scholarly journals Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV Among Allied Workers in Rural Area of Nigeria: Evaluation of Community-Based Interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-81
Author(s):  
Ali Johnson Onoja ◽  
Felix Olaniyi Sanni ◽  
Paul Olaiya Abiodun ◽  
Sheila Onoja ◽  
John Shaibu ◽  
...  

Background: Knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus status is a key tool in the fight against the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic. Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the impact of community-based intervention towards the prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus on the voluntary testing for human immunodeficiency virus among allied workers in rural Bonny Kingdom of Rivers, State, Nigeria. Methods: The study comprised two quantitative surveys; the baseline survey conducted before a three years human immunodeficiency virus prevention intervention programs and the post-intervention survey conducted after the interventions. A structured questionnaire was employed to collect information from a representative sample of the allied workers aged 15–49 years. The questionnaire item for this survey is broadly divided into six categories comprising the basic socio-demographic information, the knowledge of HIV testing, desire for HIV testing, self and solution efficacy; access to products and services including voluntary counselling and testing. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: The study comprised 419 participants in the baseline and 587 in the post-intervention survey. The overall knowledge of voluntary counselling and testing services was 76.8% of which 37.5% have been tested and 88.9% of which 68.0% have been tested at both surveys. Three of every 5(67.0%) had the desire to be tested at baseline while- 4 of every 5(81.1%) were willing to be tested at post-intervention. The major reasons for unwillingness to be screened include poor perception about voluntary counselling and testing and feeling of not being at risk. The prevalence of human immunodeficiency at baseline was 8.5% and 2.0% at the post-intervention survey with a prevalence ratio of 4.3 (p<0.0001]. HIV prevalence was 12.4% among women compared 4.8% in men at baseline. The prevalence among adolescents was12.0% and 10.1% among singles. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that the struggle to prevent and control human immunodeficiency can be successful if intervention programs are put in place, particularly in rural communities where acquired immunodeficiency syndrome related information is limited.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. e32110615692
Author(s):  
Kledoaldo de Oliveira Lima ◽  
Joana Julia Maria Menezes ◽  
Daniela Medeiros Salustiano ◽  
Viviane Martha Santos de Morais ◽  
Heloísa Ramos Lacerda

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Brazil epidemic had shown an increase in heterosexual transmission and decrease in vertical transmission. However, its incidence has increased among men who have sex with men. Serological screening of patients at a voluntary counselling and testing center in Cabo de Santo Agostinho city, Pernambuco province, Northeast Brazil, was performed to determine the HIV-1 prevalence and incidence. The HIV-1 incidence in the frozen serum aliquots obtained from 2006-2009 was determined using BED-capture enzyme immunoassay. This study evaluated 23,862 individuals, who were serologically tested for HIV-1. HIV-1 infection was diagnosed in 318 individuals (1.33%). MSM showed a higher prevalence of infection (6.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.9-9.5) as compared to heterosexual men (2.8%; 95% CI: 2.35-3.36) and women (0.9%; 95% CI: 0.76-1.0) (p < 0.0001). MSM also showed a higher rate of incidence with 3.93 per 100 people/year. Early diagnosis and preventive measures can reduce the pandemic spread.


2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarryn N. Anderson ◽  
Joha Louw-Potgieter

Orientation: Employee wellness programmes have become standard interventions in most organisations. In South Africa, these programmes invariably contain an element to address the problem of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the workplace.Research purpose: The purpose of this evaluation was to assess whether or not a Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programme for HIV and AIDS, at a South African university, was implemented as intended.Motivation for the study: The evaluators were motivated to explore indications in the existing literature about these programmes that participants in VCT programmes are often not the intended target population who live a high risk lifestyle.Research design, approach and method: A descriptive design was used to evaluate service utlisation, service delivery and organisational support. Questionnaire data from 285 respondents who participated in the programme and programme records supplied by the programme staff were consulted to answer the evaluation questions.Main findings: The evaluation showed that the highest uptake for the programme occurred amongst female students. The low uptake amongst men was a concern. It was found that the programme was delivered as intended and that there were enough resources to implement it according to standards set.Practical/managerial implications: The systematic report on the programme process provided the programme managers with practical suggestions for programme improvement.Contribution/value-add: This was the first implementation evaluation of a VCT programme in a South African university context. As such it aimed to educate programme managers to think evaluatively about introducing new or continuing existing programmes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheela V Shenoi ◽  
Anthony P. Moll ◽  
Ralph P. Brooks ◽  
Tassos Kyriakides ◽  
Laurie Andrews ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intensive case finding is endorsed for tuberculosis (TB) control in high-risk populations. Novel case-finding strategies are needed in hard-to-reach rural populations with high prevalence of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods We performed community-based integrated HIV and TB intensive case finding in a rural South African subdistrict from March 2010 to June 2012. We offered TB symptom screening, sputum collection for microbiologic diagnosis, rapid fingerstick HIV testing, and phlebotomy for CD4 cell count. We recorded number of cases detected and calculated population-level rates and number needed to screen (NNS) for drug-susceptible and -resistant TB. Results Among 5615 persons screened for TB at 322 community sites, 91.2% accepted concurrent HIV testing, identifying 510 (9.9%) HIV-positive individuals with median CD4 count of 382 cells/mm3 (interquartile range = 260–552). Tuberculosis symptoms were reported by 2049 (36.4%), and sputum was provided by 1033 (18.4%). Forty-one (4.0%) cases of microbiologically confirmed TB were detected for an overall case notification rate of 730/100000 (NNS = 137); 11 (28.6%) were multidrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant TB. Only 5 (12.2%) TB cases were HIV positive compared with an HIV coinfection rate of 64% among contemporaneously registered TB cases (P = .001). Conclusion Community-based integrated intensive case finding is feasible and is high yield for drug-susceptible and -resistant TB and HIV in rural South Africa. Human immunodeficiency virus–negative tuberculosis predominated in this community sample, suggesting a distinct TB epidemiology compared with cases diagnosed in healthcare facilities. Increasing HIV/TB integrated community-based efforts and other strategies directed at both HIV-positive and HIV-negative tuberculosis may contribute to TB elimination in high TB/HIV burden regions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S559-S559
Author(s):  
Maria V Bandres ◽  
Daniel Mueller

Abstract Background In our urban, underserved patient population, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is hyper-endemic, and HIV screening is frequently performed. Although HIV screening tests have high specificity, false positives can occur. Numerous reasons for false positive testing have been cited, including vaccinations, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections. In 2019, Philadelphia experienced a large Hepatitis A outbreak, during which time false positive HIV screening tests were discovered. Our aim was to further describe these patients who had been diagnosed with acute Hepatitis A infection and in whom false positive HIV testing had occurred. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients admitted to our hospital between January 2017 and December 2019 who had a positive Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) IgM. Demographics, HIV tests, viral hepatitis tests, and liver tests were recorded. False positive HIV was defined as a positive HIV screen (p24 antigen and HIV-1 and 2 antibody combo), followed by a negative differentiation assay for HIV-1 and 2 antibodies, combined with a negative HIV PCR. Results A total of 156 unique patients were found to have acute HAV, with 138 cases identified in 2019. Of these, 3 patients had confirmed false positive HIV testing, and 1 patient had suspected false positive HIV testing (HIV-2 differentiation assay indeterminate, with very low local prevalence of HIV-2), for a false positive test rate of 2.6% (4/156). Ages ranged from 36-47 years, 3 were male, and 2 were persons who injected drugs (PWID). Three patients had prior negative HIV testing. Two patients had fevers during admission, but none of the four were febrile at the time of HIV test collection. Three patients had elevated transaminases, and two had abnormal coagulation testing. Coinfection with Hepatitis C was found in three patients. One patient had follow-up HIV testing performed, which was negative. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report of false positive HIV testing related to acute HAV. Prevalence of false positives was low, but awareness can facilitate patient counseling. With low sample size, conclusions cannot be drawn about risk factors related to false positive testing. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. e308-e315
Author(s):  
McKaylee M Robertson ◽  
Sarah L Braunstein ◽  
Donald R Hoover ◽  
Sheng Li ◽  
Denis Nash

Abstract Background We estimated the time from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation during an era of expanding HIV testing and treatment efforts. Methods Applying CD4 depletion parameters from seroconverter cohort data to our population-based sample, we related the square root of the first pretreatment CD4 count to time of seroconversion through a linear mixed model and estimated the time from seroconversion. Results Among 28 162 people diagnosed with HIV during 2006–2015, 89% initiated ART by June 2017. The median CD4 count at diagnosis increased from 326 (interquartile range [IQR], 132–504) cells/µL to 390 (IQR, 216–571) cells/µL from 2006 to 2015. The median time from estimated seroconversion to ART initiation decreased by 42% from 6.4 (IQR, 3.3–11.4) years in 2006 to 3.7 (IQR, 0.5–8.3) years in 2015. The time from estimated seroconversion to diagnosis decreased by 28%, from a median of 4.6 (IQR, 0.5–10.5) years to 3.3 (IQR, 0–8.1) years from 2006 to 2015, and the time from diagnosis to ART initiation reduced by 60%, from a median of 0.5 (IQR, 0.2–2.1) years to 0.2 (IQR, 0.1–0.3) years from 2006 to 2015. Conclusions The estimated time from seroconversion to ART initiation was reduced in tandem with expanded HIV testing and treatment efforts. While the time from diagnosis to ART initiation decreased to 0.2 years, the time from seroconversion to diagnosis was 3.3 years among people diagnosed in 2015, highlighting the need for more effective strategies for earlier HIV diagnosis.


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