Condom, modern contraceptive, and dual method use are associated with HIV status and relationship concurrency in a context of high mobility: A cross-sectional study of women of reproductive age in rural Kenya and Uganda, 2016

Geographic Mobility and HIV Care Engagement among People Living with HIV in Rural Kenya and Uganda

INTRODUCTION

Human mobility is a critical aspect of existence and survival, but may compromise care engagement among people living with HIV (PLHIV). We examined the association between various forms of human mobility with retention in HIV care and antiretroviral treatment (ART) interruptions.

METHODS

In a cohort of adult PLHIV in Kenya and Uganda, we collected surveys in 2016 about past 6-month travel and lifetime migration histories, including reasons and locations, and engagement in HIV care defined as (1) discontinuation of care, and (2) history of a treatment interruption among those who remained in care. We estimated associations between mobility and these care engagement outcomes via logistic regression, adjusted for sex, prior mobility, age, region, marital status, household wealth, and education.

RESULTS

Among 1081 participants, 56 (5%) reported having discontinued care; among those in care, 104 (10%) reported treatment interruption. Past-year migration was associated with a higher risk of discontinuation of care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.98, 95% CI 1.08-3.63). In sex-stratified models, the association was somewhat attenuated in women, but remained robust among men. Past-year migration was associated with reduced odds of having a treatment interruption among men (aOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.77) but not among women (aOR 2.67, 95% CI 0.78, 9.16). Travel in the past 6 months was not associated with discontinuation of care or treatment interruptions.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed both negative and protective effects of recent migration on care engagement and ART use that were most pronounced among men in this cohort. Migration can break ties to ongoing care, but for men, who have more agency in the decision to migrate, may foster new care and treatment strategies. Strategies that enable health facilities to support individuals throughout the process of transferring care could alleviate the risk of care disengagement.

Stigma of infidelity associated with condom use explains low rates of condom uptake: qualitative data from Uganda and Tanzania

Despite widespread messaging supporting male (external) condom use to prevent HIV in endemic settings, utilization of condoms is low across sub-Saharan Africa. A thorough understanding of barriers to condom use as a form of HIV prevention is necessary to reduce HIV transmission. Here, we present qualitative data from rural eastern Africa to explain low utilization of condoms among heterosexual adults. Focus groups and interviews were conducted in Tanzania and Uganda between 2016 and 2019. A content analysis approach was used to identify attitudes about condoms and factors related to use/non-use. We found that strategies such as abstinence and being faithful to one's partner are perceived as ideal but rarely achievable methods of HIV prevention. Condoms are used in the setting of "failure" to abstain or be faithful and are therefore stigmatized as markers of infidelity. As such, use within cohabiting and long-term relationships is low. Our data suggest that negative perceptions of condoms may stem from persistent effects of the formerly applied "ABC" HIV prevention approach, a public health messaging strategy that described A-abstinence, B-be faithful, and C-use a condom as tiered prevention tools. Condom uptake could increase if HIV prevention messaging acknowledges existing stigma and reframes condom use for proactive health prevention. These studies were approved by Weill Cornell Medicine (Protocols 1803019105 and 1604017171), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Protocol 16/0117), Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (Protocol SS-4338), and the Tanzania National Institute for Medical Research (Protocol NIMR/HQ/R.8c/Vol.I/1330).