Decentralization of HIV care and treatment services in Central Province, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Since 2006, the government of Kenya began decentralizing HIV care from secondary health facilities (SHF) to an expanded network, including primary health facilities (PHF). We evaluated the impact of this strategy on enrollment, care, and outcomes among adult patients in Central Province, Kenya, from 2006 to 2010. METHODS: We analyzed electronic patient-level data for 26,690 patients at 15 SHF and 22 PHF. Enrollment, patient, and facility characteristics and patterns in CD4 testing, World Health Organization staging, and antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation were compared between SHF and PHF. Survival analysis was used to estimate cumulative death and loss to follow-up (LTF) rates in PHF and SHF. Multivariate competing risks regression and Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to identify correlates of LTF and death. RESULTS: Enrollment in PHF increased mainly between 2007 and 2009, representing 5% and 25% of all new enrollments, respectively. CD4 test provision and World Health Organization staging, time to ART initiation, and CD4 count at ART initiation were for the most part similar between PHF and SHF. In multivariate analyses, pre-ART patients enrolled in PHF had a lower risk of LTF than those enrolled in SHF (SHR = 0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.61 to 0.96). No differences in risk of death among pre-ART patients or in LTF or death among ART patients were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Enrollment at PHF increased substantially during the period; death rates were comparable between PHF and SHF, whereas LTF among pre-ART patients was lower at PHF. This suggests that decentralization can be a successful strategy for expanding HIV care.

HIV risk associated with gay bathhouses and sex clubs: findings from 2 seattle surveys of factors related to HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

OBJECTIVES: We studied the HIV risk behaviors of patrons of the 3 commercial sex venues for men in Seattle, Washington. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional, observational surveys in 2004 and 2006 by use of time-venue cluster sampling with probability proportional to size. Surveys were anonymous and self-reported. We analyzed the 2004 data to identify patron characteristics and predictors of risk behaviors and compared the 2 survey populations. RESULTS: Fourteen percent of respondents reported a previous HIV-positive test, 14% reported unprotected anal intercourse, and 9% reported unprotected anal intercourse with a partner of unknown or discordant HIV status during the current commercial sex venue visit. By logistic regression, recent unprotected anal intercourse outside of a commercial sex venue was independently associated with unprotected anal intercourse. Sex venue site and patron drug use were strongly associated with unprotected anal intercourse at the crude level. The 2004 and 2006 survey populations did not differ significantly in demographics or behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Patron and venue-specific characteristics factors may each influence the frequency of HIV risk behaviors in commercial sex venues. Future research should evaluate the effect of structural and individual-level interventions on HIV transmission.