Intimate partner violence by men living with HIV in Cameroon: Prevalence, associated factors and implications for HIV transmission risk (ANRS-12288 EVOLCAM)

International audienceObjectives: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is frequent in Central Africa and may be a HIV infection risk factor. More data on HIV-positive men (MLHIV) committing IPV are needed to develop perpetrator-focused IPV and HIV prevention interventions. We investigated the relationship between IPV and HIV transmission risk and IPV-associated factors.Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional survey EVOLCam which was conducted in Cameroonian outpatient HIV structures in 2014. The study population comprised MLHIV declaring at least one sexual partner in the previous year. Using principal component analysis, we built three variables measuring, respectively, self-reported MLHIV-perpetrated psychological and physical IPV (PPV), severe physical IPV (SPV), and sexual IPV (SV). Ordinal logistic regressions helped investigate: i) the relationship between HIV transmission risk (defined as unstable aviremia and inconsistent condom use) and IPV variables, ii) factors associated with each IPV variable.Results: PPV, SPV and SV were self-reported by 28, 15 and 11% of the 406 study participants, respectively. IPV perpetrators had a significantly higher risk of transmitting HIV than non-IPV perpetrators. Factors independently associated with IPV variables were: i) socio-demographic, economic and dyadic factors, including younger age (PPV and SPV), lower income (PPV), not being the household head (SPV and SV), living with a main partner (SPV), and having a younger main partner (SPV); ii) sexual behaviors, including ≥2 partners in the previous year (PPV and SPV), lifetime sex with another man (SPV), inconsistent condom use (SV), and >20 partners during lifetime (SV); iii) HIV-related stigma (PPV and SV).Conclusion: IPV perpetrators had a higher risk of transmitting HIV and having lifetime and recent risky sexual behaviors. Perpetrating IPV was more frequent in those with socioeconomic vulnerability and self-perceived HIV-related stigma. These findings highlight the need for interventions to prevent IPV by MLHIV and related HIV transmission to their(s) partner(s)

Hepatitis B testing, treatment, and virologic suppression in HIV-infected patients in Cameroon (ANRS 12288 EVOLCAM)

International audienceBACKGROUND:Hepatitis B is a major concern in Africa, especially in HIV-infected patients. Unfortunately, access to hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing and adequate treatment remains a challenge in the continent. We investigated HBV testing, treatment, and virologic suppression in HIV-infected patients followed up as part of Cameroon's national antiretroviral programme.METHODS:A cross-sectional survey was performed in adult patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 19 hospitals in the Centre and Littoral regions in Cameroon. The proportions of patients tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prior to the study were compared among all study hospitals using the Chi-square test. The association of individual and hospital-related characteristics with HBV testing and virologic suppression was assessed using multilevel logistic regression models.RESULTS:Of 1706 patients (women 74%, median age 42 years, median time on ART 3.9 years), 302 (17.7%) had been tested for HBsAg prior to the study. The proportion of HBV-tested patients ranged from 0.8 to 72.5% according to the individual hospital (p < 0.001). HBV testing was lower in women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.89, p = 0.010) and higher in patients who initiated ART in 2010 or later (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.27, p < 0.001). Of 159 HBsAg-positive patients at the time of the study (9.3%), only 97 (61.0%) received Tenofovir + Lamivudine (or Emtricitabine). Of 157 coinfected patients, 114 (72.6%) had a HBV viral load < 10 IU/mL. HBV suppression was higher in patients with a HIV viral load < 300 copies/mL (aOR 3.46, 95% CI 1.48-8.09, p = 0.004) and lower in patients with increased ALT level (aOR 0.86 per 10 IU/mL increase, 95% CI 0.75-0.97, p = 0.019).CONCLUSIONS:A substantial proportion of HIV/HBV coinfected patients were at higher risk of liver disease progression. Improving the management of HBV infection in the routine healthcare setting in Africa is urgently required in order to achieve the 2030 elimination targets. Micro-elimination of HBV infection in people living with HIV could be an easier and cost-effective component than more widely scaling up HBV policies

Intimate partner violence against HIV-positive Cameroonian women : prevalence, associated factors and relationship with antiretroviral therapy discontinuity-results from the ANRS-12288 EVOLCam survey

Background: Intimate partner violence in its various forms increases HIV exposure in female victims and potentially jeopardizes the HIV treatment cascade, for instance, by impeding engagement in and adherence to care. Elevated rates of HIV and intimate partner violence are reported in Central Africa. Evidence on the effect of intimate partner violence on antiviral therapy interruption is lacking in Cameroon, where only 330,000 women live with HIV and only 19% of HIV-positive people are virally suppressed. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors of intimate partner violence against HIV-positive women and its relationship with antiretroviral therapy interruption > 1 month. Methods: The EVOLCam cross-sectional survey was conducted in 19 hospitals in the Center and Littoral regions. The study sample comprised antiviral therapy-treated women declaring at least one sexual partner in the previous year. Scores of recent emotional, physical, extreme physical and sexual intimate partner violence were built using principal component analysis and categorized under no, occasional or frequent intimate partner violence. Multivariate logistic analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between intimate partner violence and recent antiretroviral therapy interruption > 1 month, and associated factors. Results: Among the 894 analyzed women, the prevalence of intimate partner violence was 29% (emotional), 22% (physical), 13% (extreme physical) and 18% (sexual). Frequent physical intimate partner violence was a significant risk factor of antiretroviral therapy interruption > 1 month (adjusted odds ratio = 2.42 (95% confidence interval = 1.00; 5.87)). It was also associated with HIV-related stigma (2.53 (1.58; 4.02)), living with a main partner (2.03 (1.20; 3.44) and non-defensive violence against this partner (5.75 (3.53; 9.36)). Conclusion: Intimate partner violence is a potential barrier to antiviral therapy continuity and aggravates vulnerability of Cameroonian HIV-positive women. The prevention and detection of intimate partner violence by HIV services might help to reach the last "90" of the 90-90-90 targets