Experiences and effects of HIV-related stigma among youth living with HIV/AIDS in Western Uganda : a photovoice study

HIV-related stigma has been identified as a significant stressor affecting Quality of Life of Youth Living With HIV/AIDS (YLWHA). Gaining a contextualized understanding of how this stigma is experienced by YLWHA in Western Uganda is crucial in addressing it in this group and setting. In this study, we explored the lived experiences of YLWHA with HIV-related stigma. Photovoice was used to gain insight into the lived experiences of HIV-related stigma in 11 YLWHA (15-19 years), purposively selected from a hospital-based peer support group. Group interview transcripts, notes and photographs were subjected to phenomenological hermeneutic analysis. Encounters with enacted, anticipated and internalized stigmas and their myriad sequels were prevalent in the photos and narratives of participants. Our findings were categorized and presented in 5 main themes that were identified through the analysis: being devalued, experiencing fear, experiencing injustices, feeling lonely, and lacking future perspectives. HIV-related stigmas were experienced in various socio-ecological domains but predominantly in homes and schools that ought to be supportive surroundings for youths. A multilevel approach, targeting the entire society where the root causes of stigma can be found and specific contexts like schools and homes where youth are confronted with stigma on a daily basis is proposed for a wholistic intervention

Effectiveness of a mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention for improving the mental health of adolescents with HIV in Uganda: An open-label trial

Adolescents with HIV (AWH) face the double burden of dealing with challenges presented by their developmental phase while coping with stigma related to HIV, affecting their mental health. Poor mental health complicates adherence to daily treatment regimens, requiring innovative psychosocial support strategies for use with adolescents. We assessed the effectiveness of a mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention on the mental health of AWH in Uganda. One hundred and twenty-two AWH, mean age 17 ±1.59 (range 15 to 19 years), 57% female, receiving care at a public health facility in Kampala were enrolled in an open-label randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05010317) with assessments at pre-and post-intervention. The mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention involved weekly 90-minute group sessions for four consecutive weeks facilitated by two experienced trainers. Sessions involved clarifying values, skillfully relating to thoughts, allowing and becoming aware of experiences non-judgmentally, and exploring life through trial and error. The control group received the current standard of care. Three mental health domains (depression, anxiety, and internalized stigma) were compared between the intervention and control groups. A linear mixed effects regression was used to analyze the effect of the intervention across the two time points. Results showed that the intervention was associated with a statistically significant reduction in symptoms of depression (β = -10.72, 95%CI: 6.25, -15.20; p < .0001), anxiety (β = -7.55, 95%CI: 2.66, -12.43; p = .0003) and stigma (β = -1.40, 95%CI: 0.66 to -2.15; p = .0004) over time. Results suggest that mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions have the potential to improve the mental health of AWH

Acceptability of an adapted mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention to support adolescents with HIV: A qualitative study with Ugandan health care providers

While the adaptation of evidence-based psychosocial support tailors the intervention components to the targeted context, minimizing the associated costs of developing new interventions for low-income contexts, the acceptability of such adapted interventions is important for augmenting successful implementation and sustainability. Given that psychosocial support to persons living with HIV is mostly rendered by healthcare providers, their acceptance of adapted interventions before implementation is crucial. This study explored healthcare providers' acceptance of an adapted mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention supporting adolescents with HIV. Ten healthcare providers at two urban clinics in Kampala, Uganda attended a three-day training on using the adapted intervention and gave feedback on its appropriateness during in-depth interviews conducted thereafter. Semi-structured interviews were based on the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability and findings were analyzed abductively within the seven components of the framework. Overall, the adapted intervention was perceived to be acceptable and appropriate for use with adolescents. Benefits included the intervention offering support beyond a focus on adherence to drugs, refocusing adolescents on aspects in their lives that matter most, and being easy to integrate into providers’ work processes. Providers however expressed concern about the time the intervention requires and the possibility of increasing their workload. These findings will support further adaptation and implementation

Culturally adapting a mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention to support the mental health of adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.

The dual burden of living with HIV and negotiating life stage changes has been identified as a contributing factor to lapsed adherence among adolescents with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. While psychosocial support can promote medication adherence, most interventions in use with adolescents were originally developed for the general population creating a gap in appropriate support. Life-stage-appropriate, evidence-based psychosocial support interventions have been used with young people in high-income contexts, prompting interest in their use in low-income contexts. However, many interventions are less effective when implemented outside of their original settings, hence the need for modifications before implementation. We aimed to culturally adapt an evidence-based psychosocial support intervention designed to improve the mental health of young people for use among adolescents with HIV in a sub-Saharan African context and to explore the acceptability of the adapted intervention among adolescents. We engaged thirty stakeholders (n = 30) in Kampala, Uganda including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, HIV counselors, religious leaders and adolescent peers from December 2021 to April 2022 to modify an evidence-based intervention for adolescents. Key adaptations included simplifying the language, adding local practices, integrating locally relevant slang and stories into therapy, introducing racially-congruent visuals and cards representing emotions, and adjusting therapy materials for use in resource-constrained settings. We then tested the acceptability of the intervention in a small sample of service users using a qualitative approach. We recruited nine adolescents with HIV from a participating clinic in Kampala, delivered six 90-minute sessions of the adapted intervention across three weeks and conducted in-depth interviews to assess the acceptability of the intervention. We used thematic analysis to analyze the qualitative data. The adapted intervention was perceived as acceptable among adolescents with HIV, with many stating that it helped them overcome fears, increased their self-acceptance, and gave them the confidence to make careful health-enhancing decisions

The effect of a group-based mindfulness and acceptance training on psychological flexibility and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among adolescents in Uganda: an open-label randomized trial

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is lower in adolescents with HIV (AWH) than in any other age group, partly due to self-regulatory challenges during development. Mindfulness and acceptance training have been shown to support psychological flexibility, a self-regulatory skill that potentially improves adolescent adherence to medication. We assessed the effect of weekly group-based mindfulness and acceptance training sessions on ART adherence among older adolescents (15-19 years) in Kampala, Uganda. One hundred and twenty-two AWH (median age 17, range 15-19 years, 57% female) receiving care at a public health facility in Kampala were randomized 1:1 to receive 4 weekly 90-min group sessions facilitated by experienced trainers or standard-of-care ART services. The training involved (Session 1) clarifying values, (Session 2) skillfully relating to thoughts, (Session 3) allowing and becoming aware of experiences non-judgmentally, and (Session 4) exploring life through trial and error. At baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up, psychological flexibility was measured using the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8), and self-reported ART adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). At baseline, the intervention and standard-of-care arms had similar psychological flexibility (AFQ-Y8 score:15.45 ± 0.82; 15.74 ± 0.84) and ART adherence (MMAS-8 score: 5.32 ± 0.24; 5.13 ± 0.23). Retention through the study was moderate (71%). Completion of mindfulness and acceptance training was associated with a significant reduction in psychological inflexibility at the 3-month follow-up (AFQ-Y8 score: 12.63 ± 1.06; 14.05 ± 1.07, P = .006). However, no significant differences were observed in self-reported adherence to ART at the 3-month follow-up (MMAS-8 score: 5.43 ± 0.23; 4.90 ± 0.33, P = .522). Group-based mindfulness and acceptance training improved psychological flexibility in this population of adolescents on ART in Uganda but did not significantly improve ART adherence. Future research should explore integrated approaches that combine behavioral management training with other empowerment aspects to improve ART adherence among AWH.</p

The Effect of a Group-Based Mindfulness and Acceptance Training on Psychological Flexibility and Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among Adolescents in Uganda: An Open-Label Randomized Trial

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is lower in adolescents with HIV (AWH) than in any other age group, partly due to self-regulatory challenges during development. Mindfulness and acceptance training have been shown to support psychological flexibility, a self-regulatory skill that potentially improves adolescent adherence to medication. We assessed the effect of weekly group-based mindfulness and acceptance training sessions on ART adherence among older adolescents (15–19 years) in Kampala, Uganda. One hundred and twenty-two AWH (median age 17, range 15–19 years, 57% female) receiving care at a public health facility in Kampala were randomized 1:1 to receive 4 weekly 90-min group sessions facilitated by experienced trainers or standard-of-care ART services. The training involved (Session 1) clarifying values, (Session 2) skillfully relating to thoughts, (Session 3) allowing and becoming aware of experiences non-judgmentally, and (Session 4) exploring life through trial and error. At baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up, psychological flexibility was measured using the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8), and self-reported ART adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). At baseline, the intervention and standard-of-care arms had similar psychological flexibility (AFQ-Y8 score:15.45 ± 0.82; 15.74 ± 0.84) and ART adherence (MMAS-8 score: 5.32 ± 0.24; 5.13 ± 0.23). Retention through the study was moderate (71%). Completion of mindfulness and acceptance training was associated with a significant reduction in psychological inflexibility at the 3-month follow-up (AFQ-Y8 score: 12.63 ± 1.06; 14.05 ± 1.07, P  = .006). However, no significant differences were observed in self-reported adherence to ART at the 3-month follow-up (MMAS-8 score: 5.43 ± 0.23; 4.90 ± 0.33, P  = .522). Group-based mindfulness and acceptance training improved psychological flexibility in this population of adolescents on ART in Uganda but did not significantly improve ART adherence. Future research should explore integrated approaches that combine behavioral management training with other empowerment aspects to improve ART adherence among AWH