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Buthelezi SF, Modeste RRM, Phetlhu DR. Barriers to the management of children under five exposed to HIV in the rural areas of South Africa. Curationis 2021; 44:e1-e12. [PMID: 33764130 PMCID: PMC8008009 DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v44i1.2073] [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: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND South Africa has made enormous progress in reducing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), however, MTCT and AIDS related death persist among children particularly in the rural areas. Lack of adherence to health policies and guidelines implementation remain one of the contributory factors to poor management of HIV-exposed children. Hence, the need to deeply explore the complexity of the problems and understand the barriers to the management of HIV exposed children in the rural areas. OBJECTIVES To explore and synthesise the barriers to the management of children under 5 years old exposed to HIV in rural areas in South Africa. METHOD An integrative literature review was conducted. An electronic search was conducted on several databases. The researchers applied the Boolean ' AND'/'OR' in combination with phrases such as 'HIV infection*', 'HIV transmission', 'HIV-exposed infant*, child*, and neonate*' and 'South Africa*'. Included studies were limited to South Africa, and articles were written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals from 2005 to 2018. Both qualitative and quantitative studies between 2005 and 2018 were utilised. RESULTS The findings highlighted that healthcare institution-related barriers, healthcare provider-related barriers, patient-related barriers and Socio-economic-related barriers were the significant barriers to the management of HIV-exposed children in the rural areas. CONCLUSION Continuous engagement with all relevant stakeholders should remain a priority in protecting HIV-exposed children. It is evident that there exist gaps in the current implementation of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), especially in rural areas. Therefore, intervention strategies that could improve implementation of PMTCT policy guidelines for HIV-exposed children in rural areas are needed.
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Maskew M, Jamieson L, Mohomi G, Long L, Mongwenyana C, Nyoni C, Mokaba D, Fox MP, Sanne I, Rosen S. Implementation of Option B and a fixed-dose combination antiretroviral regimen for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in South Africa: A model of uptake and adherence to care. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201955. [PMID: 30161147 PMCID: PMC6116946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Initiating and retaining pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) remains a major challenge facing African HIV programs, particularly during the critical final months prior to delivery. In 2013, South Africa implemented its "Option B" PMTCT regimen (three-drug ART throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding, regardless of maternal CD4 count) and introduced once-daily fixed-dose combinations and lifelong ART. Currently, the uptake of Option B and its possible impact on adherence to PMTCT during the critical final months of pregnancy is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS We prospectively collected visit data from a cohort of adult, HIV-infected, pregnant women between July 2013-August 2014 to estimate three models of adherence to PMTCT during the final 16 weeks immediately preceding delivery. Adherence was defined according to possession of antiretroviral drugs, which was inferred from clinic visit records under varying assumptions in each model. We describe uptake of the PMTCT regimen, gestational age at initiation, and model possible scenarios of adherence through delivery after the implementation of Option B. RESULTS Among 138 women enrolled (median (IQR) age 28 years (24-32), median CD4 count 378 cells/mm3), median (IQR) gestational age at initiation was 22 weeks (16-26). Estimates of adherence during the final 16 weeks of pregnancy prior to delivery ranged from 75% (52-89%) under the best case scenario assumptions to 52% (30-75%) under the worst case scenario assumptions. Estimates of the proportion of women who would achieve 80% adherence to PMTCT were <50% across all models. CONCLUSIONS Despite the switch to Option B and once-daily dosing, South African women continue to initiate PMTCT late in pregnancy, and estimations of regimen adherence, as modelled using PMTCT visit attendance data, is poor, with <50% of women reaching 80% adherence during final months of pregnancy across all models. Further guideline changes and interventions are needed to achieve vertical transmission goals. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01710397 South African National Clinical Trials Register DOH-27-0213-4177.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mhairi Maskew
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Lise Jamieson
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Given Mohomi
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lawrence Long
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Constance Mongwenyana
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Cynthia Nyoni
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Dorah Mokaba
- City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Matthew P. Fox
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ian Sanne
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sydney Rosen
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Doherty T, Besada D, Goga A, Daviaud E, Rohde S, Raphaely N. "If donors woke up tomorrow and said we can't fund you, what would we do?" A health system dynamics analysis of implementation of PMTCT option B+ in Uganda. Global Health 2017; 13:51. [PMID: 28747196 PMCID: PMC5530517 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-017-0272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In October 2012 Uganda extended its prevention of mother to child HIV transmission (PMTCT) policy to Option B+, providing lifelong antiretroviral treatment for HIV positive pregnant and breastfeeding women. The rapid changes and adoptions of new PMTCT policies have not been accompanied by health systems research to explore health system preparedness to implement such programmes. The implementation of Option B+ provides many lessons which can inform the shift to ‘Universal Test and Treat’, a policy which many sub-Saharan African countries are preparing to adopt, despite fragile health systems. Methods This qualitative study of PMTCT Option B+ implementation in Uganda three years following the policy adoption, uses the health system dynamics framework to explore the impacts of this programme on ten elements of the health system. Qualitative data were gathered through rapid appraisal during in-country field work. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were undertaken with the Ministry of Health, implementing partners, multilateral agencies, district management teams, facility-based health workers and community cadres. A total of 82 individual interviews and 16 focus group discussions were completed. We conducted a simple manifest analysis, using the ten elements of a health system for grouping data into categories and themes. Results Of the ten elements in the health system dynamics framework, context and resources (finances, infrastructure & supplies, and human resources) were the most influential in the implementation of Option B+ in Uganda. Support from international actors and implementing partners attempted to strengthen resources at district level, but had unintended consequences of creating dependence and uncertainty regarding sustainability. Conclusions The health system dynamics framework offers a novel approach to analysis of the effects of implementation of a new policy on critical elements of the health system. Its emphasis on relationships between system elements, population and context is helpful in unpacking impacts of and reactions to pressures on the system, which adds value beyond some previous frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Doherty
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. .,School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. .,School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Donnela Besada
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ameena Goga
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Emmanuelle Daviaud
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sarah Rohde
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nika Raphaely
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.,School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
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Coleman J, Bohlin KC, Thorson A, Black V, Mechael P, Mangxaba J, Eriksen J. Effectiveness of an SMS-based maternal mHealth intervention to improve clinical outcomes of HIV-positive pregnant women. AIDS Care 2017; 29:890-897. [PMID: 28107805 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2017.1280126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the effectiveness of an mHealth messaging intervention aiming to improve maternal health and HIV outcomes. Maternal health SMSs were sent to 235 HIV-infected pregnant women twice per week in pregnancy and continued until the infant's first birthday. The messages were timed to the stage of the pregnancy/infant age and covered maternal health and HIV-support information. Outcomes, measured as antenatal care (ANC) visits, birth outcomes and infant HIV testing, were compared to a control group of 586 HIV-infected pregnant women who received no SMS intervention. Results showed that intervention participants attended more ANC visits (5.16 vs. 3.95, p < 0.01) and were more likely to attend at least the recommended four ANC visits (relative risk (RR): 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-1.72). Birth outcomes of intervention participants improved as they had an increased chance of a normal vaginal delivery (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02-1.19) and a lower risk of delivering a low-birth weight infant (<2500 g) (RR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.02-1.07). In the intervention group, there was a trend towards higher attendance to infant polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing within six weeks after birth (81.3% vs. 75.4%, p = 0.06) and a lower mean infant age in weeks at HIV PCR testing (9.5 weeks vs. 11.1 weeks, p = 0.14). These results add to the growing evidence that mHealth interventions can have a positive impact on health outcomes and should be scaled nationally following comprehensive evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Coleman
- a Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.,b Department of Public Health Sciences , Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Kate C Bohlin
- c Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Anna Thorson
- b Department of Public Health Sciences , Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Vivian Black
- d Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa
| | - Patricia Mechael
- e HealthEnabled, Personal Connected Health Alliance , Johns Hopkins University and Princeton University , Arlington , VA , USA
| | - Josie Mangxaba
- f Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action , United Nations Foundation , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Jaran Eriksen
- b Department of Public Health Sciences , Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden.,c Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm , Sweden
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