Re-engagement in HIV Care: A Clinical and Public Health Priority

Predictors of HIV Care Outcomes among Recently Out-of-Care Individuals in The Massachusetts Cooperative Re-engagement Controlled Trial Cohort

A cohort of individuals in care for HIV infection who were identified as being recently out-of-care (OOC) was recruited for a trial using a data-to-care approach and an intervention to facilitate re-engagement and retention in care. This allowed for analysis of demographic and clinical characteristics correlated with recently being OOC, re-engagement, and successful retention in care and viral suppression. Recently OOC persons with HIV infection (PWH) were identified for enrollment in the Cooperative Re-engagement Controlled Trial (CoRECT). CoRECT employed a data-to-care strategy, using both clinical and surveillance data, and an active public health re-engagement intervention. We estimated relative risks (RRs), unadjusted and with multivariate log binomial regression models, to analyze associations between sociodemographic and clinical predictors of being OOC, re-engagement, retention in care, and viral suppression. Of the 630 OOC PWH enrolled in CoRECT, most were male (72.7%) and over 30 years old (91.3%). Almost 40.0% were Black non-Hispanic, 29.7% were non-US born, and 41.6% were men who have sex with men (MSM). Possible predictors of re-engagement, retention in care, and viral suppression included younger age, Hispanic race/ethnicity, birth in a US dependency, AIDS status, and HIV exposure mode. Viral suppression status within 1-year pre-enrollment was significantly associated with all outcomes: re-engagement (aRR 1.28), retention (aRR 1.72), viral suppression (aRR 1.81), and durable viral suppression (aRR 3.30). Findings elucidate factors associated with care engagement and continuity for recently OOC PWH which can be used to inform targeted re-engagement activities for priority populations and guide future data-to-care interventions.

Same-day ART initiation, loss to follow-up and viral load suppression among people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

in 2015, the World Health Organization recommended early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation after HIV diagnosis. Mixed results on the effect of same-day ART initiation (SDI) over non-same-day ART initiation (NSDI) on loss to follow-up (LTFU) and viral load suppression (VLS) necessitate further evaluation.

Methods

this was a systematic review and meta-analysis of people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Multiple databases were searched from January 2016 to December 2022. VLS was defined as HIV RNA <1,000 or <400 cells/ml, depending on the study. Forest plots were used to present the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was tested by an I2 statistic and a p-value of <0.05 indicated its presence. Analyses were performed in STATA.

Results

sixteen studies (5 clinical trials, 10 cohorts, and 1 cross-sectional) were included in the final analysis. Nine studies with 157,633 people living with HIV were analyzed for LTFU and the pooled prevalence of LTFU was 22.0% (95%CI; 18.5-25.7). The pooled prevalence of VLS was 72.7% (95%CI; 65.4-79.5%). The I2 statistic had a Q value of 200.62 (p<0.001) and 44.63 (p<0.001) for pooled prevalence of LTFU and VLS, respectively. Overall, compared to those who received NSDI, SDI had a significantly increased risk of LTFU (risk difference (RD)=0.04; 95%CI: 0.01-0.07). Although observational studies showed an increased risk of LTFU among SDI compared to NSDI (RD=0.05, 95%CI: 0.02-0.08), clinical trials did not. There was no statistically significant difference in VLS comparing those who received SDI vs NSDI (RD= 0.02, 95%CI: -0.03 - 0.07).

Conclusion

nearly two in ten people living with HIV in LMICs who initiated ART were LTFU. SDI was associated with increased risk of LTFU. Efforts to prevent LTFU among those who receive SDI are critical to maximize its potential benefits.

Advanced HIV disease and associated attrition after re-engagement in HIV care in Myanmar from 2003 to 2019: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The burden of advanced HIV disease (AHD) and predictors of outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV) re-engaging in care are not well known.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of PLHIV who re-engaged in care after being lost to follow-up (LFU), from 2003 to 2019, in Myanmar. We calculated the incidence rates of attrition after re-engagement and performed Cox regression to identify risk factors for attrition.

RESULTS

Of 44 131 PLHIV who started antiretroviral treatment, 12 338 (28.0%) were LFU at least once: 7608 (61.6%) re-engaged in care, 4672 (61.4%) with AHD at re-engagement. The death and LFU rates were 2.21-fold (95% CI 1.82 to 2.67) and 1.46-fold (95% CI 1.33 to 1.61) higher among patients who re-engaged with AHD (p>0.001). Death in patients who re-engaged with AHD was associated with male sex (adjusted HR [aHR] 2.63; 95% CI 1.31 to 5.26; p=0.006), TB coinfection (aHR 2.26; 95% CI 1.23 to 4.14; p=0.008) and sex work (aHR 7.49, 95% CI 2.29 to 22.52; p<0.001). History of intravenous drug use was identified as a predictor of being LFU.

CONCLUSIONS

Re-engagement in HIV care in Myanmar is frequent and those who re-engage carry a high burden of AHD. As AHD at re-engagement is associated with higher attrition rates, implementation of differentiated interventions that enable earlier linkage to care and prompt identification and management of AHD in this population is necessary.

Implementation of Lost & Found, An Intervention to Reengage Patients Out of HIV Care: A Convergent Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Analysis

Being out of HIV care (OOC) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We assessed implementation of Lost & Found, a clinic-based intervention to reengage OOC patients. OOC patients were identified using a nurse-validated, real-time OOC list within the electronic medical records (EMR) system. Nurses called OOC patients. Implementation occurred at the McGill University Health Centre from April 2018 to 2019. Results from questionnaires to nurses showed elevated scores for implementation outcomes throughout, but with lower, more variable scores during pre-implementation to month 3 [e.g., adoption subscales (scale: 1-5): range from pre-implementation to month 3, 3.7-4.9; thereafter, 4.2-4.9]. Qualitative results from focus groups with nurses were consistent with observed quantitative trends. Barriers concerning the EMR and nursing staff shortages explained reductions in fidelity. Strategies for overcoming barriers to implementation were crucial in early months of implementation. Intervention compatibility, information systems support, as well as nurses' team processes, knowledge, and skills facilitated implementation.

Strategies to reengage patients lost to follow up in HIV care in high income countries, a scoping review

Background

Despite remarkable achievements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), losses to follow-up (LTFU) might prevent the long-term success of HIV treatment and might delay the achievement of the 90–90-90 objectives. This scoping review is aimed at the description and analysis of the strategies used in high-income countries to reengage LTFU in HIV care, their implementation and impact.

Methods

A scoping review was done following Arksey & O′Malley’s methodological framework and recommendations from Joanna Briggs Institute. Peer reviewed articles were searched for in Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science; and grey literature was searched for in Google and other sources of information. Documents were charted according to the information presented on LTFU, the reengagement procedures used in HIV units in high-income countries, published during the last 15 years. In addition, bibliographies of chosen articles were reviewed for additional articles.

Results

Twenty-eight documents were finally included, over 80% of them published in the United States later than 2015. Database searches, phone calls and/or mail contacts were the most common strategies used to locate and track LTFU, while motivational interviews and strengths-based techniques were used most often during reengagement visits. Outcomes like tracing activities efficacy, rates of reengagement and viral load reduction were reported as outcome measures.

Conclusions

This review shows a recent and growing trend in developing and implementing patient reengagement strategies in HIV care. However, most of these strategies have been implemented in the United States and little information is available for other high-income countries. The procedures used to trace and contact LTFU are similar across reviewed studies, but their impact and sustainability are widely different depending on the country studied.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11613-y.

Predictors of virological failure among people living with HIV receiving first line antiretroviral treatment in Myanmar: retrospective cohort analysis

Background

Progress toward the global target for 95% virological suppression among those on antiretroviral treatment (ART) is still suboptimal. We describe the viral load (VL) cascade, the incidence of virological failure and associated risk factors among people living with HIV receiving first-line ART in an HIV cohort in Myanmar treated by the Médecins Sans Frontières in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Sports Myanmar.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study, including adult patients with at least one HIV viral load test result and having received of at least 6 months’ standard first-line ART. The incidence rate of virological failure (HIV viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL) was calculated. Multivariable Cox’s regression was performed to identify risk factors for virological failure.

Results

We included 25,260 patients with a median age of 33.1 years (interquartile range, IQR 28.0–39.1) and a median observation time of 5.4 years (IQR 3.7–7.9). Virological failure was documented in 3,579 (14.2%) participants, resulting in an overall incidence rate for failure of 2.5 per 100 person-years of follow-up. Among those who had a follow-up viral load result, 1,258 (57.1%) had confirmed virological failure, of which 836 (66.5%) were switched to second-line treatment. An increased hazard for failure was associated with age ≤ 19 years (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR 1.51; 95% confidence intervals, CI 1.20–1.89; p < 0.001), baseline tuberculosis (aHR 1.39; 95% CI 1.14–1.49; p < 0.001), a history of low-level viremia (aHR 1.60; 95% CI 1.42–1.81; p < 0.001), or a history of loss-to-follow-up (aHR 1.24; 95% CI 1.41–1.52; p = 0.041) and being on the same regimen (aHR 1.37; 95% CI 1.07–1.76; p < 0.001). Cumulative appointment delay was not significantly associated with failure after controlling for covariates.

Conclusions

VL monitoring is an important tool to improve programme outcomes, however limited coverage of VL testing and acting on test results hampers its full potential. In our cohort children and adolescents, PLHIV with history of loss-to-follow-up or those with low-viremia are at the highest risk of virological failure and might require more frequent virological monitoring than is currently recommended.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12981-021-00336-0.

Lost to follow-up: a challenge over 10 years

The loss of patients to follow up is a major issue related to HIV management. Our research was aimed to evaluate, in a single Italian centre, the rate of patients lost to follow-up (LFU) over 10 years, to describe their socio-demographic and clinical features, and to identify predictors of disengagement from care. Between 2008 and 2017, 563 subjects were LFU. Over the years, the proportion of LFU on the number of patients followed per year, decreased from 6.5% in 2008 to 4.8% in 2017 (p for trend = 0.255). Four different subgroups were identified among LFU:116 patients resulted untraceable; 192 had died; 144 were re-engaged elsewhere; 111 were subsequently re-engaged in our centre. Old age (OR 1.08, 95%, CI = 1.06-1.11; p < 0.001), AIDS (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.04-2.64; p = 0.031), drug addiction (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.07-3.41; p = 0.027) were predictors of death at multivariable analysis. Main predictors of being untraceable were non-Italian nationality (OR = 4.23, 95% CI = 2.19-8.16; p < 0.001) and a short history of cART (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.99; p = 0.026). Subjects living far from our Centre were often re-engaged elsewhere (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.34-4.15; p = 0.002). According to our analysis, the problem LFU is still relevant: strategies to empower retention in care are thus necessary.

Re-engagement in care of people living with HIV lost to follow-up after initiation of antiretroviral therapy in Mali: Who returns to care?

Objectives

We assessed cumulative incidence rates of and factors associated with re-engagement in HIV care for PLHIV lost to follow-up in Mali.

Methods

HIV-1-infected individuals lost to follow-up before 31/12/2013, ≥ 18 years old, who started ART from 2006 to 2012 at one of 16 care centres were considered. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) was defined as an interruption of ≥ 6 months during follow-up. The re-engagement in care in PLHIV lost to follow-up before 31/12/2013 was defined as having at least one clinical visit after LTFU. The cumulative incidence rates of re-engagement in care was estimated by Kaplan-Meier and its predictive factors were assessed using Cox models. Socio-demographic characteristics, clinical and immune status, period, region, centre expertise level, and distance from home at the start of ART plus a combined variable of duration of ART until LTFU and 12-month change in CD4 count were assessed. Multiple imputation was used to deal with missing data.

Results

We included 3,650 PLHIV lost to follow-up before December 2013, starting ART in nine outpatient clinics and seven hospitals (5+2 in Bamako and 4+5 in other regions): 35% male, median (IQR) age 35 (29–43), and duration of ART until LTFU 11 months (5–22). Among these PLHIV, 1,975 (54%) were definitively LTFU and 1,675 (46%) subsequently returned to care. The cumulative incidence rates of re-engagement in care rose from 39.0% at one year to 47.0% at three years after LTFU. Predictors of re-engagement in care were starting ART with WHO stage 1–2 and CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/μL, being treated for ≥ 12 months with CD4 count gain ≥ 50 cells/μL, or being followed in Bamako. People followed at regional hospitals or outpatient clinics ≥ 5 km away, or being treated for ≥ 12 months with CD4 count gain < 50 cells/μL were less likely to return to care.

Conclusions

Starting ART with a higher CD4 count, better gain in CD4 count, and being followed either in Bamako or close to home in the regions were associated with re-engagement in care.

Temporary disengagement and re-engagement in human immunodeficiency virus care in a rural county serving pastoralist communities in Kenya: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pastoralist communities are known to be hard to reach. The magnitude of temporary disengagement from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is understudied.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of temporary disengagement (2 weeks late for a next appointment), virologic response, lost to follow-up (6 months late) and re-engagement in care among patients who started antiretroviral therapy between 2014 and 2016 in Baringo County, Kenya. Predictors of re-engagement after disengagement were estimated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 342 patients, 76.9% disengaged at least once (range 0-7). Of 218 patients with a viral load (VL), 78.0% had a suppressed VL. Those with a history of temporary disengagement from care were less likely to suppress their VL (p=0.002). Six patients had treatment failure (two consecutive VLs >1000 copies/mm3) and all had disengaged at least once. After disengagement from care, male patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.3 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.2 to 0.6]; p<0.001) and patients with World Health Organization stage III-IV (aOR 0.3 [95% CI 0.1 to 0.5; p<0.001) were less likely to re-engage in care.

CONCLUSIONS

Temporary disengagement was frequent in this pastoralist setting. This indicator is often overlooked, as most studies only report binary outcomes, such as retention in care. Innovative strategies are required to achieve HIV control in rural settings like this pastoralist setting.

SimpactCyan 1.0: An Open-source Simulator for Individual-Based Models in HIV Epidemiology with R and Python Interfaces

SimpactCyan is an open-source simulator for individual-based models in HIV epidemiology. Its core algorithm is written in C++ for computational efficiency, while the R and Python interfaces aim to make the tool accessible to the fast-growing community of R and Python users. Transmission, treatment and prevention of HIV infections in dynamic sexual networks are simulated by discrete events. A generic “intervention” event allows model parameters to be changed over time, and can be used to model medical and behavioural HIV prevention programmes. First, we describe a more efficient variant of the modified Next Reaction Method that drives our continuous-time simulator. Next, we outline key built-in features and assumptions of individual-based models formulated in SimpactCyan, and provide code snippets for how to formulate, execute and analyse models in SimpactCyan through its R and Python interfaces. Lastly, we give two examples of applications in HIV epidemiology: the first demonstrates how the software can be used to estimate the impact of progressive changes to the eligibility criteria for HIV treatment on HIV incidence. The second example illustrates the use of SimpactCyan as a data-generating tool for assessing the performance of a phylodynamic inference framework.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Viral Suppression Among HIV-Positive Women in Care

BACKGROUND

Women with HIV diagnoses are less likely to be virally suppressed than men. Women of different racial/ethnic groups may be differentially affected by sociodemographic factors. We examined differences in viral suppression among women by race/ethnicity and associated variables to inform prevention interventions.

METHODS

We used data from the 2010-2014 cycles of the Medical Monitoring Project, a cross-sectional survey of HIV-positive adults in care. We limited analyses to black, Hispanic, and white women. We calculated weighted prevalences of recent viral suppression (undetectable or <200 copies/mL) and sustained viral suppression (consistent viral suppression during the past 12 months) among women by race/ethnicity. We computed adjusted prevalence differences (aPDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for viral suppression by racial/ethnic group, controlling for selected variables, including available social determinants of health variables.

RESULTS

Among women, 62.9% were black, 19.8% Hispanic, and 17.3% white. Overall, 74.3% had recent viral suppression, and 62.3% had sustained viral suppression. Compared with white women (79.7%, CI: 77.2 to 82.2), black (72.5%, CI: 70.3 to 74.7; PD: 7.2) and Hispanic (75.4%, CI: 72.6 to 78.3; PD: 4.3) women were less likely to have recent viral suppression. In multivariable analyses, after adjusting for antiretroviral therapy adherence, HIV disease stage, age, homelessness, and education, black-white aPDs remained significant for recent (aPD: 4.8, CI: 1.6 to 8.1) and sustained (aPD: 5.0, CI: 1.1 to 9.0) viral suppression.

CONCLUSION

Viral suppression was suboptimal for all women, but more for black and Hispanic women. Differences between black, Hispanic, and white women may be partially due to antiretroviral therapy adherence, HIV disease stage, and social determinants of health factors.

Shifting to the long view: engagement of pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in lifelong antiretroviral therapy services

Introduction: The advent of policies promoting lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV has shifted focus from short-term prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) to lifelong engagement in ART services. However, disengagement from care threatens the long-term treatment and prevention benefits of lifelong ART. Areas covered: A framework for considering the unique aspects of ART for pregnant and postpartum women is presented along with a review of the literature on maternal engagement in care in sub-Saharan Africa and a discussion of potential interventions to sustain engagement in lifelong ART. Expert opinion: Engaging women and mothers in ART services for life is critical for maternal health, PMTCT, and prevention of sexual transmission. Evidence-based interventions exist to support engagement in care but most focus on periods of mother-to-child transmission risk. In the long term, life transitions and health-care transfers are inevitable. Thus, interventions that can reach beyond a single facility or provide a bridge between health services should be prioritized. Multicomponent interventions will also be essential to address the numerous intersecting barriers to sustained engagement in ART services.

A Framework for Health Communication Across the HIV Treatment Continuum

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

Background:

As test and treat rolls out, effective interventions are needed to address the determinants of outcomes across the HIV treatment continuum and ensure that people infected with HIV are promptly tested, initiate treatment early, adhere to treatment, and are virally suppressed. Communication approaches offer viable options for promoting relevant behaviors across the continuum.

Conceptual Framework:

This article introduces a conceptual framework, which can guide the development of effective health communication interventions and activities that aim to impact behaviors across the HIV treatment continuum in low- and medium-income countries. The framework includes HIV testing and counseling, linkage to care, retention in pre-antiretroviral therapy and antiretroviral therapy initiation in one single-stage linkage to care and treatment, and adherence for viral suppression. The determinants of behaviors vary across the continuum and include both facilitators and barriers with communication interventions designed to focus on specific determinants presented in the model. At each stage, relevant determinants occur at the various levels of the social–ecological model: intrapersonal, interpersonal, health services, community, and policy. Effective health communication interventions have mainly relied on mHealth, interpersonal communication through service providers and peers, community support groups, and treatment supporters.

Discussion:

The conceptual framework and evidence presented highlight areas across the continuum where health communication can significantly impact treatment outcomes to reach the 90-90-90 goals by strategically addressing key behavioral determinants. As test and treat rolls out, multifaceted health communication approaches will be critical.