scholarly journals Factors influencing HIV testing uptake among priority populations in a resettlement colony of a North Indian city

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38
Author(s):  
Ishita Choudhary ◽  
Venkatesan Chakrapani ◽  
Manmeet Kaur ◽  
Sandeep Mittal ◽  
Rajesh Kumar

Background: The recent adoption of HIV ‘test and treat’ strategy by India’s National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) necessitates an urgent need to improve HIV testing among priority populations at risk for HIV. Aim & Objectives: To identify barriers to and facilitators of HIV testing among priority populations such as pregnant women, tuberculosis patients, sexual partners of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and key populations; and to examine the role of new HIV testing modalities (e.g., non-invasive HIV testing) in improving HIV testing. Settings and Design: A cross sectional survey was conducted among priority populations in a resettlement colony of Chandigarh, North India. Materials and methods: A total of 160 participants were recruited using non-probability-based sampling. Statistical analysis used: Chi-square test was used to assess differences between priority populations who had been tested or not tested for HIV. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify significant predictors of HIV testing status. Results: Participants with higher HIV knowledge (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] =1.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.5) and family support (aOR=8.2, 95% CI 1.9 to 35.3) had higher odds of getting tested for HIV. Major barriers identified were fear of anticipated discrimination and previous bad experiences in government HIV testing centres, and key facilitators were empathetic attitude of the staff and government initiatives (e.g., free-of-cost tests, reimbursements of travel costs). For periodic testing, priority populations preferred non-invasive (non-blood-based) HIV tests. Conclusions: Interventions to promote HIV testing among priority populations need to reduce HIV-related stigma, and offer non-invasive HIV testing in public hospitals.

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Diez ◽  
A Diaz ◽  
C Garriga ◽  
M Pons ◽  
A Ten ◽  
...  

A second-generation surveillance system of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been implemented in Spain. Behavioural and clinical data were collected between 2002 and 2011 through an annual one-day, cross-sectional survey in public hospitals, including all in- and outpatients receiving HIV-related care on the survey day. Mean age increased over time (from 38.7 years in 2002 to 43.8 years in 2011) and 68.4% of the 7,205 subjects were male. The proportion of migrants increased from 6.1% to 15.9%, while people who inject or used to inject drugs (PWID and Ex-PWID) decreased and men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals increased. Unprotected intercourse at last sex increased among MSM and PWID/Ex-PWID. Patients receiving antiretroviral treatment increased significantly from 76.0% to 88.2% as did those with CD4 T-cell counts ≥350 (from 48.2% to 66.9%) and viral copies <200 (from 47.0% to 85.2%). HIV-infected people with hepatitis C virus RNA decreased from 36.0% in 2004 to 29.9% in 2011, while those with HBsAg remained stable at around 4.4%. Implementation of a low-cost, sustainable system for second-generation surveillance in people living with HIV is feasible. In Spain, the information obtained has helped to define and refine public health policy and document treatment effectiveness.


Author(s):  
Gladys Matseke ◽  
Karl Peltzer ◽  
Neo Mohlabane

Background: Client satisfaction serves as a predictor for acceptance of HIV counselling and testing (HCT) services. Therefore, the study of clients’ perception and satisfaction may offer insights on how to improve HCT programmes. Aim and setting: The aim of this study was to assess clients’ satisfaction with HCT as well as describe perceived barriers to and facilitators of HIV testing by HCT clients in South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through interviews with 498 clients purposefully selected at the end of an HCT visit at 56 HCT sites throughout the country. Results: All the 498 study participants had tested for HIV with 98.8% receiving their results. Most (88.2%) reported testing for HIV before. The vast majority (75.5%) of clients reported that they had decided to be tested for HIV by themselves. High levels of satisfaction with HCT service (89.8%), low levels (27.7%) of difficulty in making the decision to have an HIV test and high levels of perceived confidentiality (94.6%) of the HIV test results were reported in this study. The most cited perceived barrier to HIV testing was lack of awareness about the HCT service (98%), while staff attitudes (37%), confidentiality (29.6%) and privacy (23.6%) were perceived facilitators. In multivariate logistic regression, staff attitude was significantly associated with client satisfaction (p < 0.05).Conclusion: High levels of client satisfaction with HCT services were observed. Various barriers to and facilitators of – including staff attitude – HCT were identified which can help guide the improvement of HCT services in South Africa.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 594-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Rowe ◽  
Tim Matheson ◽  
Moupali Das ◽  
Erin DeMicco ◽  
Jeffrey H Herbst ◽  
...  

Men who have sex with men are disproportionately impacted by HIV and substance use is a key driver of HIV risk and transmission among this population. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 3242 HIV-negative substance-using men who have sex with men aged 18 + in the San Francisco Bay Area from March 2009 to May 2012. Demographic characteristics and sexual risk and substance use behaviors in the last six months were collected using structured telephone questionnaires. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent demographic and behavioral predictors of recent HIV testing. In all, 65% reported having an HIV test in the last six months. In multivariable analysis, increasing age (aOR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.84–0.90) and drinking alcohol (<1 drink/day: 0.65, 0.46–0.92; 2–3 drinks/day: 0.64, 0.45–0.91; 4 + drinks/day: 0.52, 0.35–0.78) were negatively associated with recent HIV testing. Having two or more condomless anal intercourse partners (2.17, 1.69–2.79) was positively associated with having a recent HIV test, whereas condomless anal intercourse with serodiscordant partners was not significantly associated with testing. Older men who have sex with men and those who drink alcohol may benefit from specific targeting in efforts to expand HIV testing. Inherently riskier discordant serostatus of partners is not as significant a motivator of HIV testing as condomless anal intercourse in general.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noureddine Sakhri ◽  
Fatima Zahra Meski ◽  
SOUMIA TRIKI

BACKGROUND Morbidity and mortality in HIV disease is due to immune-suppression leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections (OIs) during the natural course of the disease. In 2015, the HIV prevalence is low in general population and concentrated among key populations. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the prevalence and CD4 correlates of OIs among adult HIV-infected patients attending antiretroviral health care in Morocco, during 2015. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey among all adult PLHIV for admitted in the health care centers during 2015, who had acquired infection disease. Patients’ opportunistic infection status was determined through clinical diagnosis and laboratory investigations. CD4 count was determined using flow cytometry technique. The clinical stage of HIV was identified by the classification of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We collected Socio-demographic and clinical data from patients’ medical records. We performed statistical analysis by using Epi-Info 7.2.0.1 software. The appropriate test was applied, bivariate analysis was made and the differences were significant when p<.05. RESULTS 299 HIV-infected cases were included; 53% were males. The most represented age group was 25-34 years (36.1%). The mean age of the cases was 38.7 ± 16.8. The prevalence of OIs was 47.8%. Tuberculosis (65/299, 21.7%), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (40/299, 13.4%) and Oral candidiasis (22/299, 7.4%) were the most frequently observed OIs. CONCLUSIONS Tuberculosis, pneumocystis and oral candidacies were the leading OIs, encountered by HIV-infected cases. Preventive measures and early diagnosis of HIV associated to OIs are crucial.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Werku Etafa ◽  
Gosa Gadisa ◽  
Shibiru Jabessa ◽  
Tagay Takele

Abstract Background Globally, Coronavirus disease-19 has created unprecedented challenges to public health. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of COVID-19 because of their profession. There are limited studies conducted in Ethiopia among HCWs regarding their compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. Therefore, this study intended to assess HCWs’ compliance with measures to prevent COVID-19, and its potential determinants in public hospitals in Western Ethiopia. Methods A self-administered, multicenter hospital-based cross-sectional survey was proposed to 422 randomly selected HCWs working in seven public hospitals in Western Ethiopia identified as COVID-19 referral centers. Data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Binary logistic regression was used to identify potential determinants of outcome variables at p-value < 0.05. Results Out of 422 completed questionnaires, the overall HCWs’ compliance with COVID-19 prevention is 22% (n = 404). In multivariate regression analysis, factors such as spending most of caring time at bedside (AOR = 1.94, 95%CI, 1.06–3.55), receiving training on infection prevention/COVID-19 (AOR = 1.86, 95%CI, 1.04–3.33), reading materials on COVID-19 (AOR = 2.04, 95%CI, 1.14–3.63) and having support from hospital management (AOR = 2.09, 95%CI, 1.20–3.64) were found to be significantly associated with COVID-19 preventive measures. Furthermore, inadequate supplies of appropriate personal protective equipment (83.2%), insufficient supportive medications (78.5%), and lack of provision of adequate ventilation (77.7%) were the barriers to COVID-19 prevention most frequently mentioned by participants. Conclusion Our findings highlight HCWs’ poor compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. Providing information and refreshing training to improve the level of healthcare workers’ adherence with COVID-19 prevention is as imperative as increasing staff commitment to supply resources necessary to protect HCWs and to reduce healthcare-associated infections transmission of SARS-COV-2.


2021 ◽  
pp. 095646242110150
Author(s):  
Doreen Nabukalu ◽  
Matthew Ponticiello ◽  
Thomas Bennett ◽  
Sunday Clark ◽  
Rachel King ◽  
...  

Uptake of HIV testing is suboptimal in Uganda, particularly in rural communities. Reaching UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals requires strategies to increase HIV testing among hard-to-reach populations. This cross-sectional study sought to characterize engagement with HIV testing among traditional healers and their clients in rural Uganda. We enrolled 175 traditional healers and 392 adult clients of healers in Mbarara District. The primary outcome for this study was having received an HIV test in the prior 12 months. Most clients ( n = 236, 65.9%) had received an HIV test within 12 months, compared to less than half of healers ( n = 75, 46.3%) who had not. In multivariate regression models, male clients of healers were half as likely to have tested in the past year, compared with female (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.26–0.70). Increasing age negatively predicted testing within the past year (AOR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.93–0.97) for clients. Among healers, more sexual partners predicted knowing ones serostatus (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.03–2.48). Healers (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.07–1.26) and clients (AOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.13–1.34 for clients) with greater numbers of lifetime HIV tests were more likely to have tested in the past year. Traditional healers and their clients lag behind UNAIDS benchmarks and would benefit from programs to increase HIV testing uptake.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 346-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Webber ◽  
N Edwards ◽  
I D Graham ◽  
C Amaratunga ◽  
I Gaboury ◽  
...  

Cambodia has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV in Asia and is scaling up HIV testing. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 358 health care providers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to assess readiness for voluntary testing and counselling for HIV. We measured HIV knowledge and attitudes, and predictors of intentions to take a sexual history using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Over 90% of health care providers correctly answered knowledge questions about HIV transmission, but their attitudes were often not positive towards people living with HIV. The Theory of Planned Behaviour constructs explained 56% of the variance in intention to take a sexual history: the control providers perceive they have over taking a sexual history was the strongest contributor (51%), while social pressure explained a further 3%. Attitudes about taking a sexual history did not contribute to intention. Interventions with Cambodian health care providers should focus on improving skills in sexual history-taking.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-264
Author(s):  
Gert Scheerder ◽  
Sandra Van den Eynde ◽  
Patrick Reyntiens ◽  
Ria Koeck ◽  
Jessika Deblonde ◽  
...  

This cross-sectional survey explored the quality of life in 505 people living with HIV in Belgium. Several domains of quality of life were impaired: 26% had been diagnosed with depression and 43% had weak social support. HIV-related stigma is still widespread, with 49% believing most people with HIV are rejected and 65% having experienced discrimination due to HIV. The impact of HIV was limited on professional life, but 40% experienced a negative impact on life satisfaction and 41% a negative impact on sexual life. For several domains, people with a recent diagnosis of HIV and long-term survivors had significantly worse scores. This survey also uncovered strengths of people living with HIV, such as positive coping and HIV self-image. Expanding the scope of quality of life in people living with HIV may provide a more complete picture of relevant life domains that may be impacted by living with HIV, but this needs further validation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document