scholarly journals Acceptability, motivation and the prospect of cure for people living with HIV and their healthcare providers in HIV cure-focused treatment interruption studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian S. Y. Lau ◽  
Miranda Z. Smith ◽  
Brent Allan ◽  
Cipriano Martinez ◽  
Jennifer Power ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Analytical treatment interruptions (ATI) are commonly used clinical endpoints to assess interventions aimed at curing HIV or achieving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free HIV remission. Understanding the acceptability of ATI amongst people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their HIV healthcare providers (HHP) is limited. Methods Two online surveys for PLHIV and HHP assessed awareness and acceptability of ATI, and understanding of the prospect for HIV cure in the future. Responses were collected from July 2017–January 2018. A descriptive analysis was performed and similar questions across the two surveys were compared using χ squared test. Results 442 PLHIV and 144 HHP completed the survey. 105/400 (26%) PLHIV had ever interrupted ART, 8% of which were in a clinical trial. Altruistic motivations were drivers of participation of PLHIV in cure related research. 81/135 (60%) HHP would support their patients wishing to enrol in an HIV cure-focused trial, but fewer would promote and allow such participation (25% and 31% respectively). Compared to HHP, PLHIV were more likely to believe that an HIV cure would be achievable within 10 years (55% vs. 19%, p < 0.001), had less awareness of ATI (46% vs. 62%, p < 0.001) and were less likely to have had experience of either participation or enrolment in an ATI study (5% vs. 18%, p < 0.001) Conclusion PLHIV were more optimistic about the potential for HIV cure. HHP had more direct experience with HIV cure-focused studies. Educational strategies are required for both groups to increase understanding around ATIs in HIV cure research but should be tailored specifically to each group.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian SY Lau ◽  
Miranda Z Smith ◽  
Brent Allan ◽  
Cipriano Martinez ◽  
Jennifer Power ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Analytical treatment interruptions (ATI) are commonly used clinical endpoints to assess interventions aimed at curing HIV or achieving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free HIV remission. Understanding the acceptability of ATI amongst people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their HIV healthcare providers (HHP) is limited. Methods Two online surveys for PLHIV and HHP assessed awareness and acceptability of ATI, and understanding of the prospect for HIV cure in the future. Responses were collected from July 2017-January 2018. A descriptive analysis was performed and similar questions across the two surveys were compared using χ squared test. Results 442 PLHIV and 144 HHP completed the survey. 105/400 (26%) PLHIV had ever interrupted ART, 8% of which were in a clinical trial. Altruistic motivations were drivers of participation of PLHIV in cure related research. 81/135 (60%) HHP would support their patients wishing to enrol in an HIV cure-focused trial, but fewer would promote and allow such participation (25% and 31% respectively). Compared to HHP, PLHIV were more likely to believe that an HIV cure would be achievable within 10 years (55% vs 19%, p<0.001), had less awareness of ATI (46% vs 62%,p<0.001) and were less likely to have had experience of either participation or enrolment in an ATI study (5% vs 18%,p<0.001) Conclusion PLHIV were more optimistic about the potential for HIV cure. HHP had more direct experience with HIV cure-focused studies. Educational strategies are required for both groups to increase understanding around ATIs in HIV cure research but should be tailored specifically to each group.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Dubé ◽  
John Kanazawa ◽  
Jeff Taylor ◽  
Lynda Dee ◽  
Nora Jones ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The pursuit of a cure for HIV is a high priority for researchers, funding agencies, governments and people living with HIV (PLWH). To date, over 250 biomedical studies worldwide are or have been related to discovering a safe, effective, and scalable HIV cure, most of which are early translational research and experimental medicine. As HIV cure research increases, it is critical to identify and address the ethical challenges posed by this research. Methods We conducted a scoping review of the growing HIV cure research ethics literature, focusing on articles published in English peer-reviewed journals from 2013 to 2021. We extracted and summarized key developments in the ethics of HIV cure research. Twelve community advocates actively engaged in HIV cure research provided input on this summary and suggested areas warranting further ethical inquiry and foresight via email exchange and video conferencing. Discussion Despite substantial scholarship related to the ethics of HIV cure research, additional attention should focus on emerging issues in six categories of ethical issues: (1) social value (ongoing and emerging biomedical research and scalability considerations); (2) scientific validity (study design issues, such as the use of analytical treatment interruptions and placebos); (3) fair selection of participants (equity and justice considerations); (4) favorable benefit/risk balance (early phase research, benefit-risk balance, risk perception, psychological risks, and pediatric research); (5) informed consent (attention to language, decision-making, informed consent processes and scientific uncertainty); and (6) respect for enrolled participants and community (perspectives of people living with HIV and affected communities and representation). Conclusion HIV cure research ethics has an unfinished agenda. Scientific research and bioethics should work in tandem to advance ethical HIV cure research. Because the science of HIV cure research will continue to rapidly advance, ethical considerations of the major themes we identified will need to be revisited and refined over time.


2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 513-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliano de Souza Caliari ◽  
Lilian Andreia Fleck Reinato ◽  
Daiana Patrícia Marchetti Pio ◽  
Letícia Pimenta Lopes ◽  
Renata Karina Reis ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze factors related to the quality of life of elderly people living with HIV/AIDS. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with people aged 50 years or more in a specialized outpatient clinic. The data collection was by means of an interview. For the analysis of data and characterization of the sample, descriptive statistics and comparison tests were used. The project met the ethical requirements. Results: Participants were 81 users aged 50 to 75 years, mean age was 57.8 (± 6.1) years, 71.6% of whom were men. There was a statistically significant relationship with the quality of life, the following variables: gender, children, occupation, religion, diagnosis time, HIV exposure, adverse effects, treatment interruption, viral load counts, hospitalization, dependence for daily activities and use of drugs. Conclusion: The results suggest that the quality of life deficit is related not only to physical changes, but to the anguish and stigma related to HIV/AIDS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-172
Author(s):  
Cho Sabastine Anye ◽  
Claude Ngwayu Nkfusai ◽  
Brenda Mbouamba Yankam ◽  
Frankline Sevidzem Wirsiy ◽  
Joyce Mahlako Tsoka-Gwegweni ◽  
...  

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) co-infections place immense burdens on healthcare systems with particularly diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. TB is high among opportunistic diseases and the most leading cause of death among patients with HIV/AIDS. HIV infection is the most-known risk factor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and progression to active disease, which increases the risk of latent TB reactivation by 20-fold. We present a four-year descriptive analysis of TB in people living with HIV in the Bamenda Regional Hospital (BRH) from 2012-2016. Methods: This was a hospital-based descriptive chart review. We conducted manual reviews of medical records of HIV/TB co-infected patients from June 2017-July 2017 at BRH


2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 1004-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Braz Milanez Oliveira ◽  
Artur Acelino Francisco Luz Nunes Queiroz ◽  
Álvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa ◽  
Maria Eliete Batista Moura ◽  
Renata Karina Reis

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze whether sexual orientation affects the quality of life of people living with HIV/Aids (PLWHA). Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out with 146 PLWHA in Teresina, capital city of the state of Piauí, in 2013, by means of the WHOQOL-HIV-bref. Descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. Results: There was a prevalence of men (63.7%), non-heterosexual (57.0%), aged between 19 and 39 years (89%). Of the total, 75.5% mentioned presence of negative feelings, such as fear and anxiety, and 38% reported have suffered stigma. With regard to the dimensions investigated, the most affected were “environment” and “level of independence”. Non-heterosexual orientation was negatively associated with quality of life in almost all dimensions. Conclusion: Living with HIV/Aids and having a non-heterosexual orientation have a negative impact on quality of life.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingyan Ma ◽  
Feng Wu ◽  
Gail Henderson ◽  
Stuart Rennie ◽  
Zachary C. Rich ◽  
...  

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