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Lejone TI, Mahomed O. Magnitude and Determinants of Virological Failure Among Patients >15 Years on Anti-Retroviral Therapy in Rural Lesotho Between 2015 and 2019 - A Retrospective Cohort Study. HIV AIDS (Auckl) 2023; 15:611-620. [PMID: 37849794 PMCID: PMC10577259 DOI: 10.2147/hiv.s424277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lesotho has the second-highest HIV prevalence globally at an estimated 23%, with approximately 87% of the population between 15 and 59 years of age reported to be receiving antiretroviral treatment. There is an urgent need to increase access to effective ART due to increasing rates of first- and second-line treatment failure. Sustaining successful treatment and limiting the development of virological failure is essential, hence the need for early detection of increased viral load indicating drug resistance or rapid progression of viral replication. Aim The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of patients with HIV with virological failure and to identify factors associated with virological failure in two districts of Lesotho. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in two districts (Butha-Buthe and Mokhotlong) in Lesotho. Data for all patients (age ≥15 years) in the viral load (VL) monitoring database with at least two consecutive viral load results between December 2015 and December 2019 from 22 health facilities were extracted. Descriptive data were presented using tables and figures. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered a statistically significant association. Results Only 4% (n = 913) of the study participants had virological failure. Longer time on treatment >65 months (AOR: 1.85 CI: 1.59-2.15) and being on second-line ART regimen (AOR: 75.23 95% CI: 75.00-99.15) were significantly (p < 0.001) associated with virological failure. Conclusion Virological failure among the study participants is lower compared to other settings. The study identified duration on treatment, treatment regimen as high risk for virological failure. Targeted interventions should be developed for these high-risk group individuals, with continuous monitoring of virological response and appropriate drug switching to clients to achieve improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thabo Ishmael Lejone
- SolidarMed, Lesotho, South Africa
- Discipline of Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Frederix K, Schwitters A, Chung G, McCracken S, Kupamundi T, Patel HK, Arpadi S, Domaoal RA, Ntene-Sealiete K, Thin K, Wiesner L, Low A. The state of the pediatric HIV epidemic in Lesotho. AIDS 2023; 37:1377-1386. [PMID: 37070538 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lesotho does not have reliable data on HIV prevalence in children, relying on estimates generated from program data. The 2016 Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA) aimed to determine HIV prevalence among children 0-14 years to assess the effectiveness of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program and guide future policy. METHODS A nationally representative sample of children under 15 years underwent household-based, two-stage HIV testing from November 2016-May 2017. Children <18 months with a reactive screening test were tested for HIV infection using total nucleic acid (TNA) PCR. Parents (61.1%) or legal guardians (38.9%) provided information on children's clinical history. Children aged 10-14 years also answered a questionnaire on knowledge and behaviors. RESULTS HIV prevalence was 2.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-2.6]. Prevalence in 10-14 year olds (3.2%; 95% CI: 2.1, 4.2) was significantly greater compared to 0-4 year olds (1.0%; 95% CI: 0.5, 1.6). HIV prevalence in girls and boys was 2.6% (95% CI: 1.8-3.3) and 1.5% (95% CI: 1.0-2.1), respectively. Based on reported status and/or the presence of detectable antiretrovirals, 81.1% (95% CI: 71.7-90.4) of HIV-positive children were aware of their status, 98.2% (95% CI: 90.7-100.0) of those aware were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 73.9% (95% CI: 62.1-85.8) of those on ART were virally suppressed. CONCLUSIONS Despite the roll-out of Option B+ in Lesotho in 2013, pediatric HIV prevalence remains high. Further research is required to understand the greater prevalence among girls, barriers to PMTCT, and how to better achieve viral suppression in children with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amee Schwitters
- US Centers for Disease Control, Division of Global HIV&TB, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Grace Chung
- ICAP at Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Stephen McCracken
- US Centers for Disease Control, Division of Global HIV&TB, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Hetal K Patel
- US Centers for Disease Control, Division of Global HIV&TB, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephen Arpadi
- ICAP at Columbia University, New York, New York
- Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robert A Domaoal
- US Centers for Disease Control, Division of Global HIV&TB, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Lubbe Wiesner
- University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrea Low
- ICAP at Columbia University, New York, New York
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Okano JT, Low A, Ndagije F, Dullie L, Blower S. How to reach the last milestone for HIV elimination in Africa: a data-based mapping approach. Lancet Glob Health 2023:S2214-109X(23)00243-7. [PMID: 37321242 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(23)00243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin T Okano
- Center for Biomedical Modeling, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Andrea Low
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Felix Ndagije
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sally Blower
- Center for Biomedical Modeling, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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4
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Schwitters A, McCracken S, Frederix K, Tierney R, Koto M, Ahmed N, Thin K, Dobbs T, Sithole S, Letsie M, Parekh B, Patel H, Birhanu S, Wiesner L, Low A. High HIV prevalence and associated factors in Lesotho: Results from a population-based survey. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271431. [PMID: 35901094 PMCID: PMC9333200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive global efforts, sub-Saharan Africa remains disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. This generalized epidemic can be seen in Lesotho which in 2014 the HIV prevalence rate of those aged 15–49 years was 24.6%, with and incidence of 1.9 new infections per 100-person-year exposures. To better understand the impact of Lesotho’s national HIV response and significant predictors associated with HIV infection, the Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment was conducted. This survey provided a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 15–59 years old in which participants were tested for HIV and given an individual questionnaire that included socio-demographic and behavioral risk questions. The association of factors between survey questions and HIV incident was assessed using logistic regression. Multivariate logistic regression models for men and women were constructed for each outcome using variables known to be or plausibly associated with recent or chronic infection. Overall annualized incidence among people aged 15–49 was 1.19% (95% CI 0.73–1.65) per year. The overall prevalence of HIV was 25.6% with women having significantly higher prevalence. Multiple variables, including decreased wealth status, lower education levels, marital status, condom use at first sex, and circumcision (men only) were identified as being significantly associated with HIV infection for both men and women. In combination with improving the awareness of HIV status, an increased focus is needed on AGYW and men 35–49 years old to prevent new infections. HIV education and prevention programs should focus heavily on younger age groups prior to and soon after sexual debut to prevent HIV transmission. The findings of the survey showed significant room for improvement in increasing awareness of HIV status and reinforcing the need for continued HIV prevention and treatment efforts in Lesotho to prevent new infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amee Schwitters
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maseru, Lesotho
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephen McCracken
- Division of Global HIV and TB, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Koen Frederix
- ICAP in Lesotho, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Reese Tierney
- School of Public Health at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | | | - Nahima Ahmed
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Kyaw Thin
- Lesotho Ministry of Health, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Trudy Dobbs
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Sakhile Sithole
- ICAP in Lesotho, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, Maseru, Lesotho
| | | | - Bharat Parekh
- Division of Global HIV and TB, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Hetal Patel
- Division of Global HIV and TB, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Sehin Birhanu
- Division of Global HIV and TB, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Lubbe Wiesner
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrea Low
- ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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5
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Kerzner M, De AK, Yee R, Keating R, Djomand G, Stash S, Rana S, Kimmel A, Eakle R, Klucking S, Patel P. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and service delivery adaptations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 21 PEPFAR-funded countries. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266280. [PMID: 35381024 PMCID: PMC8982838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mitigation measures for the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and burden on health systems created challenges for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) service delivery. We examined PrEP uptake in PEPFAR programs before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We studied two PEPFAR program monitoring indicators, using routine Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting (MER) indicators capturing uptake of PrEP (PrEP_NEW) and overall use of PrEP (PrEP_CURR). We also analyzed descriptive program narratives to understand successes and challenges field teams encountered after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess changes in coverage of PrEP across 21 countries, we calculated the “PrEP to need ratio” (PnR) using a published methodology. We defined the pre-COVID time period as April 1, 2019 –March 31, 2020 and the COVID time period as April 1, 2020 –March 31, 2021. Findings The total number of persons who initiated PrEP increased by 157% from 233,250 in the pre-COVID-19 period compared with 599,935 in the COVID-19 period. All countries, except five, noted significant increases in PrEP uptake. PrEP uptake among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) increased by 159% from 80,452 AGYW in the pre-COVID-19 period to 208,607 AGYW in the COVID-19 period. There were 77,430 key populations (KP) initiated on PrEP in the pre-COVID-19 period and 209,114 KP initiated in the COVID-19 period (a 170% increase). The PnR increased 214% in the COVID-19 period across all PEPFAR-supported countries. Adaptations, such as multi-month dispensing (MMD) of PrEP; virtual demand creation activities; decentralized, community-based and virtual service delivery, were implemented to maintain PrEP services. Conclusions PEPFAR programs continued to maintain and initiate new clients on PrEP despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adaptations such as MMD of PrEP and use of technology were vital in expanding service delivery and increasing PrEP coverage. Funding This project has been supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kerzner
- Science Unit, Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anindya K. De
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Randy Yee
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Ryan Keating
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Gaston Djomand
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Sharon Stash
- Department of International HIV Prevention and Testing, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Sangeeta Rana
- Bureau for Global Health, Office of HIV/AIDS, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Allison Kimmel
- Bureau for Global Health, Office of HIV/AIDS, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Robyn Eakle
- Bureau for Global Health, Office of HIV/AIDS, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Sara Klucking
- Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Pragna Patel
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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6
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Abstract
The study investigates the complex relationships between circumcision and HIV prevalence in Lesotho, using Demographic and Health surveys (DHS) conducted in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Before the HIV epidemic, about half of the male adult population was circumcised as part of a traditional custom, and this proportion increased markedly after 2008 with the campaigns of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC), while HIV prevalence stayed at the same level. In 2004, HIV prevalence was higher in circumcised groups than in intact groups (RR=1.49, 95% CI=1.20-1.86). This relationship changed over time, and was inversed in 2014 (RR=0.86; 95% CI=0.70-1.06). The changing relationship seems to be due to an interaction with education, with more educated men being more circumcised and having less HIV over time. A multivariate analysis showed no net effect of circumcision on HIV, after controlling for wealth, education, and indicators of marriage and sexual behaviour. A small net effect of VMMC was found, probably due to condom use. In couple studies, the effect of circumcision and VMMC on HIV was not significant, with similar transmission from female to male and male to female. The study questions the amount of effort and money spent on VMMC in Lesotho.
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7
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Nardell MF, Adeoti O, Peters C, Kakuhikire B, Govathson-Mandimika C, Long L, Pascoe S, Tsai AC, Katz IT. Men missing from the HIV care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis and meta-synthesis. J Int AIDS Soc 2022; 25:e25889. [PMID: 35324089 PMCID: PMC8944222 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Men are missing along the HIV care continuum. However, the estimated proportions of men in sub‐Saharan Africa meeting the UNAIDS 95‐95‐95 goals vary substantially between studies. We sought to estimate proportions of men meeting each of the 95‐95‐95 goals across studies in sub‐Saharan Africa, describe heterogeneity, and summarize qualitative evidence on factors influencing care engagement. Methods We systematically searched PubMed and Embase for peer‐reviewed articles published between 1 January 2014 and 16 October 2020. We included studies involving men ≥15 years old, with data from 2009 onward, reporting on at least one 95‐95‐95 goal in sub‐Saharan Africa. We estimated pooled proportions of men meeting these goals using DerSimonion‐Laird random effects models, stratifying by study population (e.g. studies focusing exclusively on men who have sex with men vs. studies that did not), facility setting (healthcare vs. community site), region (eastern/southern Africa vs. western/central Africa), outcome measurement (e.g. threshold for viral load suppression), median year of data collection (before vs. during or after 2017) and quality criteria. Data from qualitative studies exploring barriers to men's HIV care engagement were summarized using meta‐synthesis. Results and discussion We screened 14,896 studies and included 129 studies in the meta‐analysis, compiling data over the data collection period. Forty‐seven studies reported data on knowledge of serostatus, 43 studies reported on antiretroviral therapy use and 74 studies reported on viral suppression. Approximately half of men with HIV reported not knowing their status (0.49 [95% CI, 0.41–0.58; range, 0.09–0.97]) or not being on treatment (0.58 [95% CI, 0.51–0.65; range, 0.07–0.97]), while over three‐quarters of men achieved viral suppression on treatment (0.79 [95% CI, 0.77–0.81; range, 0.39–0.97]. Heterogeneity was high, with variation in estimates across study populations, settings and outcomes. The meta‐synthesis of 40 studies identified three primary domains in which men described risks associated with engagement in HIV care: perceived social norms, health system challenges and poverty. Conclusions Psychosocial and systems‐level interventions that change men's perceptions of social norms, improve trust in and accessibility of the health system, and address costs of accessing care are needed to better engage men, especially in HIV testing and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Nardell
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Oluwatomi Adeoti
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carson Peters
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Bernard Kakuhikire
- Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Caroline Govathson-Mandimika
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lawrence Long
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sophie Pascoe
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ingrid T Katz
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Global Health Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Patel HK, Duong YT, Birhanu S, Dobbs T, Lupoli K, Moore C, Detorio M, Sleeman K, Manjengwa J, Wray-Gordon F, Yavo D, Jackson K, Domaoal RA, Yufenyuy EL, Vedapuri S, Ndongmo CB, Ogollah FM, Dzinamarira T, Rubinstein P, Sachathep KK, Metz M, Longwe H, Saito S, Brown K, Voetsch AC, Parekh BS. A Comprehensive Approach to Assuring Quality of Laboratory Testing in HIV Surveys: Lessons Learned From the Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment Project. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2021; 87:S17-S27. [PMID: 34166309 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conducting HIV surveys in resource-limited settings is challenging because of logistics, limited availability of trained personnel, and complexity of testing. We described the procedures and systems deemed critical to ensure high-quality laboratory data in the population-based HIV impact assessments and large-scale household surveys. METHODS Laboratory professionals were engaged in every stage of the surveys, including protocol development, site assessments, procurement, training, quality assurance, monitoring, analysis, and reporting writing. A tiered network of household, satellite laboratories, and central laboratories, accompanied with trainings, optimized process for blood specimen collection, storage, transport, and real-time monitoring of specimen quality, and test results at each level proved critical in maintaining specimen integrity and high-quality testing. A plausibility review of aggregate merged data was conducted to confirm associations between key variables as a final quality check for quality of laboratory results. RESULTS Overall, we conducted a hands-on training for 3355 survey staff across 13 surveys, with 160-387 personnel trained per survey on biomarker processes. Extensive training and monitoring demonstrated that overall, 99% of specimens had adequate volume and 99.8% had no hemolysis, indicating high quality. We implemented quality control and proficiency testing for testing, resolved discrepancies, verified >300 Pima CD4 instruments, and monitored user errors. Aggregate data review for plausibility further confirmed the high quality of testing. CONCLUSIONS Ongoing engagement of laboratory personnel to oversee processes at all levels of the surveys is critical for successful national surveys. High-quality population-based HIV impact assessments laboratory data ensured reliable results and demonstrated the impact of HIV programs in 13 countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hetal K Patel
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | | | - Sehin Birhanu
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Trudy Dobbs
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Kathryn Lupoli
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Carole Moore
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Mervi Detorio
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Katrina Sleeman
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | | | - Floris Wray-Gordon
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Daniel Yavo
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Keisha Jackson
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Robert A Domaoal
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Ernest L Yufenyuy
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Shanmugam Vedapuri
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Clement B Ndongmo
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kristin Brown
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Andrew C Voetsch
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
| | - Bharat S Parekh
- Division of Global HIV/TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and
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9
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Amstutz A, Matsela L, Lejone TI, Kopo M, Glass TR, Labhardt ND. Reaching Absent and Refusing Individuals During Home-Based HIV Testing Through Self-Testing-at What Cost? Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:653677. [PMID: 34268321 PMCID: PMC8276095 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.653677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In the HOSENG trial (NCT03598686), the secondary distribution of oral self-tests for persons absent or refusing to test during a home-based HIV testing campaign in rural Lesotho resulted in an increase in testing coverage of 21% compared to a testing campaign without secondary distribution. This study aims to determine the per patient costs of both HOSENG trial arms. Method: We conducted a micro-costing study to estimate the cost of home-based HIV testing with (HOSENG intervention arm) and without (HOSENG control arm) secondary self-test distribution from a provider's perspective. A mixture of top-down and bottom-up costing was used. We estimated both the financial and economic per patient costs of each possible testing cascade scenario. The costs were adjusted to 2018 US$. Results: The overall provider cost for delivering the home-based HIV testing with secondary distribution was US$36,481 among the 4,174 persons enumerated and 3,094 eligible for testing in the intervention villages compared to US$28,620 for 3,642 persons enumerated and 2,727 eligible for testing in the control. The cost per person eligible for testing was US$11.79 in the intervention vs. US$10.50 in the control. This difference was mainly driven by the cost of distributed oral self-tests. The cost per person tested was, however, lower in intervention villages (US$15.70 vs. US$22.15) due to the higher testing coverage achieved through self-test distribution. The cost per person confirmed new HIV+ was US$889.79 in the intervention and US$753.17 in the control. Conclusion: During home-based HIV testing in Lesotho, the secondary distribution of self-tests for persons absent or refusing to test during the visit reduced the costs per person tested and thus presents a promising add-on for such campaigns. Trial Registration:https://ClinicalTrials.gov/, identifier: NCT03598686
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Amstutz
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lineo Matsela
- Health Economics Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Mathebe Kopo
- SolidarMed, Partnerships for Health, Butha-Buthe, Lesotho
| | - Tracy Renée Glass
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus Daniel Labhardt
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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10
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Twelve-Month Outcomes of Community-Based Differentiated Models of Multimonth Dispensing of ART Among Stable HIV-Infected Adults in Lesotho: A Cluster-Randomized Noninferiority Trial. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2021; 85:280-291. [PMID: 32665460 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lesotho adopted the test-and-treat approach for HIV treatment in June 2016, which increased antiretroviral treatment (ART) clinic volume. We evaluated community-based vs. facility-based differentiated models of multimonth dispensing of ART among stable HIV-infected adults in Lesotho. METHODS Thirty facilities were randomized to 3 arms, facility 3-monthly ART (3MF) (control), community ART groups (3MC), and 6-monthly community distribution points (6MCD). We estimated risk differences (RDs) between arms using population-averaged generalized estimating equations, controlling for baseline imbalances and specifying for clustering. The primary outcome was retention in ART care by intention-to-treat and virologic suppression as a secondary outcome (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03438370). RESULTS A total of 5,336 participants were enrolled, with 1898, 1558, and 1880 in 3MF, 3MC, and 6MCD, respectively. Retention in ART care was not different across arms and achieved the prespecified noninferiority limit (-3.25%) between 3MC vs. 3MF (control); 6MCD vs. 3MF; and 6MCD vs. 3MC, adjusted RD = -0.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): -1.6% to 1.5%], adjusted RD = -1.3% (95% CI: -3.0% to 0.5%), and adjusted RD = -1.2% (95% CI: -2.9% to 0.5%), respectively. After 12 months, 98.6% (n = 1503), 98.1% (n = 1126), and 98.3% (n = 1285) were virally load (VL) suppressed in 3MF, 3MC, and 6MCD, respectively. There were no differences in VL between 3MC vs. control and 6MCD vs. control, risk ratio (RR) = 1.00 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.01) and RR = 1.00 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS There were no differences in retention and VL suppression for stable HIV-infected participants receiving multimonth dispensing of ART within community-based differentiated models when compared with the facility-based standard-of-care model.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study estimates the costs of community-based HIV testing services (HTS) in Lesotho and assesses the potential efficiency gains achieved by adding HIV self-testing (HIVST) and then self-testing booths. DESIGN Micro-costing analysis using longitudinal data from a real-world intervention. METHODS We collected data prospectively on provider's costs and programmatic outcomes over three time periods of approximately 8 months each, between May 2017 and April 2019. The scope of services was extended during each period as follows: HTS only, HTS and HIVST, HTS and HIVST with individual HIVST booths wherein clients were encouraged to self-test on-site followed by on-site confirmative testing for those with reactive self-test. For each implementation period, we estimated the full financial and economic implementation costs, the incremental costs of adding HIVST onto conventional HTS and the cost per HIV positive case identified. RESULTS Costs per HIV-positive case identified increased between period 1 (US$956) and period 2 (US$1249) then dropped in period 3 (US$813). Full versus incremental cost analyses resulted in large differences in the magnitude of costs, attributable to methods rather than resource use: for example, in period 3, the average full and incremental cost estimates for HTS were US$34.3 and US$23.5 per person tested, and for HIVST were US$37.7 and US$14.0 per kit provided, respectively. CONCLUSION In Lesotho, adding HIVST to community-based HTS improves its overall affordability for HIV-positive case finding. The reporting of both full and incremental cost estimates increase transparency for use in priority setting, budgeting and financial planning for scale-up.
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Amstutz A, Lejone TI, Khesa L, Muhairwe J, Bresser M, Vanobberghen F, Kopo M, Kao M, Nsakala BL, Tlali K, Klimkait T, Battegay M, Labhardt ND, Glass TR. Home-based oral self-testing for absent and declining individuals during a door-to-door HIV testing campaign in rural Lesotho (HOSENG): a cluster-randomised trial. Lancet HIV 2020; 7:e752-e761. [PMID: 33045193 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3018(20)30233-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa, home-based HIV testing is validated and accepted, but coverage is low because household members are often absent during home-based testing campaigns. We aimed to measure the effect of a secondary distribution of oral-fluid HIV self-tests on coverage during home-based testing in rural Lesotho. METHODS The Home-Based Self-Testing (HOSENG) trial was a cluster-randomised, non-blinded superiority trial in rural villages in the catchment area of 20 health facilities of two districts in Lesotho (Butha-Buthe and Mokhotlong). Eligible villages had a consenting village chief and at least one registered village health worker; eligible households had a consenting representative aged 18 years or older. The HOSENG trial provided a recruitment platform for the interlinked Village-Based Refill of Antiretroviral Therapy (VIBRA) trial. Villages were randomly assigned 1:1:1:1 with block sizes of four to one of four groups: VIBRA control and HOSENG control; VIBRA control and HOSENG intervention; VIBRA intervention and HOSENG control; and VIBRA intervention and HOSENG intervention. Randomisation was stratified by district, village size, and access to the nearest health facility. An independent statistician was responsible for the computer-generated randomisation list. In the intervention group, oral-fluid HIV self-tests were left for absent or declining household members (aged ≥12 years) during a home visit from the HIV testing campaign team. One present household member was trained on self-test use. Distributed self-tests were followed up by village health workers. In control village clusters, absent or declining household members were referred to the clinic for HIV testing. The primary outcome was HIV testing coverage among all household members aged 12 years or older within 120 days, defined as a confirmed HIV test result or known status, reported in testing registers at the health facilities or on the follow-up forms of the village health worker. Adjusted random-effects logistic regression with individuals as the unit of analysis was used. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03598686. FINDINGS Between July 26, 2018, and Dec 12, 2018, 3091 consenting households with 7816 household members aged 12 years or older were enrolled and randomly assigned (intervention: 57 village clusters, 1620 households, 4174 household members; control: 49 village clusters, 1471 households, 3642 household members). In the control group, 38 (3%) of 1455 initially absent or declining household members tested at a clinic within 120 days. In the intervention group, 841 (53%) of 1601 initially absent or declining household members had a confirmed status within 120 days; 12 (1%) of 841 tested at the clinic and 829 (99%) used their self-test kit. This resulted in a testing coverage of 2201 (60%) of 3642 in the control group versus 3386 (81%) of 4174 in the intervention group (odds ratio 3·00 [95% CI 2·52-3·59]; p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION Secondary distribution of oral-fluid HIV self-tests during home-based testing increases testing coverage substantially and thus presents a promising add-on during testing campaigns. FUNDING Swiss National Science Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Amstutz
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Lefu Khesa
- SolidarMed, Partnerships for Health, Maseru, Lesotho
| | | | - Moniek Bresser
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Vanobberghen
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mathebe Kopo
- SolidarMed, Partnerships for Health, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Mpho Kao
- SolidarMed, Partnerships for Health, Maseru, Lesotho
| | | | - Katleho Tlali
- SolidarMed, Partnerships for Health, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Thomas Klimkait
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Molecular Virology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Battegay
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus Daniel Labhardt
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Tracy Renée Glass
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Teasdale CA, Abrams EJ, Yuengling KA, Lamb MR, Wang C, Vitale M, Hawken M, Melaku Z, Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H, El-Sadr WM. Expansion and scale-up of HIV care and treatment services in four countries over ten years. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231667. [PMID: 32298331 PMCID: PMC7162457 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scale-up and expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV (PLHIV) have been a global priority for more than 15 years. METHODS We describe PLHIV at enrollment in care and ART initiation in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania from 2005-2014 and report on enrollment location, CD4 count and loss to follow-up (LTF), death, and combined attrition (LTF and death) pre- and post-ART initiation over time. Pre-ART outcomes were estimated using competing risk and post-ART using Kaplan-Meier estimators; LTF defined as no visit within six months pre-ART and 12 months after ART start. RESULTS From 2005-2014, 884,328 PLHIV enrolled in care at 350 health facilities, median age was 32.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 26.0-42.0), and majority were female (66.5%). The proportion of PLHIV enrolled at primary and rural facilities increased from 12.9% and 15.3% in 2005-2006 to 43.5% and 41.7% in 2013-2014 (p<0.0001). Median CD4+ cell count at enrollment increased from 171 cell/mm3 in 2005-2006 (IQR 71-339) to 289 cell/mm3 in 2013-2014 (IQR 133-485) (p<0.0001). A total of 460,758 (57.4%) PLHIV initiated treatment. Cumulative risk of LTF for PLHIV prior to ART initiation 12 months after enrollment was 33.5% (95%CI 33.36-33.58) and 21.98% (95%CI 21.9-22.1) after ART initiation. Pregnant women and the youngest PLHIV group had the highest attrition after ART initiation, at 24 months 40.8% (95%CI 40.1-41.6) of pregnant women and 47.4% (95%CI 46.4-48.4) of PLHIV 15-19 years were not retained. Attrition at 12 months after enrollment among PLHIV regardless of ART status was 38.5% (95%CI 38.4-38.6). CONCLUSION Over 10 years of HIV scale-up in four sub-Saharan African countries, close to a million PLHIV were enrolled in care increasingly at rural and primary facilities with increasing CD4 count. Loss to follow-up from HIV care remains alarmingly high, particularly among pregnant women and younger PLHIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe A Teasdale
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY, United States of America
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Elaine J Abrams
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Katharine A Yuengling
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Matthew R Lamb
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Chunhui Wang
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mbabane, Eswatini
| | - Wafaa M El-Sadr
- ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
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