Derivation and validation of a novel risk assessment tool to identify children aged 2-59 months at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality in 20 countries.

INTRODUCTION: Existing risk assessment tools to identify children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality have shown suboptimal discriminatory value during external validation. Our objective was to derive and validate a novel risk assessment tool to identify children aged 2-59 months at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality across various settings. METHODS: We used primary, baseline, patient-level data from 11 studies, including children evaluated for pneumonia in 20 low-income and middle-income countries. Patients with complete data were included in a logistic regression model to assess the association of candidate variables with the outcome hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality. Adjusted log coefficients were calculated for each candidate variable and assigned weighted points to derive the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations (PREPARE) risk assessment tool. We used bootstrapped selection with 200 repetitions to internally validate the PREPARE risk assessment tool. RESULTS: A total of 27 388 children were included in the analysis (mean age 14.0 months, pneumonia-related case fatality ratio 3.1%). The PREPARE risk assessment tool included patient age, sex, weight-for-age z-score, body temperature, respiratory rate, unconsciousness or decreased level of consciousness, convulsions, cyanosis and hypoxaemia at baseline. The PREPARE risk assessment tool had good discriminatory value when internally validated (area under the curve 0.83, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.84). CONCLUSIONS: The PREPARE risk assessment tool had good discriminatory ability for identifying children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality in a large, geographically diverse dataset. After external validation, this tool may be implemented in various settings to identify children at risk of hospitalised pneumonia-related mortality.

HIV among men who have sex with men in the Caribbean: reaching the left behind / La infección por el VIH en hombres que tienen relaciones sexuales con hombres en el Caribe: alcanzar a los que quedaron atrás / HIV em homens que fazem sexo com homens no Caribe: alcançando os que ficaram para trás

ABSTRACT Objectives. To present the epidemiology, social and cultural factors driving the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Caribbean region and to highlight the regional and national responses, and what remains to be addressed to close the gaps in order to ending AIDS by 2030. Methods. A literature review was performed in the following databases: PubMed and Scopus. Articles published in the past 10 years were selected. The outcomes of interest were sociocultural risk factors, description of regional and national efforts and potential challenges and barriers to effective control of the epidemic among MSM. This report concentrates exclusively on publications related to MSM living in the Caribbean countries. Results. 11 peer-reviewed studies, 9 grey literature reports and programme frameworks were thematically analysed. The prevalence of HIV among MSM is high and the rates also do vary among Caribbean countries. Several factors influence the epidemic among MSM in the Caribbean but stigma and discrimination underlie the social vulnerability and play a central role in driving the HIV epidemic. Conclusions. To end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, MSM can no longer be kept unchecked in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals with the motto 'Leave no one behind'.

RESUMEN Objetivos. Presentar los factores epidemiológicos, sociales y culturales que impulsan la epidemia de la infección por el VIH en los hombres que tienen relaciones sexuales con hombres (HSH) en el Caribe, así como destacar las respuestas a nivel nacional y regional y las brechas que deben cerrarse para poner fin a la epidemia de sida para el 2030. Métodos. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica a partir de búsquedas en las siguientes bases de datos: PubMed y Scopus. Se seleccionaron artículos publicados en los últimos diez años que abordan los factores de riesgo socioculturales, la descripción de las iniciativas nacionales y regionales, y los posibles retos y obstáculos al control eficaz de la epidemia en los HSH. Este informe se centra exclusivamente en aquellas publicaciones sobre los HSH en los países del Caribe. Resultados. Se realizó un análisis temático de 11 estudios arbitrados y 9 artículos y marcos programáticos de la bibliografía gris. La prevalencia de la infección por el VIH en los HSH es alta y las tasas varían entre los países del Caribe. Existen varios factores que influyen en la epidemia de la infección por el VIH en los HSH en el Caribe, pero el estigma y la discriminación están en el centro de la vulnerabilidad social y ayudan a impulsar la epidemia. Conclusiones. En la era de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible y su lema de "no dejar a nadie atrás", no se puede continuar desatendiendo a los HSH si se quiere poner fin a la epidemia de sida para el 2030.

RESUMO Objetivos. Descrever o perfil epidemiológico e fatores socioculturais determinantes da epidemia de HIV em homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH) na região do Caribe e chamar atenção para as respostas nacionais e regionais e o que ainda falta para suprir as falhas e eliminar a aids até 2030. Métodos. Uma revisão da literatura foi realizada nas bases de dados PubMed e Scopus com a seleção de artigos publicados nos 10 últimos anos. Os desfechos de interesse foram fatores de risco socioculturais, descrição das iniciativas nacionais e regionais e potenciais desafios e obstáculos ao controle efetivo da epidemia de HIV em HSH. O estudo se restringiu exclusivamente a publicações relativas a HSH vivendo nos países do Caribe. Resultados. Onze estudos avaliados por pares e 9 relatos da literatura cinzenta e enquadramentos de programas foram analisados tematicamente. A prevalência do HIV é alta em HSH vivendo no Caribe e os índices variam entre os países. Diversos fatores influenciam a epidemia em HSH, mas o estigma e a discriminação constituem a base da vulnerabilidade social e têm um papel central na epidemia do HIV no Caribe. Conclusões. Para eliminar a epidemia de aids até 2030, os HSH não podem mais ficar sem monitoração na era dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável com sua missão de "não deixar ninguém para trás".

Health care for prisoners in Haiti.

Prisoners have disproportionate health care needs. Meeting those needs in a prison environment is challenging, especially in such resource-poor countries as Haiti. Even so, before the January 2010 earthquake, local and international organizations, in collaboration with the Haitian government, had been making significant progress to provide for the health needs of prisoners. The effort screened and identified prisoners for infectious disease, initiated appropriate care and treatment, and prepared prisoners for release to the community. Not only is it possible to establish an adequate prison health care program in a resource-poor country, it is necessary. Without adequate management of prisoners' health needs, especially for such infectious diseases as HIV and tuberculosis, disease burden increases. Infectious disease can spread among prisoners and impact the public's health. Recovery for postearthquake Haiti, as any nation rebuilding following natural disaster or conflict, requires respect for rule of law. This includes humane detention and the delivery of justice and adequate health care for prisoners.

Reducing health disparities through culturally sensitive treatment for HIV+ adults in Haiti.

There is a critical need to deliver empirically validated interventions to underserved populations. Haiti, the country most heavily affected by the AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, accounts for approximately 50% of all cases in the region. Poverty, disparities in access to healthcare, and socio-political instability are among the reasons why the country has been ravaged by the disease. Ongoing projects in Haiti have shown that integrated prevention and care in resource poor settings are feasible and can be successful, as evidenced by a 50% drop in incidence among pregnant women since 1993. The AIDS prevention program has embarked on a comprehensive effort to culturally adapt a cognitive-behavioral stress management program for Haitian HIV+ individuals. The purpose of the program is to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication, reduce transmission to uninfected partners, and improve coping. This comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure the validity of the cross-cultural adaptation of this intervention.

Notification of positive HIV test results in Haiti: can we better intervene at this critical crossroads in the life of HIV-infected patients in a resource-poor country?

The current study was conducted in Port au Prince, Haiti, to determine if information collected at HIV notification during voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) can predict patients' future adherence with risk reduction counseling and medical referral. Case histories describe HIV-infected patients with signs of depression during counseling who do not return for medical care, and women afraid of economic ruin and domestic violence who do not notify their sexual partners. Quantitative predictors of seeking medical care include: denial at the announcement of HIV test results (odds ratio [OR] 0.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1-0.6), belief that HIV can be transmitted by magic (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-0.9), and having symptoms at the time of HIV testing (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.3). Predictors of refusal to notify sexual partner of HIV status include: being poor (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.5), female (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.7-2.5), and belief that HIV can be transmitted by magic (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.9-2.6) In conclusion, information collected during HIV counseling and testing can predict patients' future adherence with counseling and medical referral. Counselors can use information such as signs of severe depression, economic hardship, and denial of HIV disease to identify patients at risk for nonadherence and to provide them with specialized counseling and care.