Rural North-Central Nigeria Research Articles

Assessment of calorie intake and micronutrient consumption in rural North-Central Nigeria

Assessment of calorie intake and micronutrient consumption in rural North-Central Nigeria

A mixed-methods assessment of disclosure of HIV status among expert mothers living with HIV in rural Nigeria.

BackgroundPeer support provided by experienced and/or trained “expert” women living with HIV has been adopted by prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs across sub-Saharan Africa. While there is ample data on HIV status disclosure among non-expert women, there is little data on disclosure among such expert women, who support other women living with HIV.ObjectiveThis study compared HIV disclosure rates between expert and non-expert mothers living with HIV, and contextualized quantitative findings with qualitative data from expert women.MethodsWe compared survey data on HIV disclosure to male partners and family/friends from 37 expert and 100 non-expert mothers living with HIV in rural North-Central Nigeria. Four focus group discussions with expert mothers provided further context on disclosure to male partners, extended family and peers. Chi square and Fisher’s exact tests were applied to quantitative data. Qualitative data were manually analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach.ResultsTwo-thirds of the 137 participants were 21–30 years old; 89.8% were married, and 52.3% had secondary-level education. Disclosure to male partners was higher among expert (100.0%) versus non-expert mothers (85.0%), p = 0.035. Disclosure to anyone (93.1% vs 80.8%, p = 0.156), and knowledge of male partners’ HIV status were similar (75.7% versus 66.7%, p = 0.324) between expert and non-expert mothers, respectively. With respect to male partners, HIV serodiscordance rates were also similar (46.4% vs 55.6%, p = 0.433). Group discussions indicated that expert mothers did not consistently disclose to their mentored clients, with community-level stigma and discrimination stated as major reasons for this non-disclosure.ConclusionsExpert mothers experience similar disclosure barriers as their non-expert peers, especially regarding disclosure outside of intimate relationships. Thus, attention to expert mothers’ coping skills and disclosure status, particularly to mentored clients is important to maximize the impact of peer support in PMTCT.Clinical trials registrationClinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT 01936753 (retrospective), September 3, 2013.

Adherence to Combination Antiretroviral Therapy among Pregnant Women Enrolled in a HIV Prevention Program in Rural North-central Nigeria.

Objective:Adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) among pregnant women is essential to attaining the goal of eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission. The objective of this study was to determine which factors affect adherence to ART among HIV-positive women enrolled in a large prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) trial in rural north-central Nigeria.Methods:The parent study included 372 HIV-positive pregnant women enrolled in a cluster-randomized control trial conducted at 12 health facilities in Nigeria between 2013 and 2015. This secondary analysis included HIV-positive women (and their infants) from the original trial with documented adherence data (n=210, 56.5%). The primary outcome was maternal adherence to ART, determined by self-report and based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) of a validated medication adherence tool. Participants with a VAS score of ≥ 95% were classified as adherent. We employed multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the predictors of maternal ART adherence in the study sample.Results:Approximately 61.0% of study participants (128/210) were adherent to ART. The majority of adherent participants (62.5%, 80/128) were enrolled in the trial intervention arm. The most common cited response for non-adherence was fear of status disclosure. Adherence to ART was associated with study arm (intervention arm vs. control arm, adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) [95% CI]: 16.95 [5.30-54.23]), maternal ethnicity (Gwari vs. Other, aOR = 0.13 [0.05-0.38]), and partner HIV status (HIV-positive vs. unknown, aOR = 3.14 [1.22-8.07]).Conclusion and Global Health Implications:Adherence to ART among a cohort of pregnant women enrolled in a PMTCT trial in rural North-Central Nigeria was associated with trial arm, maternal self-reported ethnicity, and partner’s HIV status. Increased understanding of the interplay between these factors will enable the development of more targeted and effective interventions.

Missed opportunities for early infant diagnosis of HIV in rural North-Central Nigeria: A cascade analysis from the INSPIRE MoMent study.

BackgroundEarly identification of HIV-infected infants for treatment is critical for survival. Efficient uptake of early infant diagnosis (EID) requires timely presentation of HIV-exposed infants, same-day sample collection, and prompt release of results. The MoMent (Mother Mentor) Nigeria study investigated the impact of structured peer support on EID presentation and maternal retention. This cascade analysis highlights missed opportunities for EID and infant treatment initiation during the study.MethodsHIV-infected pregnant women and their infants were recruited at 20 rural Primary Healthcare Centers. Routine infant HIV DNA PCR testing was performed at centralized laboratories using dried blood spot (DBS) samples ideally collected by age two months. EID outcomes data were abstracted from study case report forms and facility registers. Descriptive statistics summarized gaps and missed opportunities in the EID cascade.ResultsOut of 497 women enrolled, delivery data was available for 445 (90.8%), to whom 415 of 455 (91.2%) infants were live-born. Out of 408 live-born infants with available data, 341 (83.6%) presented for DBS sampling at least once. Only 75.4% (257/341) were sampled, with 81.7% (210/257) sampled at first presentation. Only 199/257 (77.4%) sampled infants had results available up to 28 months post-collection. Two (1.0%) of the 199 infants tested HIV-positive; one infant died before treatment initiation and the other was lost to follow-up.ConclusionsWhile nearly 85% of infants presented for sampling, there were multiple missed opportunities, largely due to health system and not necessarily patient-level failures. These included infants presenting without being sampled, presenting multiple times before samples were collected, and getting sampled but results not forthcoming. Finally, neither of the two HIV-positive infants were linked to treatment within the follow-up period, which may have led to the death of one. To facilitate patient compliance and HIV-free infant survival, quality improvement approaches should be optimized for EID commodity availability, consistent DBS sample collection, efficient processing/result release, and prompt infant treatment initiation.

Safe Water, Improved Sanitation and Hygiene in Rural North-Central Nigeria: Analysis of Households’ Willingness to Pay

Using the Contingent valuation method, logit and tobit models this article examined the willingness of rural households to pay for safe water and improved solid waste management in North-central Nigeria. Data used was collected from 352 households in North-central, Nigeria using questionnaire forms. Results revealed that 27.6 percent of households were willing-to-pay an average of N176/week for improved solid waste management while 30 percent were willing-to-pay an average of N21.60/20 liters of potable water. Also, gender, years of schooling, membership of cooperative societies, dependency ratio, health status and the monthly income are the factors that significantly influence their willingness-to-pay. It recommended that rural dwellers should be enlightened on the importance of proper waste management which will result in improved environmental health.

\u201cThey do not see us as one of them\u201d: a qualitative exploration of mentor mothers\u2019 working relationships with healthcare workers in rural North-Central Nigeria

BackgroundIn HIV programs, mentor mothers (MMs) are women living with HIV who provide peer support for other women to navigate HIV care, especially in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Nigeria has significant PMTCT program gaps, and in this resource-constrained setting, lay health workers such as MMs serve as task shifting resources for formal healthcare workers and facility-community liaisons for their clients. However, challenging work conditions including tenuous working relationships with healthcare workers can reduce MMs’ impact on PMTCT outcomes. This study explores the experiences and opinions of MMs with respect to their work conditions and relationships with healthcare workers.MethodsThis study was nested in the prospective two-arm Mother Mentor (MoMent) study, which evaluated structured peer support in PMTCT. Thirty-six out of the 38 MMs who were ever engaged in the MoMent study were interviewed in seven focus group discussions, which focused on MM workload and stipends, scope of work, and relationships with healthcare workers. English and English-translated Hausa-language transcripts were manually analyzed by theme and content in a grounded theory approach.ResultsBoth intervention and control-arm MMs reported positive and negative relationships with healthcare workers, modulated by individual healthcare worker and structural factors. Issues with facility-level scope of work, workplace hierarchy, exclusivism and stigma/discrimination from healthcare workers were discussed. MMs identified clarification, formalization, and health system integration of their roles and services as potential mitigations to tenuous relationships with healthcare workers and challenging working conditions.ConclusionsMMs function in multiple roles, as task shifting resources, lay community health workers, and peer counselors. MMs need a more formalized, well-defined niche that is fully integrated into the health system and is responsive to their needs. Additionally, the definition and formalization of MM roles have to take healthcare worker orientation, sensitization, and acceptability into consideration.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov number NCT01936753, registered September 3, 2013.

P-E4 The MoMent Study: Correlates of viral suppression at 6 months postpartum among HIV-positive women in rural Nigeria

Introduction: The risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) reduces with sustained pre & postpartum administration of suppressive maternal ARVs. The MoMent study evaluated for maternal viral suppression & its correlates among HIV+ Nigerian women. Methods: This prospective cohort study compared structured Mentor Mother (MM) vs unstructured peer support (PS) for PMTCT outcomes. Pregnant women were recruited at 20 matched Primary Healthcare Centers in rural North-Central Nigeria. Structured PS included daily MM supervision, standardized documentation, client tracking, & MM performance evaluations. Maternal viral load (VL) was performed at 6 months postpartum; women lost to followup were tracked back for VL tests. Viral suppression was defined as VL <20 copies/mL. All participants were on ART for ≥6 months. Multivariate logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to account for clusters and for adjusting confounders. Results: Among 497 enrolees, 296 (59.6%) presented for VL; 273/296 (92.2%) had samples collected. Of the 238/273 (87.2%) with available results, 138 (58%) were suppressed. Correlates of suppression were structured MM support (aOR 4.9, CI 2.6 to 9.2); age >30 years (aOR 2.3, CI 1.0 to 4.9); ≥secondary education (aOR 2.0, CI 1.2 to 3.3); Christian religion (aOR 1.4, CI 1.1 to 2.1); PI-based ART (aOR 4.6, CI 1.3 to 16.0), and retention (aOR 3.7, CI 2.5 to 5.5). Marital/disclosure status & distance from facility were not significant. Discussion: Organized PS, older age, education, potent ARVs & retention supported viral suppression in our study. The role of religion is unclear & should be further explored. Conclusion: Structured PS should be targeted to young & lesser educated women to reduce MTCT risk.

HIV status disclosure to male partners among rural Nigerian women along the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV cascade: a mixed methods study

BackgroundHIV status disclosure to male partners is important for optimal outcomes in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Depending on timing of HIV diagnosis or pregnancy status, readiness to disclose and disclosure rates may differ among HIV-positive women. We sought to determine rates, patterns, and experiences of disclosure among Nigerian women along the PMTCT cascade.MethodsHIV-positive women in rural North-Central Nigeria were purposively recruited according to their PMTCT cascade status: pregnant-newly HIV-diagnosed, pregnant-in care, postpartum, and lost-to-follow-up (LTFU). Participants were surveyed to determine rates of disclosure to male partners and others; in-depth interviews evaluated disclosure patterns and experiences. Tests of association were applied to quantitative data. Qualitative data were manually analysed by theme and content using the constant comparative method in a Grounded Theory approach.ResultsWe interviewed 100 women; 69% were 21–30 years old, and 86% were married. There were 25, 26, 28 and 21 women in the newly-diagnosed, in-care, postpartum, and LTFU groups, respectively. Approximately 81% of all participants reported disclosing to anyone; however, family members were typically disclosed to first. Ultimately, more women had disclosed to male partners (85%) than to family members (55%). Rates of disclosure to anyone varied between groups: newly-diagnosed and LTFU women had the lowest (56%) and highest (100%) rates, respectively (p = 0.001). However, family (p = 0.402) and male partner (p = 0.218) disclosure rates were similar between cascade groups. Across all cascade groups, fear of divorce and intimate partner violence deterred women from disclosing to male partners. However, participants reported that with assistance from healthcare workers, disclosure and post-disclosure experiences were mostly positive.ConclusionIn our study cohort, although disclosure to male partners was overall higher, family members appeared more approachable for initial disclosure. Across cascade groups, male partners were ultimately disclosed to at rates > 75%, with no significant inter-group differences. Fear appears to be a major reason for non-disclosure or delayed disclosure by women to male partners. Augmentation of healthcare workers’ skills and involvement can mediate gender power differentials, minimize fear and shorten time to male partner disclosure among women living with HIV, regardless of their PMTCT cascade status.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT 01936753, September 3, 2013 (retrospectively registered).

Reliability of Self-Reported Mobile Phone Ownership in Rural North-Central Nigeria: Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundmHealth practitioners seek to leverage the ubiquity of the mobile phone to increase the impact and robustness of their interventions, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, data on the reliability of self-reported mobile phone access is minimal.ObjectiveWe sought to ascertain the reliability of self-reported ownership of and access to mobile phones among a population of rural dwellers in north-central Nigeria.MethodsWe contacted participants in a community-based HIV testing program by phone to determine actual as opposed to self-reported mobile phone access. A phone script was designed to conduct these calls and descriptive analyses conducted on the findings.ResultsWe dialed 349 numbers: 110 (31.5%) were answered by participants who self-reported ownership of the mobile phone; 123 (35.2%) of the phone numbers did not ring at all; 28 (8.0%) rang but were not answered; and 88 (25.2%) were answered by someone other than the participant. We reached a higher proportion of male participants (68/133, 51.1%) than female participants (42/216, 19.4%; P<.001).ConclusionsSelf-reported access to mobile phones in rural and low-income areas in north-central Nigeria is higher than actual access. This has implications for mHealth programming, particularly for women’s health. mHealth program implementers and researchers need to be cognizant of the low reliability of self-reported mobile phone access. These observations should therefore affect sample-size calculations and, where possible, alternative means of reaching research participants and program beneficiaries should be established.

Exploring the acceptability of Option B plus among HIV-positive Nigerian women engaged and not engaged in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV cascade: a qualitative study

ABSTRACTThe acceptability of lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive women in high-burden Nigeria, is not well-known. We explored readiness of users and providers of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services to accept lifelong ART -before Option B plus was implemented in Nigeria. We conducted 142 key informant interviews among 100 PMTCT users (25 pregnant-newly-diagnosed, 26 pregnant-in-care, 28 lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) and 21 postpartum women living with HIV) and 42 PMTCT providers in rural North-Central Nigeria. Qualitative data were manually analyzed via Grounded Theory. PMTCT users had mixed views about lifelong ART, strongly influenced by motivation to prevent infant HIV and by presence or absence of maternal illness. Newly-diagnosed women were most enthusiastic about lifelong ART, however postpartum and LTFU women expressed conditionalities for acceptance and adherence, including minimal ART side effects and potentially serious maternal illness. Providers corroborated user findings, identifying the postpartum period as problematic for lifelong ART acceptability/adherence. Option B plus scale-up in Nigeria will require proactively addressing PMTCT user fears about ART side effects, and continuous education on long-term maternal and infant benefits. Structural barriers such as the availability of trained providers, long clinic wait times and patient access to ART should also be addressed.

A Socio-Ecological Examination of Treatment Access, Uptake and Adherence Issues Encountered By HIV-Positive Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria

ABSTRACTBackground: In spite of the global decline in HIV infections, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for a non-proportional majority of global new infections. While many studies have documented the importance of facilitating access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) as a means of reducing infections, the relationship between interpersonal, community, healthcare facility, and policy-level factors and treatment adherence in Africa have not been well-described. The authors examined these factors in the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in rural north-central Nigeria, where HIV burden is high and service coverage is low. Methods: Eleven focus groups (n = 105) were conducted among PMTCT clients, male partners, young women, and other community members from 39 rural and semi-rural communities to explore factors related to HIV and antenatal care service use. Data were analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method. Results: Irrespective of HIV status, participants reported barriers to access including long clinic wait times, transportation availability and cost, and the lack of HIV treatment medications. For HIV-positive women, stigma from family members, providers, and the local community affected their ability to obtain care and remain ART-adherent. In the face of these barriers, these women reflected on the importance of peer and community support, as well as the passage of laws to combat barriers to treatment access, uptake, and adherence. Conclusions: Facilitating treatment adherence may require not only focusing on the medical treatment needs of these women but also structural issues, such as the availability of providers and drugs, and systemic stigmatization of HIV-positive patients.

The Impact of Structured Mentor Mother Programs on Presentation for Early Infant Diagnosis Testing in Rural North-Central Nigeria: A Prospective Paired Cohort Study.

Early infant diagnosis (EID) by 2 months of age is an important prevention of mother-to-child cascade step that serves as an early postpartum indicator of program success. Uptake and timely presentation for infant HIV diagnosis are significant challenges in resource-limited settings. Few studies on maternal peer support (PS) have demonstrated impact on EID. The MoMent study evaluated the impact of structured PS on timely presentation for EID testing in rural North-Central Nigeria. A total of 497 HIV-positive pregnant women were consecutively recruited at 10 primary health care centers with structured, closely supervised Mentor Mother (MM) support, and 10 pair-matched primary health care centers with routine but ad hoc PS. EID was assessed among HIV-exposed infants delivered to recruited women, and was defined by presentation for DNA polymerase chain reaction testing between 35 and 62 days of life. A logistic regression model with generalized estimating equation to account for clustering was used to assess the effect of MMs on EID presentation. Data from 408 live-born infants were available for analysis. Exposure to MM support was associated with higher odds of timely EID presentation among infants, compared with routine PS (adjusted odds ratios = 3.7, 95% confidence interval: 2.8 to 5.0). Closely supervised, organized MM support significantly improved presentation for EID among HIV-exposed infants in a rural Nigerian setting. Structured PS can improve rates of timely EID presentation and potentially the uptake of EID testing in resource-limited settings.

Rates of Viral Suppression among HIV-positive Women in Rural North-central Nigeria

Rates of Viral Suppression among HIV-positive Women in Rural North-central Nigeria

P-E5 Correlates of Facility Delivery among HIV+ Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria

P-E5 Correlates of Facility Delivery among HIV+ Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria

Evaluating religious influences on barriers to the uptake of maternal services among Muslim and Christian women in rural north-central Nigeria

Evaluating religious influences on barriers to the uptake of maternal services among Muslim and Christian women in rural north-central Nigeria

Integrated prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services, antiretroviral therapy initiation, and maternal and infant retention in care in rural north-central Nigeria: a cluster-randomised controlled trial

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and retention in care are essential for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT). We aimed to assess the effect of a family-focused, integrated PMTCT care package. In this parallel, cluster-randomised controlled trial, we pair-matched 12 primary and secondary level health-care facilities located in rural north-central Nigeria. Clinic pairs were randomly assigned to intervention or standard of care (control) by computer-generated sequence. HIV-infected women (and their infants) presenting for antenatal care or delivery were included if they had unknown HIV status at presentation (there was no age limit for the study, but the youngest participant was 16 years old); history of antiretroviral prophylaxis or treatment, but not receiving these at presentation; or known HIV status but had never received treatment. Standard of care included health information, opt-out HIV testing, infant feeding counselling, referral for CD4 cell counts and treatment, home-based services, antiretroviral prophylaxis, and early infant diagnosis. The intervention package added task shifting, point-of-care CD4 testing, integrated mother and infant service provision, and male partner and community engagement. The primary outcomes were the proportion of eligible women who initiated ART and the proportion of women and their infants retained in care at 6 weeks and 12 weeks post partum (assessed by generalised linear mixed effects model with random effects for matched clinic pairs). The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01805752. Between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014, we enrolled 369 eligible women (172 intervention, 197 control), similar across groups for marital status, duration of HIV diagnosis, and distance to facility. Median CD4 count was 424 cells per μL (IQR 268-606) in the intervention group and 314 cells per μL (245-406) in the control group (p<0·0001). Of the 369 women included in the study, 363 (98%) had WHO clinical stage 1 disease, 364 (99%) had high functional status, and 353 (96%) delivered vaginally. Mothers in the intervention group were more likely to initiate ART (166 [97%] vs 77 [39%]; adjusted relative risk 3·3, 95% CI 1·4-7·8). Mother and infant pairs in the intervention group were more likely to be retained in care at 6 weeks (125 [83%] of 150 vs 15 [9%] of 170; adjusted relative risk 9·1, 5·2-15·9) and 12 weeks (112 [75%] of 150 vs 11 [7%] of 168 pairs; 10·3, 5·4-19·7) post partum. This integrated, family-focused PMTCT service package improved maternal ART initiation and mother and infant retention in care. An effective approach to improve the quality of PMTCT service delivery will positively affect global goals for the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and US National Institutes of Health.

Enrolment trends in a comprehensive HIV programme in rural north-central Nigeria: improved care indices, but declining quality of clinical data over time

Background:Vanderbilt University affiliate Friends in Global Health was funded in 2008 to support comprehensive HIV/AIDS services in north-central Nigeria. We summarise programme characteristics and trends in enrolment and quality of data collection in this rural, resource-limited environment.Methods:We used routinely collected programme data in supported sites from June 1 2009 to September 30, 2013.Baseline characteristics were defined as those collected closest to a 90-day window period before and after enrolment. Summary characteristics were compared by site and enrolment year.Results:We enrolled 3,960 HIV-infected patients into care (68% women), median age of 32 years [interquartile range (IQR): 27–40]. Most clients were married (79%) and unemployed (60%). At enrolment, median CD4+ cell count was 230 cells/μL (IQR: 114–390) and haemoglobin was 10.7 g/dL (IQR: 9.3–11.9). Advanced clinical disease [World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage III/IV] at enrolment was documented in 29% of clients. Cumulative enrolment increased from 377 patients in 2009 to 3,960 patients by 2013.With each successive year, more clients were enrolled at earlier stages of disease; in 2009, 37% of patients were identified as WHO clinical stage I, while in 2013, 55% of patients were so classified. While documentation of clinical staging remained stable, the completeness of CD4+ cell count and haemoglobin data declined with time.Conclusion:Expanded testing in a comprehensive HIV programme in rural Nigeria brought persons to care at earlier stages of illness. Yet, as clinical services expanded, data collection quality declined. The paradox of successful scaling up HIV services but deteriorating quality of data underscores the importance of data management training and quality improvement efforts.

Engaging mentor mothers in a PMTCT intervention program in rural North-Central Nigeria

Engaging mentor mothers in a PMTCT intervention program in rural North-Central Nigeria

The impact of mentor mother programs on PMTCT service uptake and retention-in-care at primary health care facilities in Nigeria: a prospective cohort study (MoMent Nigeria).

Nigeria is a key target country in the global effort toward elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Low coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions, adherence, and retention-in-care rates in HIV-positive pregnant women are contributing factors to high mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) rates. In Nigeria, rural areas, served largely by primary health care facilities, have particularly poor indicators of PMTCT coverage. Mentor Mothers are HIV-positive women who serve as peer counselors for PMTCT clients, provide guidance, and support in keeping appointments and promoting antiretroviral adherence and retention-in-care. The Mother Mentor (MoMent) study aims to investigate the impact of structured Mentor Mother programs on PMTCT outcomes in rural Nigeria. A prospective cohort study will compare rates of retention-in-care among PMTCT clients who are supported by formally-trained supervised Mentor Mothers versus clients who receive standard-of-care, informal peer support. Study sites are 20 primary health care centers (10 intervention, 10 control) in rural North-Central Nigeria. The study population is HIV-positive mothers and exposed infant pairs (MIPs) (N = 480; 240 MIPs per study arm). Primary outcome measures are the proportion of exposed infants receiving early HIV testing by age 2 months, and the proportion of MIPs retained in care at 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcome measures examine antiretroviral adherence, 12-month postpartum MIP retention, and MTCT rates. This article presents details of the study design, the structured Mentor Mother programs, and how their impact on PMTCT outcomes will be assessed.

Correlates of Suboptimal Entry Into Early Infant Diagnosis in Rural North Central Nigeria

Despite an estimated 59,000 incident pediatric HIV infections in 2012 in Nigeria, rates of early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV service uptake remain low. We evaluated maternal factors independently associated with EID uptake in rural North Central Nigeria. We performed a cohort study using HIV/AIDS program data of HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled into HIV care/treatment on or before December 31, 2012 (n = 712). We modeled the probability of initiation of EID using multivariable logistic regression. Three hundred fifty-seven HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled their infants in EID across the 4 study sites. Women who enrolled their infants in EID vs. those who did not were similar across age, occupation, referral source, and select laboratory variables. Clinic of enrollment and date of enrollment were strong predictors for EID entry (P < 0.001). Women enrolled more recently were less likely to have their infants undergo EID than those enrolled at the beginning of the project (January 2011 vs. January 2010, adjusted odds ratio = 0.35, 95% confidence interval: 0.22 to 0.56; January 2012 vs. January 2010, adjusted odds ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval: 0.14 to 0.61). Women who received care in the more urban setting of Umaru Yar Adua Hospital were more likely to have their infants enrolled in EID than those who received care in the other 3 clinics. HIV-infected women in our prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission program were more likely to bring in their infants for EID if they were enrolled in a more urbanized clinic location, and if they presented during an earlier phase of the program. The need for more intensive family engagement and program quality improvement is apparent, especially in rural settings.