Regimen durability in HIV-positive children andd adolescents initiating first-line art in a large public sector HIV cohort in South Africa

INTRODUCTION: In April 2010 tenofovir and abacavir replaced stavudine in public-sector first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) for children under 20 years old in South Africa. The association of both abacavir and tenofovir with fewer side-effects and toxicities compared to stavudine could translate to increased durability of tenofovir or abacavir-based regimens. We evaluated changes over time in regimen durability for pediatric patients 3 to 19 years of age at 8 public sector clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa. METHODS: Cohort analysis of treatment naïve, non-pregnant pediatric patients from 3 to 19 years old initiated on ART between April 2004-December 2013. First-line ART regimens before April 2010 consisted of stavudine or zidovudine with lamivudine and either efavirenz or nevirapine. Tenofovir and/or abacavir was substituted for stavudine after April 2010 in first-line ART. We evaluated the frequency and type of single-drug substitutions, treatment interruptions, and switches to second-line therapy. Fine and Gray competing risk regression models were used to evaluate the association of antiretroviral drug type with single-drug substitutions, treatment interruptions, and second-line switches in the first 24-months on treatment. RESULTS: 398 (15.3%) single-drug substitutions, 187 (7.2%) treatment interruptions and 86 (3.3%) switches to second-line therapy occurred among 2602 pediatric patients over 24-months on ART. Overall, the rate of single-drug substitutions started to increase in 2009, peaked in 2011 at 25%, then declined to 10% in 2013, well after the integration of tenofovir into pediatric regimens; no patients over the age of 3 were initiated on abacavir for first-line therapy. Competing risk regression models showed patients on zidovudine or stavudine had upwards of a 5-fold increase in single-drug substitution vs. patients initiated on tenofovir in the first 24-months on ART. Older adolescents also had a 2-3-fold increase in treatment interruptions and switches to second-line therapy compared to younger patients in the first 24-months on ART. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in single-drug substitutions is associated with introduction of tenofovir. Tenofovir use could improve regimen durability and treatment outcomes in resource-limited settings

Maternity waiting homes as part of a comprehensive approach to maternal and newborn care: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Increased encounters with the healthcare system at multiple levels have the potential to improve maternal and newborn outcomes. The literature is replete with evidence on the impact of antenatal care and postnatal care to improve outcomes. Additionally, maternity waiting homes (MWHs) have been identified as a critical link in the continuum of care for maternal and newborn health yet there is scant data on the associations among MWH use and antenatal/postnatal attendance, family planning and immunization rates of newborns. Methods A cross-sectional household survey was conducted to collect data from women who delivered a child in the past 13 months from catchment areas associated with 40 healthcare facilities in seven rural Saving Mothers Giving Life districts in Zambia. Multi-stage random sampling procedures were employed with a final sample of n = 2381. Logistic regression models with adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to analyze the data. Results The use of a MWH was associated with increased odds of attending four or more antenatal care visits (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.26, 1.68), attending all postnatal care check-ups (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.29, 3.12) and taking measures to avoid pregnancy (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.10, 1.55) when compared to participants who did not use a MWH. Conclusions This is the first study to quantitatively examine the relationship between the use of MWHs and antenatal and postnatal uptake. Developing a comprehensive package of services for maternal and newborn care has the potential to improve acceptability, accessibility, and availability of healthcare services for maternal and newborn health. Maternity waiting homes have the potential to be used as part of a multi-pronged approach to improve maternal and newborn outcomes. Trial registration National Institutes of Health Trial Registration NCT02620436, Impact Evaluation of Maternity Homes Access in Zambia, Date of Registration - December 3, 2015.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152216/1/12884_2019_Article_2384.pd

Early infant diagnosis of HIV infection in Zambia through mobile phone texting of blood test results

OBJECTIVE: To see if, in the diagnosis of infant infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Zambia, turnaround times could be reduced by using an automated notification system based on mobile phone texting. METHODS: In Zambia's Southern province, dried samples of blood from infants are sent to regional laboratories to be tested for HIV with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Turnaround times for the postal notification of the results of such tests to 10 health facilities over 19 months were evaluated by retrospective data collection. These baseline data were used to determine how turnaround times were affected by customized software built to deliver the test results automatically and directly from the processing laboratory to the health facility of sample origin via short message service (SMS) texts. SMS system data were collected over a 7.5-month period for all infant dried blood samples used for HIV testing in the 10 study facilities. FINDINGS: Mean turnaround time for result notification to a health facility fell from 44.2 days pre-implementation to 26.7 days post-implementation. The reduction in turnaround time was statistically significant in nine (90%) facilities. The mean time to notification of a caregiver also fell significantly, from 66.8 days pre-implementation to 35.0 days post-implementation. Only 0.5% of the texted reports investigated differed from the corresponding paper reports. CONCLUSION: The texting of the results of infant HIV tests significantly shortened the times between sample collection and results notification to the relevant health facilities and caregivers

Finding a Needle in the Haystack: The Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment during Pregnancy to Prevent Congenital Syphilis in Kalomo District of Zambia

<div><p>Background</p><p>In March 2012, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation trained maternal and child health workers in Southern Province of Zambia to use a new rapid syphilis test (RST) during routine antenatal care. A recent study by Bonawitz et al. (2014) evaluated the impact of this roll out in Kalomo District. This paper estimates the costs and cost-effectiveness from the provider's perspective under the actual conditions observed during the first year of the RST roll out.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Information on materials used and costs were extracted from program records. A decision-analytic model was used to evaluate the costs (2012 USD) and cost-effectiveness. Basic parameters needed for the model were based on the results from the evaluation study.</p><p>Results</p><p>During the evaluation study, 62% of patients received a RST, and 2.8% of patients tested were positive (and 10.4% of these were treated). Even with very high RST sensitivity and specificity (98%), true prevalence of active syphilis would be substantially less (estimated at <0.7%). For 1,000 new ANC patients, costs of screening and treatment were estimated at $2,136, and the cost per avoided disability-adjusted-life year lost (DALY) was estimated at$628. Costs change little if all positives are treated (because prevalence is low and treatment costs are small), but the cost-per-DALY avoided falls to just $66. With full adherence to guidelines, costs increase to$3,174 per 1,000 patients and the cost-per-DALY avoided falls to $60.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Screening for syphilis is only useful for reducing adverse birth outcomes if patients testing positive are actually treated. Even with very low prevalence of syphilis (a needle in the haystack), cost effectiveness improves dramatically if those found positive are treated; additional treatment costs little but DALYs avoided are substantial. Without treatment, the needle is essentially found and thrown back into the haystack.</p></div

Quality and utilization patterns of maternity waiting homes at referral facilities in rural Zambia: A mixed-methods multiple case analysis of intervention and standard of care sites.

INTRODUCTION:Maternity waiting homes, defined as residential lodging near a health facility, are recommended by the WHO. An improved MWH model, responsive to community standards for functionality and comfort, was implemented at two purposively selected health facilities in rural Zambia providing comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care (CEmONC) services (intervention MWHs), and compared to three existing standard-of-care MWHs (comparison MWHs) at other CEmONC sites in the same districts. METHODS:We used a mixed-methods time-series design for this analysis. Quantitative data including MWH quality, MWH utilization, and demographics of women utilizing MWHs were collected from September 2016 through May 2018 to capture pre-post intervention trends. Qualitative data were obtained from two focus group discussions conducted with pregnant women at intervention MWHs in August 2017 and May 2018. The primary outcomes were quality scoring of the MWHs and maternal utilization of the MWHs. RESULTS:MWH quality was similar at all sites during the pre-intervention time period, with a significant change in overall quality scores between intervention (mean score 83.8, SD 12) and comparison (mean score 43.1, SD 10.2) sites after the intervention (p <0.0001). Women utilizing intervention and comparison MWHs at all time points had very similar demographics. After implementation of the intervention, there were marked increases in MWH utilization at both intervention and comparison sites, with a greater percentage increase at one of two intervention sites. CONCLUSIONS:An improved MWH model can result in measurably improved quality scores for MWHs, and can result in increased utilization of MWHs at rural CEmONC facilities. MWHs are part of the infrastructure that might be needed for health systems to provide high quality "right place" maternal care in rural settings

Costs per 1,000 patients presenting for antenatal care and patient management as observed during evaluation study (Scenario ES).

<p>Costs per 1,000 patients presenting for antenatal care and patient management as observed during evaluation study (Scenario ES).</p

Material costs per RST and per RPR test (ZMW and US$ 2012).

<p>Material costs per RST and per RPR test (ZMW and US$ 2012).</p

Detailed assumptions used for base case costing and cost-effectiveness analysis (scenario ES^*).

<p>*The base case scenario, called Scenario ES, is the full set of information that is used to estimate costs per 1,000 new ANC patients and cost effectiveness. Information in Scenario is based on prevalence and patient management as observed during the evaluation study (a 12 month period following RST training and the roll out in Kalomo District) and information on costs as presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113868#pone-0113868-t001" target="_blank">Tables 1</a>–<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113868#pone-0113868-t003" target="_blank">3</a> and additional information as needed. Sources for all information are provided in the table.</p><p>**Nurse level MS08 on government salary scale, ZMW 32,451 annual salary and all benefits, 220 working days per year, 8 hours per day.</p><p>***With 2.8% testing positive during the evaluation study, we identified the combination of true prevalence, sensitivity, and specificity that are consistent with the 2.8% testing positive.</p><p>Detailed assumptions used for base case costing and cost-effectiveness analysis (scenario ES^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113868#nt101" target="_blank">*</a>}).</p

Summary of results per 1,000 ANC patients for additional sensitivity analyses.

<p>*True prevalence  =  proportion with active or past treated syphilis; 80% true prevalence with active syphilis.</p><p>Summary of results per 1,000 ANC patients for additional sensitivity analyses.</p

Costs (USD 2012) and Cost Effectiveness (cost-per DALY avoided) per 1000 new ANC patients.

<p>Costs (USD 2012) and Cost Effectiveness (cost-per DALY avoided) per 1000 new ANC patients.</p