Economic outcomes among microfinance group members receiving community-based chronic disease care: Cluster randomized trial evidence from Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Poverty can be a robust barrier to HIV care engagement. We assessed the extent to which delivering care for HIV, diabetes and hypertension within community-based microfinance groups increased savings and reduced loan defaults among microfinance members living with HIV. METHODS: We analyzed cluster randomized trial data ascertained during November 2020-May 2023 from 57 self-formed microfinance groups in western Kenya. Groups were randomized 1:1 to receive care for HIV and non-communicable diseases in the community during regular microfinance meetings (intervention) or at a health facility during routine appointments (standard care). Community and facility care provided clinical evaluations, medications, and point-of-care testing. The trial enrolled 900 microfinance members, with data collected quarterly for 18-months. We used a two-part model to estimate intervention effects on microfinance shares purchased, and a negative binomial regression model to estimate differences in loan default rates between trial arms. We estimated effects overall and by participant characteristics. RESULTS: Participants' median age and distance from a health facility was 52 years and 5.6 km, respectively, and 50% reported earning less than $50 per month. The probability of saving any amount (>$0) through purchasing microfinance shares was 2.7 percentage points higher among microfinance group members receiving community vs. facility care. Community care recipients and facility care patients saved $44.90 and $25.24 over 18-months, respectively, and the additional amount saved by community care recipients was statistically significant (p = 0.036). Overall and in stratified analyses, loan defaults rates were not statistically significantly different between community and facility care patients. CONCLUSIONS: Receiving integrated care in the community was significantly associated with modest increases in savings. We did not find any significant association between community-delivered care and reductions in loan defaults among HIV-positive microfinance group members. Longer follow up examination and formal mediation analyses are warranted.

Prevalence of food insecurity in patients with diabetes in western Kenya.

AIMS: To determine the characteristics of patients with diabetes who reported food insecurity at three diabetes clinics in western Kenya. METHODS: This study includes routinely collected demographic data at the first presentation of patients with diabetes at clinics in western Kenya from 1 January 2006 to 24 September 2011. A validated questionnaire was used to assess food insecurity with descriptive and comparative statistics being used to analyse the food-secure and food-insecure populations. RESULTS: The number of patients presenting to these clinics who were food-secure and those who were food-insecure was 1179 (68.0%) and 554 (32.0%), respectively. Comparative analysis shows a statistically significant difference in weight, BMI, the presence of a caretaker, and use of insulin between the two groups. These variables were lower in the food-insecure group. The overall assessment of the clinic population revealed an abnormally high mean HbA1c concentration of 81 mmol/mol (9.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the widely recognized contribution of caloric over-nutrition to the development of diabetes, this study highlights the high prevalence of food insecurity amongst patients with diabetes in rural, resource-constrained settings. Other factors, such as the lower prevalence of obesity, poor glucose control, challenges in the use of insulin because of the risk of hypoglycaemia, and varying subtypes of diabetes in this population, point to the need for additional research in understanding the aetiology, pathophysiology and optimum management of this condition, as well as understanding the effects of enhancing food security.

Describing the profile of patients on concurrent rifampin and warfarin therapy in western Kenya: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Rifampicin's ability to induce hepatic enzymes is responsible for causing a clinically significant drug interaction with warfarin. Little data exists to guide clinicians on managing this interaction, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where many patients are exposed to this combination due to a higher burden of tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the case series is to provide insight to practicing clinicians of the unique dynamics of this drug interaction in resource-constrained settings. The case series will provide details on commonly encountered scenarios and the dosage adjustments required to maintain a therapeutic INR. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients attending the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital anticoagulation clinic in Eldoret, Kenya. Patients were included if they had a history of concurrent rifampicin and warfarin therapy and a minimum follow up of 2 months. Descriptive statistics were used to explain the demographic characteristics, time to therapeutic INR and average weekly warfarin dose. The inference on proportions test was conducted to compare the time in the therapeutic range (TTR) for patients on concurrent rifampicin to the rest of the patients not receiving rifampicin in the clinic. RESULTS: Of the 350 patient charts evaluated, 10 met the inclusion criteria. The median percentage increase of the weekly warfarin dose from baseline was 15.7%. For the patients in this analysis, the median TTR was 47%. DISCUSSION: Patients on concurrent therapy should be rigorously monitored with regular INR checks and warfarin dosage adjustments. Empiric dosage adjustments of warfarin should be avoided but patient characteristics can aid in understanding the alterations seen in INR.

Important co-morbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus in three clinics in Western Kenya.

SETTING: Diabetes clinics in three hospitals in Western Kenya: Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and two associated district hospitals. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of diabetes patients with a history of tuberculosis (  TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV  ) infection and tobacco smoking. DESIGN: A descriptive study using routinely collected data from patient records in the three diabetes clinics. RESULTS: Of 1376 patients analyzed, 750 (55%) were female. The mean age of the patients in the clinics was 53.5 years (95%CI 52.2-54.8), with an average duration of diabetes of 8.1 years (95%CI 7.6-8.7). Of all patients, 5.6% reported a history of TB, similar to the frequency about 20 years earlier (1990) in Tanzania. Only 30% of the patients reported knowing their HIV status; 6% were HIV-positive. A history of tobacco smoking was reported by 3.8% of the patients. CONCLUSION: The HIV epidemic does not seem to have significantly changed the relationship between TB and diabetes mellitus (DM) in this cohort of diabetes patients. The frequency of HIV and TB in this special population was comparable to that in the general population, and only a small proportion of patients reported a history of tobacco smoking.

Performance outcomes of a pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinic in the rural, resource-constrained setting of Eldoret, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: It is recommended that warfarin therapy should be managed through an anticoagulation monitoring service to minimize the risk of bleeding and subsequent thromboembolic events. There are few studies in Sub-Saharan Africa that describe warfarin management in spite of the high incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and rheumatic heart disease. OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital anticoagulation monitoring service and compare its performance with clinics in resource-rich settings. METHODS: A retrospective chart review compared the percentage time in the therapeutic range (TTR) and rates of bleeding and thromboembolic events to published performance targets using the inference on proportions test. Wilcoxon's rank sum analyses were used to establish predictors of TTR. RESULTS: For the 178 patients enrolled, the mean TTR was 64.6% whereas the rates of major bleeds and thromboembolic events per year were 1.25% and 5%, respectively. In the primary analysis, no statistically significant differences were found between the results of TTR, major bleeds and thromboembolic events for the clinic and published performance rates. In the secondary analysis, having an artificial heart valve and a duration of follow-up of > 120 days were positively associated with a higher TTR (P < 0.05) whereas venous thromboembolism, history of tuberculosis, HIV and a duration of follow-up of < 120 days were associated with having a lower TTR (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The performance of the MTRH anticoagulation clinic is non-inferior to published metrics on the performance of clinics in resource-rich settings.