ratio was similar between arms. We followed participants for 12 months and conducted structured questionnaires. We also conducted a process evaluation with participants and stakeholders 3–5 months after study start and at study end.DiscussionBaseline results revealed that participants at the two sites were similar in age, gender and marital status. A greater proportion of participants at the intervention site had a low BMI in comparison to participants at the control site (18% vs. 7%, p = 0.054). While median CD4 count was similar between arms, a greater proportion of participants enrolled at the intervention arm had a detectable HIV viral load compared with control participants (49% vs. 28%, respectively, p < 0.010). Process evaluation findings suggested that Shamba Maisha had high acceptability in recruitment, delivered strong agricultural and financial training, and led to labor saving due to use of the water pump. Implementation challenges included participant concerns about repaying loans, agricultural challenges due to weather patterns, and a challenging partnership with the microfinance institution. We expect the results from this pilot study to provide useful data on the impacts of livelihood interventions and will help in the design of a definitive cluster RCT.Trial registrationThis trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01548599.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40064-015-0886-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pregnancy desire and dual method contraceptive use among people living with HIV attending clinical care in Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania

AimTo describe factors associated with pregnancy desire and dual method use among people living with HIV in clinical care in sub-Saharan Africa.DesignSexually active HIV-positive adults were enrolled in 18 HIV...

Alcohol use and its association with HIV risk behaviors among a cohort of patients attending HIV clinical care in Tanzania, Kenya, and Namibia

This article describes the frequency of alcohol use among HIV-positive patients attending clinical care in sub-Saharan Africa and explores the association between alcohol use, medication adherence, and sexual risk behavior. Data from 3538 patients attending an HIV clinic in Kenya, Tanzania, or Namibia were captured through interview and medical record abstraction. Participants were categorized into three drinking categories: nondrinkers, nonharmful drinkers, and harmful/likely dependent drinkers. A proportional odds model was used to identify correlates associated with categories of alcohol use. Overall, 20% of participants reported alcohol use in the past 6 months; 15% were categorized as nonharmful drinkers and 5% as harmful/likely dependent drinkers. Participants who reported missing a dose of their HIV medications [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67, 2.49]; inconsistent condom use (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.79); exchanging sex for food, money, gifts, or a place to stay (AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.32); and having a sexually transmitted infection symptom (AOR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.77) were more likely to be categorized in the higher risk drinking categories. This research highlights the need to integrate alcohol screening and counseling into the adherence and risk reduction counseling offered to HIV-positive patients as part of their routine care. Moreover, given the numerous intersections between alcohol and HIV, policies that focus on reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol-related risk behavior should be integrated into HIV prevention, care, and treatment strategies.

Depression symptoms, social support and overall health among HIV-positive individuals in Kenya.

In Kenya, there was a reported decline in HIV incidence and prevalence among those aged 15 to 64 years and children. Despite the decline, closer assessment of psychosocial issues like depression, contextual factors (family and community), and social support is necessary given the likely impact on overall health and HIV prevention. This paper examines an association between symptoms of depression and social support on overall health among HIV-positive participants recruited from an HIV clinic in Kenya. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were utilized. Findings reveal that compared to those with minimal depression (referent category) participants with mild, moderate, moderately severe/severe depression had higher odds of having poor health. For social support, compared with participants with no social support (referent category), participants with high social support had lower odds of having poor overall health in both unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted models. In conclusion, this study suggests that HIV clinics and interventions need to focus more on the psychological and/or mental health status of HIV-infected individuals while providing avenues such as social support groups that can be a buffer against the negative impact of HIV infection and depression on overall health outcomes.

High attrition before and after ART initiation among youth (15–24 years of age) enrolled in HIV care

To compare pre and post-ART attrition between youth (15-24 years) and other patients in HIV care, and to investigate factors associated with attrition among youth. Cohort study utilizing routinely collected patient-level data from 160 HIV clinics in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Patients at least 10 years of age enrolling in HIV care between 01/05 and 09/10 were included. Attrition (loss to follow-up or death 1 year after enrollment or ART initiation) was compared between youth and other patients using multivariate competing risk (pre-ART) and traditional (post-ART) Cox proportional hazards methods accounting for within-clinic correlation. Among youth, patient-level and clinic-level factors associated with attrition were similarly assessed. A total of 312,335 patients at least 10 years of age enrolled in HIV care; 147,936 (47%) initiated ART, 17% enrolling in care and 10% initiating ART were youth. Attrition before and after ART initiation was substantially higher among youth compared with other age groups. Among youth, nonpregnant women experienced lower pre-ART attrition than men [sub-division hazard ratio = 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86-0.94], while both pregnant [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74-0.97] and nonpregnant (AHR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.73-0.86) female youth experienced lower post-ART attrition than men. Youth attending clinics providing sexual and reproductive health services including condoms (AHR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.32-0.70) and clinics offering adolescent support groups (AHR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.52-1.0) experienced significantly lower attrition after ART initiation. Youth experienced substantially higher attrition before and after ART initiation compared with younger adolescents and older adults. Adolescent-friendly services were associated with reduced attrition among youth, particularly after ART initiation.

Measuring adherence to antiretroviral therapy in children and adolescents in western Kenya.

IntroductionHigh levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) are central to HIV management. The objective of this study was to compare multiple measures of adherence and investigate factors associated with adherence among HIV-infected children in western Kenya.MethodsWe evaluated ART adherence prospectively for six months among HIV-infected children aged ≤14 years attending a large outpatient HIV clinic in Kenya. Adherence was reported using caregiver report, plasma drug concentrations and Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS®). Kappa statistics were used to compare adherence estimates with MEMS®. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between child, caregiver and household characteristics with dichotomized adherence (MEMS® adherence ≥90% vs. <90%) and MEMS® treatment interruptions of ≥48 hours. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated.ResultsAmong 191 children, mean age at baseline was 8.2 years and 55% were female. Median adherence by MEMS® was 96.3% and improved over the course of follow-up (p<0.01), although 49.5% of children had at least one MEMS® treatment interruption of ≥48 hours. Adherence estimates were highest by caregiver report, and there was poor agreement between MEMS® and other adherence measures (Kappa statistics 0.04–0.37). In multivariable logistic regression, only caregiver-reported missed doses in the past 30 days (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.14–1.39), late doses in the past seven days (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.22) and caregiver-reported problems with getting the child to take ART (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01–1.20) were significantly associated with dichotomized MEMS® adherence. The caregivers reporting that ART made the child sick (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01–1.25) and reporting difficulties in the community that made giving ART more difficult (e.g. stigma) (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.27) were significantly associated with MEMS® treatment interruptions in multivariable logistic regression.ConclusionsNon-adherence in the form of missed and late doses, treatment interruptions of more than 48 hours and sub-therapeutic drug levels were common in this cohort. Adherence varied significantly by adherence measure, suggesting that additional validation of adherence measures is needed. Few factors were consistently associated with non-adherence or treatment interruptions.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Cross-Culturally Adapted Felt Stigma Questionnaire Among People Living with HIV in Kenya

Psychometric properties of an 18-item HIV felt stigma questionnaire were evaluated utilizing data collected from a diverse ethnic and socioeconomic group of 370 people living with HIV/AIDS and receiving HIV/AIDS-related health services at an HIV clinic in Kenya. Factor analyses revealed a four factor solution (public attitudes, ostracize, discrimination, personal life disrupted) based on the Scree plot with explained variance of 44% that had Eigen values greater than 1.00. The retained felt stigma items revealed a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.828, while the four factors had coefficient alphas ranging from 0.675 to 0.799. The adapted retained questionnaire was deemed a practical guide for measuring felt stigma in a Kenyan cultural context to necessitate provision of the most effective HIV-related mental health services to individuals living with HIV in Kenya.