Sex with partners met online: risky sexual behavior among bachelors in rural China.

In the context of gender imbalance and marriage squeeze in China, this study identifies socio-demographic characteristics of bachelors who reported having sex with partners whom they met online and examines associations between having sex with such partners and other risky sexual behaviors. Data are from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2017. 735 men who have rural household registration (hukou, in Chinese), and who were at least 28 years old and unmarried were interviewed. 16.5% of the sample had experienced sexual intercourse with a partner met online. After adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, having sex with such partners was associated with a range of risky sexual behaviors: unsafe sexual intercourse (such as anal sex, group sex, not using a condom) (adjusted OR (aOR) = 5.11, 3.14-8.33, p < 0.001); commercial sex (aOR = 4.42, 2.78-7.02, p < 0.001); having sex in public places (aOR = 3.11, 1.97-4.91, p < 0.001); and multiple sexual partners (> = 6 partners) (aOR = 12.57, 6.55-24.12, p < 0.001). This suggests that bachelors who had sexual intercourse with partners whom they met online are at higher risk for HIV or other STD infections. Future interventions targeted at this population will improve the efficiency of China's HIV/STD prevention.

An analysis of electronically monitored adherence to antiretroviral medications.

Medication adherence studies increasingly collect data electronically, often using Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) caps. Analyses typically focus on summary adherence measures, although more complete analyses are possible using adaptive statistical methods. These methods were used to describe individual-subject adherence patterns for MEMS data from a clinical trial. Subjects were adaptively clustered into groups with similar adherence patterns and clusters were compared on a variety of subject characteristics. There were seven different adherence clusters: consistently high, consistently moderately high, consistently moderate, consistently moderately low, consistently low, deteriorating starting early, and deteriorating late. Compared to other subjects, subjects with consistently high and consistently moderately high adherence were more likely to be male, White, and older and to maintain during study participation a CD4 cell count over 500 and an HIV viral load of at most 400 copies/ml. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of adaptive methods for comprehensive analysis of MEMS data.

Effects of nurse-delivered home visits combined with telephone calls on medication adherence and quality of life in HIV-infected heroin users in Hunan of China.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the effects of nurse-delivered home visits combined with telephone intervention on medication adherence, and quality of life in HIV-infected heroin users. BACKGROUND: Drug use is consistently reported as a risk factor for medication non-adherence in HIV-infected people. DESIGN: An experimental, pretests and post-tests, design was used: baseline and at eight months. METHODS: A sample of 116 participants was recruited from three antiretroviral treatment sites, and 98 participants completed the study. They were randomly assigned to two groups: 58 in the experimental group and 58 in the control group. The experimental group received nurse-delivered home visits combined with telephone intervention over eight months, while the control group only received routine care. The questionnaire of Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA) Antiretroviral Medication Self-Report was used to assess levels of adherence, while quality of life and depression were evaluated using Chinese versions of World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) and Self-rating Depression Scale, respectively. Data were obtained at baseline and eight months. RESULTS: At the end of eight months, participants in the experimental group were more likely to report taking 100% of pills (Fisher's exact = 14.3, p = 0.0001) and taking pills on time (Fisher's exact = 18.64, p = 0.0001) than those in the control group. There were significant effects of intervention in physical (F = 10.47, p = 0.002), psychological (F = 9.41, p = 0.003), social (F = 4.09, p = 0.046) and environmental (F = 4.80, p = 0.031) domains of WHOQOL and depression (F = 5.58, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Home visits and telephone calls are effective in promoting adherence to antiretroviral treatment and in improving the participants' quality of life and depressive symptoms in HIV-infected heroin users. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It is important for nurses to recognise the issues of non-adherence to antiretroviral treatment in heroin users. Besides standard care, nurses should consider conducting home visits and telephone calls to ensure better health outcome of antiretroviral treatment in this population.

Cultural Adaptation of a Medication Adherence Intervention With Prisoners Living With HIV in Indonesia: A Pragmatic Approach to Intervention Development.

Cultural adaptation is a research strategy used to tailor evidence-informed interventions for new populations and settings. We describe a pragmatic approach used to culturally adapt a nurse-led medication adherence intervention, Adherence Through Home Education and Nursing Assessment (ATHENA), for prisoners living with HIV in Indonesia. Researchers reviewed data from completed studies in Indonesia and identified core components of the ATHENA intervention considered essential for effectiveness. Adaptations likely to render ATHENA acceptable and feasible in the Indonesian prison setting were proposed. An intervention led by nurses and peer educators was feasible and congruent with existing models in Indonesian prisons. Involving prisoners with HIV in successive developmental phases helped to ensure a good cultural fit. In the context of prisons and other freedom-limiting environments, a pragmatic approach that integrates members of the target population within an anti-oppressive Freirian pedagogical framework is highly appropriate for adapting evidence-informed interventions.

Knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of risk related to HIV/AIDS among Chinese university students in Hunan, China.

The purpose of this paper is to describe HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions and identify personal risk behaviors among undergraduate students in China. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 1326 students between ages 17 through 28 was conducted in 2002. Results indicated that students held considerable misconceptions about HIV transmission by casual contact and needle sharing as well as stigmatizing attitudes about injection drug use, homosexuality and HIV-positive women who bear children. Results indicated that 14% of Chinese university students are sexually active and risk behaviors tended to increase with age. Additionally, 24% of the students considered themselves to be at moderate to very high risk of contracting HIV and 40% of sexually active students never used condoms. Therefore, it is important to design HIV prevention strategies that target university students in China.

The spectrum of symptoms among rural South Africans with HIV infection.

The vast majority of people infected with HIV in South Africa have no access to antiretroviral therapy, making palliative care the only treatment available. An important element of palliative care is symptom management. However, little is known about the range of symptoms and the distress associated with them among rural South Africans living with HIV/AIDS. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the spectrum of symptoms experienced by 64 HIV-positive patients who received palliative care from a rural home-based palliative care program. Data were determined using a questionnaire adapted from an HIV symptom list and HIV symptom profile. The physical symptoms of most immediate importance identified by the respondents were localized pain, skin problems, cough, vaginal discharge/infection, and fatigue. The psychological symptoms of the most immediate and overall importance were feelings of anger, loneliness, decreased support from family and friends, and a decreased sense of satisfaction. This study provides insight into the spectrum of HIV-associated symptoms in a rural South African HIV-positive population. Through improved symptom assessment and management, nurses can improve palliative care services to those suffering from the distressful symptoms associated with HIV infection.

Kitchen table wisdom: a Freirian approach to medication adherence.

Most interventions to promote medication adherence are based on psychological theories of individual behavior. In contrast, this article describes the theory and practice of a socially based adherence intervention that is guided by the educational principles of Paolo Freire. This approach asserts that adherence is influenced by the patient's social context and attempts to improve adherence through identifying social constraints on adherence behavior. The program builds on the traditions of patient education through home nursing visits. Using a dialectic process of dialogue and problem solving and working with a team that includes a nurse and a peer-educator, patients are encouraged to act to change their social environment to support their desire to achieve high levels of medication adherence. This strategy does not replace, but rather supplements, traditional methods of understanding individual patient behavior and allows the patient and the nurse to consider potential solutions to adherence challenges in the larger social context.

Group music interventions for dementia-associated anxiety: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examines the few published studies using group music interventions to reduce dementia-associated anxiety, the delivery of such interventions, and proposes changes to nursing curriculum for the future. DESIGN: Literature review. METHODS: All quantitative studies from 1989 to 2014 were searched in CINAHL and PubMed databases. Only published articles written in English were included. Studies excluded were reviews, non-human subjects, reports, expert opinions, subject age less than 65, papers that were theoretical or philosophical in nature, individual music interventions, case studies, studies without quantification of changes to anxiety, and those consisting of less than three subjects. Components of each study are analyzed and compared to examine the risk for bias. RESULTS: Eight articles met the inclusion criteria for review. Subject dementia severity ranged from mild to severe among studies reviewed. Intervention delivery and group sizes varied among studies. Seven reported decreases to anxiety after a group music intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Group music interventions to treat dementia-associated anxiety is a promising treatment. However, the small number of studies and the large variety in methods and definitions limit our ability to draw conclusions. It appears that group size, age of persons with dementia and standardization of the best times for treatment to effect anxiety decreases all deserve further investigation. In addition, few studies have been conducted in the United States. In sum, while credit is due to the nurses and music therapists who pioneered the idea in nursing care, consideration of patient safety and improvements in music intervention delivery training from a healthcare perspective are needed. Finally, more research investigating resident safety and the growth of nursing roles within various types of facilities where anxiety is highest, is necessary.

Incidence of anal cytological abnormalities in a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus-infected women.

Little is known about the natural history of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in HIV-infected women because, to date, no longitudinal studies have been reported in the scientific literature. This article estimates the incidence of anal cytological abnormalities in a cohort of HIV-infected women. It also examines potential risk factors for the development of an anal cytological abnormality. A cohort of HIV-infected women underwent interview, anal cytology, and anogenital HPV DNA testing. Women with a normal baseline anal cytology were followed for the development of an anal cytological abnormality. The incidence of an abnormality was calculated. Survival analyses were performed to examine risk factors for the development of an abnormality. Fourteen of 100 HIV-infected women had an abnormal anal cytology at baseline. Among the 86 women with a normal baseline cytology, the incidence of an abnormality was 22 [95% confidence interval (CI), 14-33] per 100 person-years. In a multivariate analysis, women were at increased risk if, at baseline, they had a CD4+ T-cell count of <500 cells/mm(3) [relative hazard (RH) = 4.11; 95% CI, 1.18-14.25], high-risk type anal HPV infection (RH = 2.54; 95% CI, 0.91-7.14) or were cigarette smokers (RH = 3.88; 95% CI, 1.12-13.42). The incidence of anal cytological abnormalities was high among this cohort of HIV-infected women, indicating that they are at high risk of anal squamous intraepithelial lesions. HIV-infected women are likely to be at higher risk than their HIV-uninfected counterparts because immune suppression conferred substantially increased risk. Continued research on the association between smoking and the development of squamous intraepithelial lesions in HIV-infected women is warranted.

Educational needs of family caregivers of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand.

As the AIDS epidemic continues to overwhelm the acute care hospital system in Thailand, an increasing number of family members are required to provide care for persons living with AIDS (PLWA) in their homes. In response to the increasing demand for home care, a qualitative study using focus group methodology was conducted to learn more about the need for education and support for family caregivers of PLWA in Thailand. Eighteen family caregivers and 18 nurses caring for PLWA participated in four focus group discussions. The major themes identified were fear, stigma, sorrow, empathy, hopelessness, and hope. In addition, participants voiced a need for education to improve the knowledge and skills related to care of PLWA. These findings will be used to guide the development of a training program for family caregivers.

Gynecologic care for women with HIV infection.

The purpose of this article is to review the gynecologic conditions encountered among women with HIV and to outline elements of gynecologic care for these women. The most prevalent problems are vulvo-vaginal candidiasis and cervical dysplasia; however, other sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease, genital ulcer disease, and menstrual abnormalities are also seen. Drug interactions may limit the effectiveness or increase the toxicities associated with hormonal contraception. Intrauterine devices are contraindicated.

Changing knowledge, behavior, and practice related to universal precautions among hospital nurses in China.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of an educational training program for hospital nurses on universal precautions in Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China. METHOD: Using a quasi-experimental design, 50 of 100 randomly selected hospital nurses were randomly assigned to receive an educational intervention. Questionnaires were administered to the 100 nurses prior to and 4 months after the training. FINDINGS: Knowledge, practice, and behaviors related to universal precautions and the prevalence of hepatitis B immunization improved among nurses in the group who received training. No significant change in the frequency of glove use was found. Underreporting of sharps injuries to hospital authorities continued in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although educational training significantly improved Chinese nurses' knowledge, practice, and behavior related to universal precautions, there remains room for improvement in glove use and needlestick injury reporting.

Efficacy of an evidence-based ARV adherence intervention in China.

We designed a randomized controlled trial of a home based intervention to improve antiretroviral adherence and to assess the impact of depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in Hunan, China. At baseline, 110 subjects reported taking 90% or less of prescribed medication. At 6 months, when the intervention ended, 56% of subjects in the control and 87% of subjects in the experimental group were adherent. This difference was maintained at 12 months. In multivariate analyses, controlling for baseline visual analogue adherence scale, stigma, social support, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, the experimental group had a significantly higher proportion of people who were adherent (p=0.009). The high prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (67%) at baseline is of concern. It is of particular importance that future studies look at the types of depression likely to be seen in these patients and differentiate early between those likely to benefit from HIV-related support and those who will require additional depression-targeted interventions.

Depressive symptoms and social support among people living with HIV in Hunan, China.

Depressive symptoms are common among people living with HIV (PLWH) and are associated with poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment and poor treatment outcomes. Our study investigated the prevalence of and factors associated with depressive symptoms in PLWH in one Chinese province. Data were collected from 496 PLWH between July 2009 and July 2010 at two HIV treatment sites in Hunan Province, China. Sixty-two percent (n = 309) of participants scored 16 or more on the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression scale, indicating moderate to high levels of depressive symptoms. Independent predictors of depressive symptoms included active heroin use, lack of a stable job, female gender, and limited social support. These data suggest that interventions addressing depressive symptoms should be included in HIV care programs provided by the Chinese government, with a special focus on PLWH who are heroin users, female, unemployed, or socially isolated.

Prevalence of WHO transmitted drug resistance mutations by deep sequencing in antiretroviral-naïve subjects in Hunan Province, China.

BACKGROUND: There are few data on the prevalence of WHO transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRs) that could affect treatment responses to first line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Hunan Province, China. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of WHO NRTI/NNRTI/PI TDRs in ART-naïve subjects in Hunan Province by deep sequencing. METHODS: ART-naïve subjects diagnosed in Hunan between 2010-2011 were evaluated by deep sequencing for low-frequency HIV variants possessing WHO TDRs to 1% levels. Mutations were scored using the HIVdb.stanford.edu algorithm to infer drug susceptibility. RESULTS: Deep sequencing was performed on samples from 90 ART-naïve subjects; 83.3% were AE subtype. All subjects had advanced disease (average CD4 count 134 cells/mm3). Overall 25.6%(23/90) of subjects had HIV with major WHO NRTI/NNRTI TDRs by deep sequencing at a variant frequency level ≥ 1%; 16.7%(15/90) had NRTI TDR and 12.2%(11/90) had a major NNRTI TDR. The majority of NRTI/NNRTI mutations were identified at variant levels <5%. Mutations were analyzed by HIVdb.stanford.edu and 7.8% of subjects had variants with high-level nevirapine resistance; 4.4% had high-level NRTI resistance. Deep sequencing identified 24(27.6%) subjects with variants possessing either a PI TDR or hivdb.stanford.edu PI mutation (algorithm value ≥ 15). 17(19.5%) had PI TDRs at levels >1%. CONCLUSIONS: ART-naïve subjects from Hunan Province China infected predominantly with subtype AE frequently possessed HIV variants with WHO NRTI/NNRTI TDRs by deep sequencing that would affect the first line ART used in the region. Specific mutations conferring nevirapine high-level resistance were identified in 7.8% of subjects. The majority of TDRs detected were at variant levels <5% likely due to subjects having advanced chronic disease at the time of testing. PI TDRs were identified frequently, but were found in isolation and at low variant frequency. As PI/r use is infrequent in Hunan, the existence of PI mutations likely represent AE subtype natural polymorphism at low variant level frequency.

Cultural adaptation of an evidence-based nursing intervention to improve medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China.

BACKGROUND: Adapting nursing interventions to suit the needs and culture of a new population (cultural adaptation) is an important early step in the process of implementation and dissemination. While the need for cultural adaptation is widely accepted, research-based strategies for doing so are not well articulated. Non-adherence to medications for chronic disease is a global problem and cultural adaptation of existing evidence-based interventions could be useful. OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to describe the cultural adaptation of an evidence-based nursing intervention to improve medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS and to offer recommendations for adaptation of interventions across cultures and borders. SITE: The intervention, which demonstrated efficacy in a randomized controlled trial in North America, was adapted for the cultural and social context of Hunan Province, in south central China. SOURCES OF DATA: The adaptation process was undertaken by intervention stakeholders including the original intervention study team, the proposed adaptation team, and members of a Community Advisory Board, including people living with HIV/AIDS, family members, and health care workers at the target clinical sites. PROCEDURES: The adaptation process was driven by quantitative and qualitative data describing the new population and context and was guided by principles for cultural adaptation drawn from prevention science research. RESULTS: The primary adaptation to the intervention was the inclusion of family members in intervention activities, in response to the cultural and social importance of the family in rural China. In a pilot test of the adapted intervention, self-reported medication adherence improved significantly in the group receiving the intervention compared to the control group (p=0.01). Recommendations for cultural adaptation of nursing interventions include (1) involve stakeholders from the beginning; (2) assess the population, need, and context; (3) evaluate the intervention to be adapted with attention to details of the original studies that demonstrated efficacy; (4) compare important elements of the original intervention with those of the proposed new population and context to identify primary points for adaptation; (5) explicitly identify sources of tension between intervention fidelity and cultural adaptive needs; (6) document the process of adaptation, pilot the adapted intervention, and evaluate its effectiveness before moving to dissemination and implementation on a large scale.

Stigma mediates the relationship between self-efficacy, medication adherence, and quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in China.

Although the relationship between self-efficacy and health-related behaviors is well known, limited data are available describing the association between self-efficacy and HIV stigma. Specifically, it is not known if the relationship between self-efficacy and health outcomes is mediated by HIV stigma. This study aimed to test these relationships. Data were collected from 202 HIV/AIDS patients in China using questionnaires measuring self-efficacy for disease management, self-reported 7 day medication adherence, perceived HIV/AIDS stigma and quality of life. The total mean score for self-efficacy was 6.73 (range, 2.78-10.0), and the total mean score for HIV stigma was 102.24 (range, 57.0-148.0). Seventy-four percent (150/202) of subjects reported missing no medication doses during past 7 days, and 73% (148/202) subjects reported a quality of life score over 60. There was a moderate level of association between self-efficacy and HIV stigma (Pearson r=-0.43, p=0.000). High self-efficacy predicted better medication adherence (odds ratio [OR]=1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.40-2.36) and better quality of life (OR=1.28, 95% CI=1.03-1.60) after controlling for demographic and HIV related characteristics. HIV stigma partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and medication adherence (OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.26-2.15; Sobel test result Z=1.975, p=0.048). HIV stigma totally mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life (OR=1.15, 95% CI=0.91-1.46; Sobel test result Z=2.362, p=0.018). The results suggest that, although self-efficacy is an important predictor for medication adherence and quality of life, HIV stigma as a mediator should not be neglected. Health care providers should also evaluate HIV stigma conditions when seeking to improve self-efficacy through interventions.

Consistent ART adherence is associated with improved quality of Life, CD4 counts, and reduced hospital costs in central China.

This study aimed to assess levels of ART adherence and to examine the relationship between adherence and treatment outcomes. A longitudinal study in Hunan and Hubei provinces used the CPCRA Antiretroviral Medication Self-Report and a 7-day Visual Analogue Scale to assess levels of adherence, while quality of life was evaluated using SF-36. CD4 cell count and the number, duration, and cost of hospitalizations were collected from participant medical records. Measurements were obtained at baseline, month 3, and month 6. A total of 113 participants enrolled and 98 completed the study. The mean level of adherence was 91%, 89%, and 88% at baseline and at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Of participants, 54/98 (58%) reported taking all doses at all three interviews and were classified as consistent adherers (CA). CAs had better physical function (p = 0.001), general health (p = 0.009), vitality (p = 0.016), social functioning (p = 0.001), and mental health (p = 0.023), and presented a higher CD4 cell count (p = 0.028). CAs also had fewer hospital admissions and readmissions (p = 0.005), shorter hospital stays (p = 0.005), and lower hospital expenses (p = 0.006). Consistent adherence is associated with better outcomes including improved quality of life, higher CD4 counts, and lower health care costs.