Patterns of mobility and its impact on retention in care among people living with HIV in the Manhiça District, Mozambique

Leveraging Ecological Momentary Assessment Data to Characterize Individual Mobility: Exploratory Pilot Study in Rural Uganda

BACKGROUND

The geographical environments within which individuals conduct their daily activities may influence health behaviors, yet little is known about individual-level geographic mobility and specific, linked behaviors in rural low- and middle-income settings.

OBJECTIVE

Nested in a 3-month ecological momentary assessment intervention pilot trial, this study aims to leverage mobile health app user GPS data to examine activity space through individual spatial mobility and locations of reported health behaviors in relation to their homes.

METHODS

Pilot trial participants were recruited from the Rakai Community Cohort Study-an ongoing population-based cohort study in rural south-central Uganda. Participants used a smartphone app that logged their GPS coordinates every 1-2 hours for approximately 90 days. They also reported specific health behaviors (alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and having condomless sex with a non-long-term partner) via the app that were both location and time stamped. In this substudy, we characterized participant mobility using 3 measures: average distance (kilometers) traveled per week, number of unique locations visited (deduplicated points within 25 m of one another), and the percentage of GPS points recorded away from home. The latter measure was calculated using home buffer regions of 100 m, 400 m, and 800 m. We also evaluated the number of unique locations visited for each specific health behavior, and whether those locations were within or outside the home buffer regions. Sociodemographic information, mobility measures, and locations of health behaviors were summarized across the sample using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Of the 46 participants with complete GPS data, 24 (52%) participants were men, 30 (65%) participants were younger than 35 years, and 33 (72%) participants were in the top 2 socioeconomic status quartiles. On median, participants traveled 303 (IQR 152-585) km per week. Over the study period, participants on median recorded 1292 (IQR 963-2137) GPS points-76% (IQR 58%-86%) of which were outside their 400-m home buffer regions. Of the participants reporting drinking alcohol, cigarette smoking, and engaging in condomless sex, respectively, 19 (83%), 8 (89%), and 12 (86%) reported that behavior at least once outside their 400-m home neighborhood and across a median of 3.0 (IQR 1.5-5.5), 3.0 (IQR 1.0-3.0), and 3.5 (IQR 1.0-7.0) unique locations, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Among residents in rural Uganda, an ecological momentary assessment app successfully captured high mobility and health-related behaviors across multiple locations. Our findings suggest that future mobile health interventions in similar settings can benefit from integrating spatial data collection using the GPS technology in mobile phones. Leveraging such individual-level GPS data can inform place-based strategies within these interventions for promoting healthy behavior change.

Monitoring of First-line Drug Resistance Mutations Outside the Scope of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra is Needed for Successful Control of DR-TB in Southern Mozambique

Multidrug-resistant(MDR) tuberculosis in Southern Africa is of great concern, exacerbated by the spread of a clone harboring a mutation missed by Xpert Ultra. In Southern Mozambique, the presence of such mutation and rising cases of non-MDR isoniazid resistance highlights the need to ensure accurate detection of antimicrobial-resistance in the country.

Reasons for disengagement from antiretroviral care in the era of "Treat All" in low- or middle-income countries: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Disengagement from antiretroviral therapy (ART) care is an important reason why people living with HIV do not achieve viral load suppression become unwell.

METHODS

We searched two databases and conference abstracts from January 2015 to December 2022 for studies which reported reasons for disengagement from ART care. We included quantitative (mainly surveys) and qualitative (in-depth interviews or focus groups) studies conducted after "treat all" or "Option B+" policy adoption. We used an inductive approach to categorize reasons: we report how often reasons were reported in studies and developed a conceptual framework for reasons.

RESULTS

We identified 21 studies which reported reasons for disengaging from ART care in the "Treat All" era, mostly in African countries: six studies in the general population of persons living with HIV, nine in pregnant or postpartum women and six in selected populations (one each in people who use drugs, isolated indigenous communities, men, women, adolescents and men who have sex with men). Reasons reported were: side effects or other antiretroviral tablet issues (15 studies); lack of perceived benefit of ART (13 studies); psychological, mental health or drug use (13 studies); concerns about stigma or confidentiality (14 studies); lack of social or family support (12 studies); socio-economic reasons (16 studies); health facility-related reasons (11 studies); and acute proximal events such as unexpected mobility (12 studies). The most common reasons for disengagement were unexpected events, socio-economic reasons, ART side effects or lack of perceived benefit of ART. Conceptually, studies described underlying vulnerability factors (individual, interpersonal, structural and healthcare) but that often unexpected proximal events (e.g. unanticipated mobility) acted as the trigger for disengagement to occur.

DISCUSSION

People disengage from ART care for individual, interpersonal, structural and healthcare reasons, and these reasons overlap and interact with each other. While HIV programmes cannot predict and address all events that may lead to disengagement, an approach that recognizes that such shocks will happen could help.

CONCLUSIONS

Health services should focus on ways to encourage clients to engage with care by making ART services welcoming, person-centred and more flexible alongside offering adherence interventions, such as counselling and peer support.

Improved Indicators for Subnational Unmet Antiretroviral Therapy Need in the Health System: Updates to the Naomi Model in 2023

BACKGROUND

Quantifying subnational need for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV is challenging because people living with HIV (PLHIV) access health facilities in areas that may differ from their residence. We defined and demonstrated new indicators for PLHIV treatment needed to guide health system target setting and resource allocation.

SETTING

Botswana.

METHODS

We extended Naomi, a Bayesian small-area model for estimating district-level HIV indicators from national household survey and HIV service delivery data. We used model outputs for ART seeking probabilities in neighboring districts to define the "PLHIV (attending)" indicator representing the estimated number of PLHIV who would seek treatment at health facilities in a district, and "Untreated PLHIV attending" representing gaps in ART service provision. Botswana 2021 district HIV estimates were used to demonstrate new outputs and assess the sensitivity to uncertainty in district population sizes.

RESULTS

Across districts of Botswana, estimated adult ART coverage in December 2021 ranged 90%-96%. In the capital city Gaborone, there were 50,400 resident PLHIV and 64,200 receiving ART, of whom 24% (95% CI: 20 to 32) were estimated to reside in neighboring districts. Applying ART attendance probabilities gave a "PLHIV attending" denominator of 68,300 and unmet treatment need of 4100 adults (95% CI: 3000 to 5500) for Gaborone health facilities. The facility-based "PLHIV attending" denominator was less-sensitive to fluctuations in district population size assumptions.

CONCLUSIONS

New indicators provided more consistent targets for HIV service provision, but are limited by ART data quality. This challenge will increase as treatment coverage reaches high levels and treatment gaps are smaller.

Identifying longitudinal patterns of HIV treatment (dis)engagement and re-engagement from oral histories of virologically unsuppressed persons in Uganda: A thematic trajectory analysis

BACKGROUND

There is limited study of persons deemed "harder to reach" by HIV treatment services, including those discontinuing or never initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). We conducted narrative research in southern Uganda with virologically unsuppressed persons identified through population-based sampling to discern longitudinal patterns in HIV service engagement and identify factors shaping treatment persistence.

METHODS

In mid-2022, we sampled adult participants with high-level HIV viremia (≥1000 RNA copies/mL) from the prospective, population-based Rakai Community Cohort Study. Using life history calendars, we conducted initial and follow-up in-depth interviews to elicit oral histories of participants' journeys in HIV care, from diagnosis to the present. We then used thematic trajectory analysis to identify discrete archetypes of HIV treatment engagement by "re-storying" participant narratives and visualizing HIV treatment timelines derived from interviews and abstracted clinical data.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight participants (median age: 34 years, 68% men) completed 75 interviews. We identified six HIV care engagement archetypes from narrative timelines: (1) delayed ART initiation, (2) early treatment discontinuation, (3) treatment cycling, (4) prolonged treatment interruption, (5) transfer-related care disruption, and (6) episodic viremia. Patterns of service (dis)engagement were highly gendered, occurred in the presence and absence of optimal ART adherence, and were shaped by various factors emerging at different time points, including: denial of HIV serostatus and disclosure concerns; worsening HIV-related symptoms; psychological distress and depression; social support; intimate partner violence; ART side effects; accessibility constraints during periods of mobility; incarceration; and inflexible ART dispensing regulations.

CONCLUSIONS

Identified trajectories uncovered heterogeneities in both the timing and drivers of ART (re-)initiation and (dis)continuity, demonstrating the distinct characteristics and needs of people with different patterns of HIV treatment engagement throughout the life course. Enhanced mental health service provision, expanded eligibility for differentiated service delivery models, and streamlined facility switching processes may facilitate timely (re-)engagement in HIV services.

HIV incidence among non-migrating persons following a household migration event: a population-based, longitudinal study in Uganda

Background

The impact of migration on HIV risk among non-migrating household members is poorly understood. We measured HIV incidence among non-migrants living in households with and without migrants in Uganda.

Methods

We used four survey rounds of data collected from July 2011-May 2018 from non-migrant participants aged 15-49 years in the Rakai Community Cohort Study, an open, population-based cohort. Non-migrants were individuals with no evidence of migration between surveys or at the prior survey. The primary exposure, household migration, was assessed using census data and defined as ≥1 household member migrating in or out of the house from another community between surveys (∼18 months). Incident HIV cases tested positive following a negative result at the preceding visit. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations and robust standard errors. Analyses were stratified by gender, migration into or out of the household, and the relationship between non-migrants and migrants (i.e., any household migration, spouse, child).

Findings

Overall, 11,318 non-migrants (5,674 women) were followed for 37,320 person-years. 28% (6,059/21,370) of non-migrant person-visits had recent migration into or out of the household, and 240 HIV incident cases were identified in non-migrating household members. Overall, non-migrants in migrant households were not at greater risk of acquiring HIV. However, HIV incidence among men was significantly higher when the spouse had recently migrated in (adjIRR:2·12;95%CI:1·05-4·27) or out (adjIRR:4·01;95%CI:2·16-7·44) compared to men with no spousal migration. Women with in- and out-migrant spouses also had higher HIV incidence, but results were not statistically significant.

Interpretation

HIV incidence is higher among non-migrating persons with migrant spouses, especially men. Targeted HIV testing and prevention interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis could be considered for those with migrant spouses.

Funding

National Institutes of Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Research in context

We searched PubMed for studies focused on HIV acquisition, prevalence or sexual behaviors among non-migrants who lived with migrants in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using search terms such as "HIV", "Emigration and Immigration", "family", "spouses", "household", "parents", and "children". Despite high levels of migration and an established association with HIV risk in SSA, there is limited data on the broader societal impacts of migration on HIV acquisition risk among non-migrant populations directly impacted by it.There has been only one published study that has previously evaluated impact of migration on HIV incidence among non-migrating persons in sub-Saharan Africa. This study, which exclusively assessed spousal migration, was conducted in Tanzania more than two decades earlier prior to HIV treatment availability and found that non-migrant men with long-term mobile partners were more than four times as likely to acquire HIV compared to men who had partners that were residents. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of non-spousal migration, including any household migration and child migration, on HIV incidence among non-migrants.

Added value of this study

In this study, we used data from the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), a population-based HIV surveillance cohort to measure the impact of migration on HIV incidence for non-migrant household members. The RCCS captures HIV incident events through regular, repeat HIV testing of participants and migration events through household censuses. Our study adds to the current literature by examining the general effect of migration in the household on HIV incidence in addition to child, and spousal migration. Using data from over 11,000 non-migrant individuals, we found that spousal, but not other types of household migration, substantially increased HIV risk among non-migrants, especially among men. Taken together, our results suggest that spousal migration may be associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition in the period surrounding and immediately after spousal migration.

Implications of all the available evidence

Our findings suggest that spousal migration in or out of the household is associated with greater HIV incidence. Targeted HIV testing and prevention interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis could be considered for men with migrant spouses.

Provision of HIV prevention and care services to farmworkers in sub-Saharan African countries

OBJECTIVES

To summarise data on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services available to farmworkers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review to understand which HIV prevention and care services were accessed by farm workers in SSA. MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, CINAHL (EBSCO Host), Cochrane library, African Index Medicus, Scopus, Google Scholar, Open Grey, and Web of Science Proceedings Citation Index were searched. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they measured or reported on the presence of HIV workplace policy frameworks, guidelines, or programmes for HIV prevention, treatment and care services, and other treatment modalities specifically targeting farmworkers.

RESULTS

Nine studies published between 2005 and 2019 were included in the review. Six themes emerged from included studies, which include HIV policy, HIV prevention (awareness, education, and condom supply), voluntary counselling and testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART), linkage to care, and mobile clinic. Though availability of an HIV policy was inadequate, a significant positive impact of the HIV policy in influencing behaviour change was reported. Most of the farm workers could access HIV education and condom supply in their places of work. Access to ART, treatment support, and linkage to care was inadequate, but community outreach programmes and mobile clinics showed success in reaching a high number of workers with HIV testing and treatment. A majority of farm workers faced barriers in accessing government health facilities.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that there is poor access to HIV services for farmworkers in SSA. There is a dire need to scale up HIV services and programmes, including mobile health facilities, in agricultural settings. Due to high labour migration patterns among farmworkers, we recommend cross-country HIV programmes that allow continuity of care across borders.

The importance of the "how": the case for differentiated service delivery of long-acting and extended delivery regimens for HIV prevention and treatment

INTRODUCTION

Long-acting and extended delivery (LAED) regimens for HIV treatment and prevention offer unique benefits to expand uptake, effective use and adherence. To date, research has focused on basic and clinical science around the safety and efficacy of these products. This commentary outlines opportunities in HIV prevention and treatment programmes, both for the health system and clients, that could be addressed through the inclusion of LAED regimens and the vital role of differentiated service delivery (DSD) in ensuring efficient and equitable access.

DISCUSSION

The realities and challenges within HIV treatment and prevention programmes are different. Globally, more than 28 million people are accessing HIV treatment-the vast majority on a daily fixed-dose combination oral pill that is largely available, affordable and well-tolerated. Many people collect extended refills outside of health facilities with clinical consultations once or twice a year. Conversely, uptake of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has consistently missed global targets due to limited access with high individual cost and lack of choice contributing to substantial unmet PrEP need. Recent trends in demedicalization, simplification, additional method options and DSD for PrEP have led to accelerated uptake as its availability has become more aligned with user preferences. How people currently receive HIV treatment and prevention services and their barriers to adherence must be considered for the introduction of LAED regimens to achieve the expected improvements in access and outcomes. Important considerations include the building blocks of DSD: who (provider), where (location), when (frequency) and what (package of services). Ideally, all LAED regimens will leverage DSD models that emphasize access at the community level and self-management. For treatment, LAED regimens may address challenges with adherence but their delivery should provide clear advantages over existing oral products to be scaled. For prevention, LAED regimens expand a potential PrEP user's choice of methods, but like other methods, need to be delivered in a manner that can facilitate frequent re-initiation.

CONCLUSIONS

To ensure that innovative LAED HIV treatment and prevention products reach those who most stand to benefit, service delivery and client considerations during development, trial and early implementation are critical.

Social networks, mobility, and HIV risk among women in the fishing communities of Lake Victoria

BACKGROUND

Population mobility is a demonstrated barrier to reducing HIV incidence. A clear understanding of social networks and their influence on mobility among women in the fishing communities of Lake Victoria may contribute to tailoring effective interventions that suit the needs of these mobile women.

METHODS

A cross-sectional qualitative methods study was conducted to understand mobility patterns among women resident and or working in fishing communities of Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The study was conducted in six fishing communities from March 2018 to June 2019. The communities were purposively selected, based on population size (1000 people or more) and HIV prevalence of > 15% among women aged 18 years or older who had lived in the fishing community for at least six months. In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 key informants and 72 women from the sites in the three countries. Questions focused on women's social networks and other factors that fuelled or facilitated women's mobility as well as challenges they faced due to mobility. Data analysis followed a thematic framework approach.

RESULTS

Different social groupings/networks existed among women in the fishing communities of Lake Victoria. These included female sex workers, women fish processors/traders, women bar workers/owners, restaurant workers, and family networks. Networks encouraged mobility, supporting finding work opportunities, but also increased sexual risks through partner changes. The benefits of networks included information sharing, financial support, and group protection, especially against violence.

CONCLUSION

Social networks and groupings among women in the fishing communities of Lake Victoria could be useful in tailoring HIV prevention and HIV care interventions to suit the needs of these highly mobile populations.

Cohort profile: CareConekta: a pilot study of a smartphone application to improve engagement in postpartum HIV care in South Africa

PURPOSE

Pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in South Africa are at high risk of dropping out of care, particularly after delivery. Population mobility may contribute to disruptions in HIV care, and postpartum women are known to be especially mobile. To improve engagement in HIV care during the peripartum period, we developed CareConekta, a smartphone application (app) that uses GPS coordinates to characterise mobility and allow for real-time intervention. We conducted a randomised controlled pilot study to assess feasibility, acceptability and initial efficacy of the app intervention to improve engagement in HIV care. This cohort profile describes participant enrolment and follow-up, describes the data collected and provides participant characteristics.

PARTICIPANTS

We enrolled 200 pregnant women living with HIV attending routine antenatal care at the Gugulethu Midwife Obstetric Unit in Cape Town, South Africa. Eligible women must have owned smartphones that met the app's technical requirements. Seven participants were withdrawn near enrolment, leaving 193 in the cohort.

FINDINGS TO DATE

Data were collected from detailed participant questionnaires at enrolment and follow-up (6 months after delivery), as well as GPS data from the app, and medical records. Follow-up is complete; initial analyses have explored smartphone ownership, preferences and patterns of use among women screened for eligibility and those enrolled in the study.

FUTURE PLANS

Additional planned analyses will characterise mobility in the population using the phone GPS data and participant self-reported data. We will assess the impact of mobility on engagement in care for the mother and infant. We also will describe the acceptability and feasibility of the study, including operational lessons learnt. By linking this cohort to the National Health Laboratory Service National HIV Cohort in South Africa, we will continue to assess engagement in care and mobility outcomes for years to come. Collaborations are welcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03836625.

Distinct forms of migration and mobility are differentially associated with HIV treatment adherence

OBJECTIVE

We examined whether human mobility was associated with antiretroviral treatment adherence, measured via antiretroviral hair concentrations.

DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional analysis of adults on antiretroviral treatment in East Africa at baseline in an observational cohort study.

METHODS

Participants reported recent mobility (overnight travel) and histories of migration (changes of residence), including reasons, frequency/duration, and locations. Hair antiretroviral concentrations were analyzed using validated methods. We estimated associations between mobility and antiretroviral concentrations via linear regression adjusted for age, sex, region, years on treatment.

RESULTS

Among 383 participants, half were women and the median age was 40. Among men, 25% reported recent work-related mobility, 30% nonwork mobility, and 11% migrated in the past year (mostly across district boundaries); among women, 6 and 57% reported work-related and nonwork mobility, respectively, and 8% recently migrated (mostly within district). Those reporting work-related trips 2 nights or less had 72% higher hair antiretroviral levels (P = 0.02) than those who did not travel for work; in contrast, nonwork mobility (any duration, vs. none) was associated with 24% lower levels (P = 0.06). Intra-district migrations were associated with 59% lower antiretroviral levels than nonmigrants (P = 0.003) while inter-district migrations were not (27% higher, P = 0.40).

CONCLUSION

We found that localized/intra-district migration and nonwork travel-more common among women-were associated with lower adherence, potentially reflecting care interruptions or staying with family/friends unaware of the participants' status. In contrast, short work-related trips-more common among men-were associated with higher adherence, perhaps reflecting higher income. Adherence interventions may require tailoring by sex and forms of mobility.