Factors impacting antiretroviral therapy adherence among human immunodeficiency virus-positive adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

© 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Objectives: Eighty-two percent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–positive adolescents live in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence levels are suboptimal, leading to poor outcomes. This systematic review investigated factors impacting ART adherence among adolescents in SSA, including religious beliefs and intimate relationships. Methods: A systematic review was conducted between June and August 2016 using eight electronic databases, including Cochrane and PubMed. Published, ongoing and unpublished research, conducted in SSA from 2004 to 2016, was identified and thematic analysis was used to summarise findings. Results: Eleven studies from eight SSA countries, published in English between 2011 and 2016, reported on factors impacting ART adherence among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). Forty-four barriers and 29 facilitators to adherence were identified, representing a complex web of factors. The main barriers were stigma, ART side-effects, lack of assistance and forgetfulness. Facilitators included caregiver support, peer support groups and knowledge of HIV status. Conclusions: Stigma reflects difficult relations between ALHIV and their HIV-negative peers and adults. Most interventions target only those with HIV, suggesting a policy shift towards the wider community could be beneficial. Recommendations include engaging religious leaders and schools to change negative societal attitudes. Limitations of the review include the urban settings and recruitment of predominantly vertically infected participants in most included studies. Therefore, the findings cannot be extrapolated to ALHIV residing in rural locations or horizontally infected ALHIV, highlighting the need for further research in those areas.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Scaling a waterfall: a meta-ethnography of adolescent progression through the stages of HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: Observational studies have shown considerable attrition among adolescents living with HIV across the "cascade" of HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to higher mortality rates compared to HIV-infected adults or children. We synthesized evidence from qualitative studies on factors that promote or undermine engagement with HIV services among adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We systematically searched five databases for studies published between 2005 and 2016 that met pre-defined inclusion criteria. We used a meta-ethnographic approach to identify first, second and third order constructs from eligible studies, and applied a socio-ecological framework to situate our results across different levels of influence, and in relation to each stage of the HIV cascade. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We identified 3089 citations, of which 24 articles were eligible for inclusion. Of these, 17 were from Southern Africa while 11 were from Eastern Africa. 6 explored issues related to HIV testing, 11 explored treatment adherence, and 7 covered multiple stages of the cascade. Twelve third-order constructs emerged to explain adolescents' engagement in HIV care. Stigma was the most salient factor impeding adolescents' interactions with HIV care over the past decade. Self-efficacy to adapt to life with HIV and support from family or social networks were critical enablers supporting uptake and retention in HIV care and treatment programmes. Provision of adolescent-friendly services and health systems issues, such as the availability of efficient, confidential and comfortable services, were also reported to drive sustained care engagement. Individual-level factors, including past illness experiences, identifying mechanisms to manage pill-taking in social situations, financial (in)stability and the presence/absence of future aspirations also shaped adolescents HIV care engagement. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents' initial and ongoing use of HIV care was frequently undermined by individual-level issues; although family, community and health systems factors played important roles. Interventions should prioritise addressing psychosocial issues among adolescents to promote individual-level engagement with HIV care, and ultimately reduce mortality. Further research should explore issues relating to care linkage and ART initiation in different settings, particularly as "test and treat" policies are scaled up

Access to art, adherence and drug resistance among HIV-Positive patients in rural Tanzania

HIV is one of the worst pandemics in recent times, having affected more than 70 million and with a mortality rate close to 50%. Antiretroviral drugs fight viral replication and has improved life of HIV infected patients since it was introduced. Although ART has the potential of transforming the fatal disease into a chronic condition, there are critical issues surrounding access, adherence and resistance to the dug. We have systematically studied these questions and proposed a way forward to make ART more effective. The first study explores the stock-out experience in two districts in rural Tanzania at the time when ART decentralization had just taken place. Out of stock was not a strange phenomenon with all sites have experienced stock-out of HIV test kits. The patients in the CTCs experienced HIV drugs and cotrimoxazole stock-out in the year preceding the study. Some of the strategies used appear to aggravate problems. The adherence studies were showed parental caretaking a strong predictor of adherence in children and poverty and proximity playing acted as barrier to optimal adherence. ART adherence reporting overtime shows, patients tend to have better adherence during agricultural season. De-stigmatization campaigns and Direct Observed Therapy (DOT) interventions to children at risk of non-adherence are may improve adherence. In our last study on predictors of ART resistance, children were more likely than adults to have resistances mutations. This might be linked with either the previous use of a single dose nevirapine and/or with non-adherence as observed in the adherence study. Improving adherence and low cost viral load monitoring may be appropriate solutions

Immunization status and under five survival in rural Ghana

MSc (Med), Population-Based Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 201

Determinants of antiretroviral adherence among HIV positive children and teenagers in rural Tanzania = a mixed methods study

BackgroundAround 3.3 million children worldwide are infected with HIV and 90% of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to estimate adherence levels and find the determinants, facilitators and barriers of ART adherence among children and teenagers in rural Tanzania.MethodsWe applied a sequential explanatory mixed method design targeting children and teenagers aged 2¿19 years residing in Ifakara. We conducted a quantitative cross sectional study followed by a qualitative study combining focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). We used pill count to measure adherence and defined optimal adherence as¿<¿=80% of pills being taken. We analysed determinants of poor adherence using logistic regression. We held eight FGDs with adolescent boys and girls on ART and with caretakers. We further explored issues emerging in the FGDs in four in-depth interviews with patients and health workers. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic content analysis.ResultsOut of 116 participants available for quantitative analysis, 70% had optimal adherence levels and the average adherence level was 84%. Living with a non-parent caretaker predicted poor adherence status. From the qualitative component, unfavorable school environment, timing of the morning ART dose, treatment longevity, being unaware of HIV status, non-parental (biological) care, preference for traditional medicine (herbs) and forgetfulness were seen to be barriers for optimal adherence.ConclusionThe study has highlighted specific challenges in ART adherence faced by children and teenagers. Having a biological parent as a caretaker remains a key determinant of adherence among children and teenagers. To achieve optimal adherence, strategies targeting the caretakers, the school environment, and the health system need to be designed

cART prescription trends in a prospective HIV cohort in rural Tanzania from 2007 to 2011

Since 2010, World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines discourage using stavudine in first-line regimens due to frequent and severe side effects. This study describes the implementation of this recommendation and trends in usage of antiretroviral therapy combinations in a cohort of HIV-positive patients in rural Tanzania.; We analyzed longitudinal, prospectively collected clinical data of HIV-1 infected adults initiating antiretroviral therapy within the Kilombero Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort (KIULARCO) in Ifakara, Tanzania from 2007-2011.; This analysis included data of 3008 patients. Median age was 38 (interquartile range [IQR] 31-45) years, 1962 (65.2%) of all subjects were female, and median CD4+ cell count at enrollment was 168 cells/mm3 (IQR 81-273). The percentage of prescriptions containing stavudine in initial regimens fell from a maximum of 75.3% in 2008 to 10.7% in 2011. TDF/FTC/EFV became available in 2009 and was used in 41.9% of patients initiating cART in 2011. An overall on-treatment analysis revealed that d4T/3TC/NVP and AZT/3TC/EFV were the most prescribed combinations in each year, including 2011 (674 [36.5%] and 641 [34.7%] patients, respectively). Of those receiving stavudine in 2011, 659 (89.1%) initiated it before 2011.; Initial cART with stavudine declined to low levels according to recommendations but the overall use of stavudine remained substantial, as individuals already on cART containing stavudine were not changed to alternative drugs. Our findings highlight the critical need to exchange stavudine in treatment regimens of patients who initiated therapy in earlier years

An assessment of the supply chain management for HIV/AIDS care and treatment in Kilombero and Ulanga districts in Tanzania

Background: The Chronic Diseases Clinic Ifakara (CDCI) has been providing HIV care and treatment in Kilombero and Ulanga districts in Tanzania since 2005. Over time, several drug-refilling stations were created through the Tanzanian National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART). Without any specific performance and outcome evaluation, these refilling stations were upgraded to comprehensive HIV care and treatment centres (CTCs). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the supply chain of the CTCs, key aspects of patient management and the coping strategies of theCTC staff andART patients during stock-outs of drugs and test kits. Methods: This explorative and cross-sectional study was undertaken in September 2011 and involved CDCI and all 11 peripheral CTCs in Kilombero and Ulanga districts in Tanzania. Data were collected through structured interviews with staff in charge of 12 sites and patients onART during un-announced visits. Results: All sites reported shortage of rapid tests to diagnose HIV. Seven (59%) CTCs experienced stock-outs of co-trimoxazole drugs. The CDCI and all but one peripheral CTC reported stock-outs of ARV medication. CD4 + T cell count service and second line drugs were available at the CDCI and in two CTCs only. To cope with the stock-out situation CTCs staff had to stop testing for HIV, substitute the treatment regimen depending on drug availability or close the CTC temporarily. Patients coped by skipping ARVs and co-trimoxazole medications. Conclusion: Access toART in Kilombero and Ulanga districts has some critical imbalances in the supply chain and management for HIV/AIDS care and treatment. Potential strategies to overcome the barriers are discussed in relation to routine health management information system, investments into mobile-health and human resource capacity strengthening

The Determination of Sampling Constants by Neutron Activation Analysis

Background. This study examines the predictive value of eosinophilia for Strongyloides stercoralis infection, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, in an endemic community. In remote communities, eosinophilia is frequently used as a proxy test for the presence of helminth infections. Past studies of eosinophilia and Strongyloides infection have been conducted in specific groups such as immigrants and refugees, or in subpopulations of nonendemic communities, rather than in endemic communities. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study of the relationship between eosinophilia and Strongyloides ELISA serology, as part of a study into the relationship between S stercoralis infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in an Indigenous community in northern Australia. Results. Two hundred thirty-nine adults had their eosinophil count and S stercoralis ELISA serology measured in 2012 and 2013, along with other biometric and metabolic data. Eosinophilia was found to have a relatively poor sensitivity (60.9%), specificity (71.1%), positive predictive value (54.6%), and negative predictive value (76.1%) for S stercoralis ELISA positivity in this group. However, there was a more constant relationship between eosinophilia and S Stercoralis ELISA positivity in patients with T2DM (negative predictive value 87.5%). Conclusions. This study suggests that the presence or absence of eosinophilia is not an adequate proxy test for S stercoralis infection in a community where the infection is prevalent, and that the association between eosinophilia and S stercoralis ELISA positivity is more constant in patients with T2DM