Socio-economic condition and lack of virological suppression among adults and adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia

Prevalence and predictors of virological failure among the people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment in East Africa: evidence from a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression of published studies from 2016 to 2023

BACKGROUND

Virological failure (VF) significantly threatens the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in East Africa. This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the prevalence and predictors of VF among individuals living with HIV.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, African Journals Online, and EMBASE for relevant studies. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic, and random-effects models addressed between-study variability. Publication bias was examined through funnel plots, Egger's regression, and Begg's tests. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression explored heterogeneity sources and potential VF predictors. Analyses were conducted using MedCalc version 20.010, adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

RESULTS

Twenty-five records were included, with a sample size of 29,829 people living with HIV on ART. The pooled prevalence of VF in East Africa was 19.4% (95% CI: 15.2%-24.0%), with substantial heterogeneity across studies. Sociodemographic predictors of VF included male sex (30.9%, p < .001), unmarried status (28.2%, p < .001), lower educational attainment (33.0%, p < .001), non-formal employment (47.2%, p < .001), and urban residence (51.2%, p < .001). Clinical factors associated with higher VF rates were ambulatory status (44.7%, p < .001), low CD4 count (35.1%, p < .001), low haemoglobin (52.2%, p < .001), advanced HIV stage III/IV (44.2%, p < .001), HIV/TB co-infection (24.3%, p < .001), and other opportunistic infections (20.5%, p = .008). Treatment-related factors associated with VF were first-line nevirapine-based regimen (27.7%, p = .009) and poor ART adherence (41.76%, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Sociodemographic factors, advanced HIV disease, co-morbidities, poor adherence, and specific first-line ART regimens are key predictors of virological failure. Targeted, multidisciplinary interventions focusing on routine viral load monitoring, adherence support, and addressing socioeconomic barriers are essential to improve ART outcomes in East Africa.

Biological and Social Predictors of HIV-1 RNA Viral Suppression in ART Treated PWLH in Sub-Saharan Africa

HIV remains a significant health issue, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. There are 39 million people living with HIV (PLWH) globally. Treatment with ART improves patient outcomes by suppressing the HIV RNA viral load. However, not all patients treated with ART suppress the HIV RNA viral load. This research paper explores the potential predictors of VL suppression in ART-treated PLWH. We used retrospective data from the 4820 ART-treated participants enrolled through population-based surveys conducted in Zambia and Malawi. We applied several machine learning (ML) classifiers and used the top classifiers to identify the predictors of VL suppression. The age of participants ranged from 15 to 64 years, with a majority being females. The predictive performance of the various ML classifiers ranged from 64% to 92%. In our data from both countries, the logistic classifier was among the top classifiers and was as follows: Malawi (AUC = 0.9255) and Zambia (AUC = 0.8095). Thus, logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of viral suppression. Our findings indicated that besides ART treatment status, older age, higher CD4 T-cell count, and longer duration of ART were identified as significant predictors of viral suppression. Though not statistically significant, ART initiation 12 months or more before the survey, urban residence, and wealth index were also associated with VL suppression. Our findings indicate that HIV prevention programs in the region should integrate education on early ART initiation and adherence in PLWH.

Virological failure and associated factors among patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to pool the prevalence of virological failure and associated factors.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE

Prevalence of virological failure.

SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURE

Factors affecting virological failure.

ANALYSIS

The extracted data were exported to STATA V.17 for statistical analysis. A random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model was used to compute the pooled prevalence of virological failure.

SETTING

Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy.

RESULTS

A total of 51 primary studies with a sample size of 38, 789 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of virological failure among patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in Ethiopia was 15.95% (95% CI: 12.63, 19.27; I2=97.99%; p<0.001). Substance use (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.37, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.39), non-disclosure of HIV status (AOR=4.63, 95% CI: 3.51, 6.11), interruption of ART (AOR=2.61, 95% CI: 1.55, 4.40), poor adherence to ART (AOR=4.31, 95% CI: 2.73, 6.79), baseline CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm3 (AOR=2.65, 95% CI: 1.62, 4.33), baseline advanced WHO clinical stage (WHO clinical stages III and IV) (AOR=3.02, 95% CI: 1.67, 5.45), baseline viral load >1000 copies/mL (AOR=4.63, 95% CI: 2.60, 8.26), opportunistic infections (AOR=3.58, 95% CI: 2.58, 4.96) and TB-HIV coinfection (AOR=3.97, 95% CI: 2.41, 6.54) were significantly associated with virological failure among patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy in Ethiopia.

CONCLUSIONS

The pooled prevalence of virological failure among patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy was high in Ethiopia. Therefore, due attention should be given to patients with these identified factors. Moreover, we recommend researchers to conduct a triangulated study that can address additional factors associated with virological failure.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

The protocol was registered with the Prospero database (PROSPERO, 2024: CRD42024512411).

Socio-Behavioural Barriers to Viral Suppression in the Older Adult Population in Rural South Africa

South Africa has the largest share of people living with HIV in the world and this population is ageing. The social context in which people seek HIV care is often ignored. Apart from clinical interventions, socio-behavioural factors impact successful HIV care outcomes for older adults living with HIV. We use cross-sectional data linked with demographic household surveillance data, consisting of HIV positive adults aged above 40, to identify socio-behavioural predictors of a detectable viral load. Older adults were more likely to have a detectable viral load if they did not disclose their HIV positive status to close family members (aOR 2.56, 95% CI 1.89-3.46), resided in the poorest households (aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.23-3.18), or were not taking medications other than ART (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.02-1.99) likely to have a detectable. Clinical interventions in HIV care must be supported by understanding the socio-behavioural barriers that occur outside the health facility. The importance of community health care workers in bridging this gap may offer more optimum outcomes for older adults ageing with HIV.

Forgetting to Take Medication, Treatment Adherence and Their Relationship with Viral Load Suppression Among People Living with HIV in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Background

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is crucial for virological suppression and positive treatment outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV), but remains a challenge in ensuring patients achieve and sustain viral load suppression. Despite the recommended use of digital tools medications uptake reminders, the contribution of forgetting to take medication is unknown. This study investigated the contribution of forgetting to take medication on the total missed medication and its effects on detectable viral load (VL).

Methods

This mixed-method research was conducted among children, adolescents, pregnant, and breastfeeding women living with HIV on ART in northern Tanzania. Forgetting to take medication constituted reporting to have missed medication due to forgetfulness. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to determine the contribution of forgetting medication intakes on total missed medication and other factors associated with having a detectable VL.

Results

Of 427 respondents, 33.3% were children, 33.4% adolescents, and 33.3% pregnant and breastfeeding women, whose median age (interquartile range) was 9 (7-12), 18 (16-18), and 31 (27-36) years, respectively. Ninety-two (22.3%) reported missing medication over the past month, of which 72 (17.9%) was due to forgetting. Forgetting to take medication (AOR: 1.75 95% CI: 1.01-3.06) and being on second-line regimen (AOR: 2.89 95% CI: 1.50-5.55) increased the chances of a detectable VL, while females had lower chances of detectable VL (AOR: 0.62 95% CI: 0.41-0.98). The themes on the reasons for forgetting to take medication from qualitative results included being busy with work and the importance of reminders.

Conclusion

Forgetting to take medication is common among PLHIV and an important predictor of a detectable VL. This calls for the use of automated short message services (SMS) reminders or Digital Adherence Tools with reminders to improve and promote good ART adherence among PLHIV.

Prevalence and factors associated with viral non-suppression in people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Despite advances in HIV treatment, the burden of viral non-suppression (VNS) remains a treatment success concern, particularly in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. We determined the prevalence and factors associated with VNS for people living with HIV (PLHIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). This review, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023470234), conducted an extensive search for evidence, focusing on PLHIV living in SSA on ART from the year 2000 to 19th October 2023, across databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 2357 articles were screened, from which 32 studies met the criteria for the final analysis, involving 756,620 PLHIV of all ages. The pooled prevalance for VNS was found to be 20.0% (95% CI: 15.43%-25.52%, I2 = 100%, p-value <0.01) Children and adolescents demonstrated the highest prevalence of VNS (viral load ≥1000 copies/mL) at 27.98% (95% CI: 21.91%-34.97%, I2 = 94%, p-value <0.01). The study revealed various factors associated with increased odds (risk) of VNS, p-value <0.05. These factors encompassed socio-demographics such as sex, age, education level, and marital status. Additionally, aspects related to HIV care, such as the facility attended, HIV status disclosure and adherence exhibited higher odds of VNS. Suboptimal ART adherence, longer duration on ART, socio-economic factors, lack of family and social support, presence of co-morbidities, advanced WHO HIV clinical stage, ART regimens, lower CD4+ count, abnormal body mass index, history of treatment interruptions, and progression of HIV illness were associated with VNS. Furthermore, behavioural/psychological factors including depression, substance use, negative perceptions towards ART, experiences of abuse, alcohol use, stigma, and certain patterns of sexual behaviour were also identified as factors for VNS. The occurrence of two VNS to every ten PLHIV on ART poses a threat to the progress made towards reaching the third 95% UNAIDS target in SSA. Additionally, these findings highlight the intricate interplay of various factors, encompassing patient characteristics, behavioural patterns, sociocultural influences, and pharmacological factors, all impacting VNS among PLHIV. Recognising its multifaceted nature, we recommend designing and implementing high impact interventions to effectively address VNS in SSA.

Time to Virological Failure and Its Predictor Among HIV-Positive Clients with the Differentiated Service Delivery Model of HIV at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, 2021: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Diversified antiretroviral therapy (ART) approach is needed in methods that were acceptable to communities and maintain good viral suppression outcomes to reach the UNAIDS targets to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. Ethiopia is fully implementing differentiated service delivery (DSD) approaches, appointment spacing, and standard care. This study aimed to determine the time to HIV virological failure and its predictors among patients with a DSD model. An institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted with data collection dates ranging from May 1, 2021, to May 30, 2021. All adult HIV-positive patients (n = 2,148) between January 2018 and January 2021 were a source population. Data were extracted using a standard checklist by trained data collectors and entered into EpiData, exported to SPSS version 20 for data management, and then exported to R Studio version 1.4 for analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves, the log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed. The incidence of virological failure was 86 per 10,000 person-months. The independent predictors for the hazard of virological failure were being on standard care [adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) = 1.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-3.40], primarily educated (AHR = 3.46; 95% CI 1.02-11.72), having no education (AHR = 3.45; 95% CI 1.01-11.85), and ambulatory status at baseline (AHR = 1.81; 95% CI 1.06-3.09). Patients who had a viral load with a detectable range from 50 to 999 at engagement (AHR = 2.65; 95% CI 1.33-5.27) and a 1-month increase in ART for HIV patients (AHR = 1.045; 95% CI 1.01-1.09). The incidence of virological failure was 86 per 10,000 person-months, whereas the incidences were 52 per 10,000 person-months and 71 per 10,000 person-months on appointment spacing model and standard care, respectively, with independent predictors: patient category, educational status, baseline functional status, viral load at engagement, and duration of ART.

HIV viral load suppression among people with mental disorders at two urban HIV clinics in Uganda: a parallel convergent mixed methods study using the social ecological model

BACKGROUND

Uganda adopted and implemented the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) guidelines in 2017, which require HIV-infected persons to be initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at any CD4 + cell count, and to be routinely monitored for viral load to assess response to ART. However, there is paucity of data on viral load suppression (VLS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) with mental disorders. We conducted a parallel convergent mixed methods study to determine HIV VLS among people with a mental disorder and explored the socio-cultural determinants of VLS at Butabika hospital and Mulago (ISS) HIV Clinics in Uganda.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective medical records review; seven key informant interviews (KII) among purposively selected healthcare providers and 12 in-depth interviews (IDI) among clinically stable PLHIV with a mental disorder. Data was collected on demographics, mental disorder, ART, viral load status, social support, stigma, and disclosure of HIV status. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and modified Poisson regression, while Inductive thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data.

RESULTS

Of the 240 PLHIV with a mental disorder who were enrolled, 161 (67.1%) were female with mean age 38.9 (± 11.2) years. Overall, 88.8% (95% Cl: 84.0 - 92.2%) achieved VLS. Age (aPR = 1.00, 95%Cl = 1.00-1.00), male gender (aPR = 0.90, 95%Cl = 0.82-0.98), divorced (aPR = 0.88, 95%Cl = 0.82-0.94), widowed (aPR = 0.84, 95%Cl = 0.83-0.86), baseline CD4 count < 200 (aPR = 0.89, 95%Cl = 0.85-0.94), psychotic mental disorders (aPR = 1.11; 95%CI = 1.08-1.13) and fair (85-94%) ART adherence level (aPR = 0.69, 95%Cl = 0.55-0.87) and TDF/3TC/DTG (aPR = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.91-0.94) were associated with HIV VLS. Social support from family members, knowledge of impact of negative thoughts on VLS, fear of breaking up with partners and compassionate healthcare providers positively influenced VLS. Stigma and discrimination from the community, self-perceived stigma hindering social relations, socio-economic challenges and psychiatric drug stock-outs negatively affected VLS.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

HIV VLS among PLHIV with mental disorders at institutions that provide integrated HIV and mental health care is still below the UNAIDS 95% target. Health promotion messaging focusing on benefits of VLS and countering stigma to create a safe environment; and active involvement of family members in care could improve HIV treatment outcomes for PLHIV with mental disorders.

The Urban Environment and Disparities in Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes in the Global South: a Scoping Review

By 2050, the Global South will contain three-quarters of the world's urban inhabitants, yet no standardized categorizations of urban areas exist. This makes it challenging to compare sub-groups within cities. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are a critical component of ensuring that populations are healthy and productive, yet SRHR outcomes within and across urban settings vary significantly. A scoping review of the literature (2010-2022) was conducted to describe the current body of evidence on SRHR in urban settings in the Global South, understand disparities, and highlight promising approaches to improving urban SRHR outcomes. A total of 115 studies were identified, most from Kenya (30 articles; 26%), Nigeria (15; 13%), and India (16; 14%), focusing on family planning (56; 49%) and HIV/STIs (43; 37%). Findings suggest significant variation in access to services, and challenges such as gender inequality, safety, and precarious circumstances in employment and housing. Many of the studies (n = 84; 80%) focus on individual-level risks and do not consider how neighborhood environments, concentrated poverty, and social exclusion shape behaviors and norms related to SRHR. Research gaps in uniformly categorizing urban areas and key aspects of the urban environment make it challenging to understand the heterogeneity of urban environments, populations, and SRHR outcomes and compare across studies. Findings from this review may inform the development of holistic programs and policies targeting structural barriers to SRHR in urban environments to ensure services are inclusive, equitably available and accessible, and direct future research to fill identified gaps.

HIV viral load suppression among people with mental disorders at two urban HIV Clinics in Uganda: a parallel convergent mixed methods study using the Social Ecological Model

Background Uganda adopted and implemented the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) guidelines in 2017, which require HIV-infected persons to be initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at any CD4 + cell count, and to be routinely monitored for viral load to assess response to ART. However, there is paucity of data on viral load suppression (VLS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) with mental disorders. We conducted a parallel convergent mixed methods study to determine HIV VLS among people with a mental disorder and explored the socio-cultural determinants of VLS at Butabika hospital and Mulago (ISS) HIV Clinics in Uganda. Methods We conducted a retrospective medical records review; seven key informant interviews (KII) among purposively selected healthcare providers and 12 in-depth interviews (IDI) among clinically stable PLHIV with a mental disorder. Data was collected on demographics, mental disorder, ART, viral load status, social support, stigma, and disclosure of HIV status. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and modified Poisson regression, while Inductive thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Results Of the 240 PLHIV with a mental disorder who were enrolled, 161 (67.1%) were female with mean age 38.9 (± 11.2) years. Overall, 88.8% (95% Cl: 84.0% - 92.2%) achieved VLS. Age (aPR = 1.01, 95%Cl = 1.00-1.01), male gender (aPR = 0.95, 95%Cl = 0.95-0.95), divorced (aPR = 0.89, 95%Cl = 0.87-0.91), widowed (aPR = 0.84, 95%Cl = 0.79-0.90), baseline CD4 count < 200 (aPR = 0.89, 95%Cl = 0.82-0.95), and fair (85-94%) ART adherence level (aPR = 0.68, (95%Cl = 0.54-0.87) were associated with HIV VLS. Social support from family members, knowledge of impact of negative thoughts on VLS, fear of breaking up with partners and compassionate healthcare providers positively influenced VLS. Stigma and discrimination from the community, self-perceived stigma hindering social relations, socio-economic challenges and psychiatric drug stock-outs negatively affected VLS. Conclusion and recommendations HIV VLS among PLHIV with mental disorders at institutions that provide integrated HIV and mental health care is still below the UNAIDS 95% target. Health promotion messaging focusing on benefits of VLS and countering stigma to create a safe environment; and active involvement of family members in care could improve HIV treatment outcomes for PLHIV with mental disorders.

HIV virological non-suppression is highly prevalent among 18- to 24-year-old youths on antiretroviral therapy at the Kenyan coast

BACKGROUND

In sub-Saharan Africa, data on virologic outcomes of young people living with HIV (YLWH) enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains scarce. In this study, we describe the prevalence of HIV virological non-suppression (VNS) and its associated factors among YLWH aged 18-24 years from the Kenyan coast.

METHODS

Data were analyzed for 384 YLWH who participated in a larger cross-sectional study conducted between November 2018 and September 2019 in two counties at the Kenyan coast (Kilifi and Mombasa). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sample characteristics and logistic regression was used for statistical modeling of factors associated with VNS. In this study, VNS was defined as plasma viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL.

RESULTS

Among these YLWH with a mean age of 20.7 years (SD = 2.2); 55.5% females, the overall prevalence of VNS was 32.0% (95% Confidence interval (95% CI): 27.5, 36.9%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, being from a largely rural setting (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.73, 95% CI 1.10, 2.71; p = 0.02), underweight (aOR 1.87, 95% CI 1.16, 3.01; p = 0.01) and low self-reported ART adherence (aOR 2.83, 95% CI 1.34, 6.00; p = 0.01) were significantly associated with higher odds of VNS in YLWH.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, high levels of VNS were observed among YLWH and this was significantly associated with rural residency, nutritional and ART adherence problems. ART adherence counselling and nutritional support and education should be intensified in this setting targeting YLWH residing mostly in rural areas. Given the high frequency of VNS, there is need to closely monitor viral load and profile HIV drug resistance patterns in youths from the Kenyan coast with confirmed virologic failure. The latter will help understand whether drug resistance also contributes to poor viral suppression in addition to, or exclusive of suboptimal ART adherence.

Using a Syndemics Framework to Understand How Substance Use Contributes to Morbidity and Mortality among People Living with HIV in Africa: A Call to Action

Substance use is increasing throughout Africa, with the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substance use varying regionally. Concurrently, sub-Saharan Africa bears the world's largest HIV burden, with 71% of people living with HIV (PWH) living in Africa. Problematic alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use among PWH is associated with multiple vulnerabilities comprising complex behavioral, physiological, and psychological pathways that include high-risk behaviors (e.g., sexual risk-taking), HIV disease progression, and mental health problems, all of which contribute to nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy. Physiologically, severe substance use disorders are associated with increased levels of biological markers of inflammation; these, in turn, are linked to increased mortality among PWH. The biological mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of substance use among PWH remain unclear. Moreover, the biobehavioral mechanisms by which substance use contributes to adverse health outcomes are understudied in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Syndemic approaches to understanding the co-occurrence of substance use and HIV have largely been limited to high-income countries. We propose a syndemic coupling conceptual model to disentangle substance use from vulnerabilities to elucidate underlying disease risk for PWH. This interventionist perspective enables assessment of biobehavioral mechanisms and identifies malleable targets of intervention.