Prevalence and factors associated with kidney dysfunction among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northern Tanzania: Retrospective cross-sectional study
June 2024
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients have increased risk for kidney diseases, including HIV-Associated Nephropathy (HIVAN), non-collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, immune-complex kidney disease, and comorbid kidney disease, kidney injury following long term use of Highly Active-antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) or opportunistic infections medications. In...
Prevalence and correlates of hypertension, diabetes, and cancer among HIV-infected adults in Guinea: Insights for healthcare policy in Sub-Saharan Africa
April 2024
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for 71% of deaths worldwide in 2019. This trend extends to sub-Saharan Africa, where NCDs are expected to overtake infectious diseases by 2030 amid rapid urbanization, population growth, and changing lifestyles. People living with HIV may be at even greater risk of NCDs due to chronic inflammation caused by...
Triggers of sub-optimal HIV viral load suppression amongst vulnerable children on ART in parts of Lagos State Nigeria: Experience of USAID supported ICHSSA-2 project
January 2024
HIV remains a disease of public health importance, with an estimated 39.0 million people living with the virus globally as of 2022. The Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) is implementing the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA-2) project in Lagos with support from USAID. Triggers of unsuppressed viral load were examined among HIV-infected children and adolescents enrolled in the...
Validation of women abuse screening tool (WAST-S) in the Mozambique National Health Service (significance for HIV prevention and ART treatment Adherence): A quasi-experimental crossover study
November 2023
Intimate partner violence (IPV), includes a wide range of abusive behaviors perpetrated by someone involved or who was involved in an intimate relationship with the victim. It is a serious and preventable public health problem globally. This article reports on the validation of an adaptation of the Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST-S) in Mozambique and recommends its application for more effective prevention and ART...
Effect of text-messaging on treatment adherence practices among young people living with HIV in Niger State, Nigeria
June 2023
Recent studies reveal that Youths living with HIV (YLHIV) enrolled in HIV treatment experience a higher rate of interruption in treatment, sub-optimal medication adherence, and greater HIV-related mortality compared with other age groups. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of text messaging on medication adherence and antiretroviral-therapy (ART) retention practices among YLHIV in Niger state, Nigeria. The...
Medication adherence and social support in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) in Kogi State, Nigeria
June 2023
Human immunodeficiency syndrome ranks among the global worrisome health indices. This study was aimed at determining the effect of social support on medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS attending the general out-patient clinic of Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH), Kogi State. A 20-item perceived social support-family scale (PSS-Fa) was used to assess patient’s levels of perceived social...
Utility of the international HIV dementia scale in the assessment of neurocognitive impairment amongst HIV patients in a Southeast Nigerian Tertiary Hospital: A comparative study
February 2023
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a neurotropic virus that is associated with cognitive, behavioral and motor deficits known as HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND). This was a prospective study aimed at determining the prevalence of cognitive impairment as well as comparing the performance of the HIV positive patients on a screening test, the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), and subtests drawn...
AIDS health campaign impacts varies with sexual healthy practices and literacy aptitude
February 2023
Health communication campaigns along with the targeted social health indicator such as the at-risk group can make an impactful difference in preventive care and chronic disease health maintenance. The logistic regression technique is employed to examine if Rwanda’s health media campaign impacted household health behavior and whether this impact was influenced by literacy aptitude and current sexual health...
Changes in marijuana use and associated attitudes and health behaviors among patients in HIV care in the U.S. in the post-legalization era: a qualitative study
January 2023
We sought to understand the impact that state-level marijuana policy changes had on marijuana use behaviors among people with HIV (PWH), including patterns of use (e.g., frequency, modality), access, goals for use, use of other substances, and perceived health effects. We conducted 1:1 interviews at 3 U.S. HIV clinics with PWH aged ≥18 reporting weekly or more marijuana use; 2 clinics were in states that legalized...
Development and integration of IPV-4, a patient-reported screening instrument of intimate partner violence for primary and HIV care
December 2022
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant and under-reported health problem. Legacy measures of IPV lack brevity and/or are relevant only to specific populations, which limit their usefulness for routine clinical care. We developed a brief patient-reported screening instrument of past-year intimate partner violence (IPV). We developed an item pool from validated IPV screening instruments, dimensionalized...
“You’re almost glancing behind a curtain”: HIV care provider perceptions regarding integration and value of pre-visit electronic tablet-based patient-reported outcomes data collection in two North American clinics
June 2022
This study was conducted to assess provider perceptions regarding value of tablet-based patient-reported outcome (PRO) assessments in routine care. Patients self-administered a brief PRO assessment of several clinical domains on-site prior to HIV clinic visits. Providers were given succinct summary results. 1:1 interviews were conducted with providers regarding PROs utility and their integration into care, and coded...
Implementation of multi-month dispensing among people living with HIV in Tanzania
June 2022
The global efforts to end the HIV pandemic are currently geared towards achieving ideal viral suppression among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) on ART. Tanzania adopted a number of strategies including Multi-Months Dispensing (MMD) allowing stable clients to attend the clinic twice or three times a year. This study examined the implementation of MMD in Tanzania. This was a cross-sectional study that employed quantitative...
Incidence of mother-child transmission of HIV-1 in the departments of Mono and Couffo in Benin: The associated factors in 2019
May 2022
Despite the worldwide success of the introduction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and treatment with antiretroviral drugs, HIV remains a real public health problem. Vertical mother-to-child transmission is a form responsible for many cases of new infections. The objective of the study is to carry out an inventory of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in the departments of Mono and Couffo. A total of 374...
Patients’ perceptions of the usability, utility and impact of a same-day self-administered routine electronic patient-reported outcomes (PRO) assessment in HIV care in two North American clinics
May 2022
We assessed patients’ perceptions of the utility and impact of a same-day self-administered tablet-based patient-reported outcomes (PRO) assessment integrated into routine HIV care in two North American clinics. People with HIV (PWH) self-administered a PRO assessment inclusive of psychosocial and behavioral topics prior to their routine care visit. Providers were given succinct summary results before seeing the...
Analysis of HIV Knowledge, attitude and health behavior among business establishment Worker in Bangkok, Thailand
December 2021
Despite advancements in treatment and prevention, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) remain global public health issues. Nearly 40 years on, Thai business establishments are still facing adverse effects of the HIV epidemic. This study assessed HIV knowledge, transmission risk, stigma, and health behavior among a sample of 1,000 workers from the 2019 round of the Bangkok Behavioral Surveillance Survey...
Correlates of HIV prevalence among key population in Nigeria
September 2021
There has been improvement in the control of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The 2018 national prevalence was 1.4%, a decline from previous surveys. The gains are however not uniform; a gap still exists in the response to key populations (KP) due to socio-cultural barriers and unfavourable legislative environment. The demographic correlates of HIV among KP in Nigeria were examined. Society for Family Health provided HIV Testing...
Acute human immunodeficiency testing and linkage to Care: An evaluation of community-based 4th generation antigen/antibody testing
June 2021
As a relatively novel testing algorithm, the experience with 4th generation HIV testing and linkage to care outcomes is limited. The purpose of this study is to report descriptive outcomes regarding patients with acute HIV infection who received antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) reactive results and linkage to care services. HIV testing and linkage data from four AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Wellness Centers in Los Angeles...
Investigating reasons for clinic absence among HIV-infected patients in Guinea-Bissau - a cohort study
May 2021
Clinic absence or lost to follow-up is still a big challenge in West Africa, especially in Guinea-Bissau, where retention in care is lower compared to all other low- or middle-income countries. The study aims to explore the reasons for clinic absence among HIV-infected patients in Guinea-Bissau, and to evaluate whether the telephone tracing is associated with patients returning to clinic follow-up. A prospective cohort...
Patient retention on anti-retroviral therapy (ART): Experience of treatment centres (TCs) in Yaounde, Cameroon
February 2021
Despite the achievements of Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) scale-up programmes for HIV/AIDS, retention remains a challenge. Achievements of the “90-90-90” HIV targets for the sustainable development goals hinges on adherence. Despite the importance of indefinite retention of patients in care, 33% of HIV patients in Cameroon are still lost-to-follow-up, thereby compromising scale-up initiatives. This study...
Treatment outcomes of tenofovir versus zidovudine-based first-line antiretroviral therapy regimens at Zewditu Memorial Hospital: A retrospective cohort study
November 2020
Tenofovir-based regimen is the preferred first line treatment in Ethiopia despite limited local data on its effectiveness and tolerability over zidovudine-based regimen. Therefore, this study compared the outcomes of tenofovir and zidovudine-based regimens focusing on toxicity driven regimen substitution and mortality. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Zewditu Memorial Hospital. All ART naïve patients...
Assessment of renal dysfunction and associated factors among patients on Tenofovir based antiretroviral treatment at Gondar University Hospital, North West Ethiopia: Retrospective institution based cross sectional study
October 2020
Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor that was introduced as a preferred first line antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia as of 2008. However, routine renal function assessment is recommended as it is known to cause renal failure and renal tubular dysfunction. To assess the practice of renal function monitoring of patients on TDF based ART regimen. The magnitude of renal dysfunction...
Determinants of antiretroviral therapy adherence among older adolescents living with HIV in Kenya during the transition to adult care: An observational study
October 2020
Lower levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among older adolescents as compared to adults are influenced by individual, psychosocial, and treatment-related factors. Successful transition of older adolescents into HIV adult care from paediatric & adolescent focused care requires an understanding of barriers to ART adherence. This study aimed at determining individual factors affecting ART adherence...
Assessment of the effect of anti-retroviral therapy on haematological parameters in HIV positive individuals in Zaria
August 2020
A total of 230 patients receiving HAART for the first time and followed regularly were retained and their information gotten using a questionnaire. Of this number, 146 (63.5%) were on Stavudine + Lamivudine + Nevirapine (Regimen 1). 84(36.5%) while the remaining were on zidovudine + Lamivudine + Nevirapine (Regimen 5). The distribution was 75(32.6%) males and 155(67.4%) females. Blood was collected from each patient and...
Viral suppression and predictors among adolescents receiving care for HIV/AIDS in a tertiary health centre in Uyo, South-South, Nigeria
August 2020
Viral suppression assesses the success of HIV/AIDS treatment and can avert or reduce transmission of infection. Several factors contribute to viral suppression and may vary in different settings and age groups, hence the need to study the associated factors in different populations. The aim of the research was to study the level of viral suppression and its predictors among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), who knew...
Immunological and clinical response to antiretroviral therapy according to baseline CD4+ T-cell count in Karamara General Hospital, Jigjiga, Ethiopia
June 2020
In resource limited countries, there is scarcity of information regarding the degree of immunological and clinical recovery in remote communities with ART service. This study retrospectively assessed the degree of immune recovery by CD4 count after initiation of ART. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult HIV patients who have been on ART for more than one year at Karamara Hospital. All analyses were...
Challenges of the care of HIV positive adolescents in Jos, Nigeria
November 2019
The introduction of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) to children with perinatally acquired HIV has prolonged their lifespan to adolescence and beyond. These HIV positive adolescents on care face challenges as they undertake their treatment which this study aimed to determine. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of challenges faced by adolescents between the ages 10 and 19 years on routine...
Unprotected sexual practice and associated factors among people on anti-retro-viral therapy at public health facilities of Arba Minch town: Cross-sectional study
October 2019
Unprotected sexual practice with multiple partners is identified as the greatest risk factor for transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Sub Saharan Africa and it is a public health concern among people infected with HIV. However, due to the focus of HIV prevention efforts was largely on people uninfected with HIV, people on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) were not addressed by prevention strategies in...
Mode of transmission of HIV infection among orphans and vulnerable children in some selected States in Nigeria
September 2019
Nigeria has high rate of pediatric HIV but there is a dearth of empirical data on the mode of HIV transmission. Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), with the support of USAID, is implementing a project to mitigate the impact of HIV on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) affected/infected with HIV/AIDS in Akwa-Ibom, Lagos, and Rivers states, Nigeria. The mode of HIV transmission among their OVC was...
Treatment outcomes among adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in Machakos, Kenya
August 2019
It is estimated that in 2017 there were about 1.5 million people living with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Kenya, of which 105,000 (7%) were adolescents. Adolescents have poorer antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes compared to adults. This study aimed to determine the treatment outcomes of adolescents on ART in Machakos County, Kenya. Adolescents on ART for at least two years from nine facilities were randomly...
Medication belief, locus of control, and adherence among patients on highly active anti retro viral therapy in Lagos, Nigeria
July 2019
Anti-retro viral therapy (ART) is a lifelong treatment and its effectiveness depends critically both on the efficacy of the antiretroviral drugs against the virus and achieving a very high level of adherence (> 95%) to the medications. This study evaluated the relationship between medication beliefs, locus of control and adherence to ART among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Lagos. A cross-sectional...
Demographic characteristics of clients up taking free counseling and testing services in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
June 2019
Nigeria has high burden of HIV/AIDS; antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability, a blessing to HIV patients. Unfortunately, most people do not know their HIV status. Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Nigeria introduced mobile free HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) services to complement its clinic services for HCT uptake. The characteristics of clients patronizing ARFH’s HCT services are...
Factors associated with non-adherence of HIV/AIDS patients to HAART regimen in a healthcare facility in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
March 2019
Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen, of at least 95%, is necessary for effective therapeutic response among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHIV). This study determined the factors associated with non-adherence of PLWHIV to HAART regimen among patients attending a healthcare facility in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Two hundred and fifty one patients, aged 18 to 70 years,...
Prevalence of wasting and its predictors among adults receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy in ART clinics of Hosanna town, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia – A cross-sectional study
February 2019
In patients with HIV infection, wasting has been associated with increased mortality. Even in the era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), accelerated disease progression, loss of muscle protein mass, and impairment of strength and functional status are common. However, data on the magnitude of wasting and its risk factors among individuals receiving HAART are scarce in Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to...
Prevalence and associated factors of Helicobacter pylori Infection among HIV positive adults on Anti-retroviral Therapy
January 2019
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections are worldwide healthcare burdens. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of H. pylori infection among HIV patients at Southern-Ethiopia. A Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at Hawassa University comprehensive specialized hospital on 390 HIV infected adults on antiretroviral therapy from September...
Relationship between adherence and health-related quality of life among HIV-patients in South Africa: findings and implications
December 2018
Greater access to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) has increased the survival of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has emerged as an important indicator of treatment outcomes. However, the success of HAART depends on consistent and optimum adherence. Various cross-sectional studies and few longitudinal studies identified the relationship between HRQoL and...
Serum protein electrophoresis as an added value for disease control among HIV patients in a hospital setting in Cameroon
November 2018
In the resource-limited countries, CD4 count and viral load (VL) determination are not always systematic, due to the low follow-up coverage and/or limited access to optimal hospital facilities. The present study aimed at evaluating the clinical role of Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPE) in HIV health care and disease control. An analytic study was conducted in a Cameroon reference’s hospital, in HIV patients on...
Dual voices of women living with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Gauteng Province of South Africa
November 2018
Dual voices of women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) show the experiences of the HIV positive women who are ignored by the society at large. The study aims to showcase the voices of women living with HIV and AIDS at a micro-level to approach the disease in a more holistic way. Qualitative study was employed to explore and describe the experiences of women...
Clinical and biological outcomes in an HIV-positive child treated with the immuno-modulator 6,6’-dithiodinicotinic acid (CPDS) over four years: A case report
October 2018
The elimination of HIV-AIDS by 2030 is a challenging target for a country such as the D.R. Congo, since currently fewer than 50% of persons living with HIV (PLWH) are under antiretroviral treatment (ART) and have a viral suppression. There also a high rate of death of PLWH in D.R. Congo. Accessible, affordable and sustainable immunotherapy, coupled with ART, can provide a substantial support to eliminating HIV. The...
A mixed methods study of the factors associated with HIV testing among young people in Saudi Arabia
October 2018
Despite recent progress in enhancing the accessibility of HIV-related health services worldwide, opportunities to diagnose patients are often missed due to genuine barriers at different levels. The aim of the study is to explore the factors that affect the HIV testing uptake by young people in Saudi Arabia. For the quantitative strand of the study a newly developed self-completed online questionnaire was used and the...
Correlation of hepatobiliary ultrasonographic findings with cd4cell count and liver enzymes in adult hiv/aids patients in Jos
October 2018
Hepatobiliary diseases occur commonly in patients with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and are now the commonest cause of death in HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in western countries. The hepatobiliary manifestations of AIDS are related to the levels of CD4+ count as well as liver enzymes. Abdominal ultrasound examination is easy to perform, non-invasive, inexpensive, readily...
Barriers of adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV/AIDS infected persons in Nekemte referral Hospital, East Wollega, Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia, 2017
May 2018
Adherence is engagement and accurate participation of an informed patient in a plan of care. A combination of factors:-the relationships between the patient and the provider, medication issues, psychological status, and structural issues can impede adherence efforts. The objectives were to assess barriers of adherence to antiretroviral drugs (ART) among Human immunodeficiency virus or Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome...
A prospective study on the changes of clinical values in HIV-Infected patients attending Kenyatta National Hospital Comprehensive Care Center
April 2018
Changes in serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (G-GT), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (T. Bil), direct bilirubin (D. Bil) are assayed to monitor liver function; while those of creatinine (CRT) and urea (UR) are for kidney functions. These two organs produce hepcidin and erythropoietins, respectively...
Survival time of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected children under 15 years of age after initiation of antiretroviral therapy in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia
April 2018
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has emerged as one of the leading causes of childhood mortality and morbidity in sub Saharan Africa. But, the attention given to HIV-infected children in terms of providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) had so far been ranked second. The study had the objectives of identifying predictors that had significant impacts on the survival status of HIV infected children who received...
Current status of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV) co-infection in Cameroon: Sero-prevalence, risk factors and correlation with markers of liver function and CD4 cells rate in patients diagnosed in three hospital settings
March 2018
This study investigates the current status of HIV/HCV co-infection through viral sero-prevalence and correlation with liver markers and CD4 count in three hospital settings in Cameroon. Blood samples of 75 newly diagnosed HIV patients, and 546 people attending the target hospitals were screened for HCV(antigen-antibodies) using enzyme-immunoassay. Biochemical liver markers (ALT-AST-g-GT-Bilirubin) and CD4-cell count...
Time for initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV co-infected tuberculosis patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
March 2018
Provision of integrated care for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infected tuberculosis (TB) patients is challenging. Many persons with TB and HIV co-infection are not yet receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and initiation of ART is not always timely. This study investigated ART uptake among HIV co-infected TB patients and its time of initiation in an urban primary health care facility in Ethiopia. A...
Pattern and predictors of cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell count recovery among cohorts of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy in Hawassa University Referral Hospital
March 2018
Cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell count recovery is used in determining disease progression and outcome monitoring. This study was conducted to determine the trends of CD4 cell count recovery, and its determinants in Hawassa university referral hospital, Ethiopia. Retrospective cohort study design was employed to gather relevant data among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive-patients visiting Hawassa...
Predictors of HIV/AIDS preventive behavior among college students in Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia using health belief model
February 2018
Safer sex behaviors (sexual abstinence, correct and consistent condom usage) are important for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS among college students. The purpose of this article was to review studies addressing determinants of safer sex behaviors among college students. In Ethiopia little or no data existed on the preventive behaviors of HIV/AIDS among college students. Therefore, this study...
Socio-demographic factors affecting HIV/AIDS in Kasungu District Malawi: A descriptive cross section study
February 2018
More than 70 million people have been infected worldwide with the HIV virus from the start of the epidemic, and since then, nearly 35 million people have died of HIV. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most severely affected area, accounting for nearly 70% of the people living with HIV worldwide. Approximately 8.8% of women and men age 15 to 49 in Malawi are HIV positive. Socio-demographic factors affecting the HIV/AIDS...
Differences in the ability to predict and prepare for sexual activity between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected young South African Women
January 2018
The Human Research Council’s National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behavior Survey ranks South Africa first in HIV incidence in the world with 400,000 new infections in 2012 and found the HIV incidence rate among female youth aged 15 to 24 years to be 2.5% that year. The objective of this study was to compare the pattern and predictability of sexual activity between HIV-infected and HIV- uninfected young South...
A study of outcomes of seven years' viral load testing at the National Public Health Laboratory, Nepal
December 2017
The benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients living with HIV (PLWH) in Nepal have been obvious. However, their viral load (VL) and the effects of VL testing scale-up on the outcomes of HIV treatment have not been adequately investigated. In Nepal, VL tests were performed since 2009 at National Public Health laboratory. VL testing for monitoring scale up was introduced in 2014. The present study was...
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