Behaviorally and perinatally HIV-infected young women: targets for preconception counseling.

This study aimed to describe demographic and psychological characteristics among HIV-infected young women, and to identify knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with conception, with the goal of informing interventions or programmatic decisions regarding preconception counseling methods for young women living with HIV. Behaviorally and perinatally HIV-infected young women (n = 34) were conveniently sampled in Miami, Florida. Participants were asked to complete measures of reproductive knowledge, attitudes toward conception, and risk behaviors, as well as measures of depression and cognitive functioning. Perinatally and behaviorally HIV-infected young women were very similar in important areas of health preconception practices such as conception-related health literacy and conception-related communication with providers. Behaviorally infected women, however, were somewhat more likely to have been pregnant in the past, and had greater knowledge of healthy contraception practices and family planning. Despite the difference among groups, both the perinatally and behaviorally acquired women demonstrated having adequate overall knowledge. Depression was higher and consistent with moderate depression among the behaviorally HIV-infected women in comparison to perinatally infected women. This study found that that despite adequate reproductive knowledge, most young HIV-infected women were not using contraception. Given the consequences of presentation of advanced HIV during pregnancy, the need for both treatment adherence and preconception counseling is essential. Results suggest that interventions or programmatic decisions regarding preconception counseling methods for young women living with HIV are necessary and potentially transferrable between populations.

Bridging the gaps between the histopathological and demographic risk factors of preterm birth in a unique Miami inner-city population.

We aim to identify the link between placental histological findings and obstetric reports to determine possible risk factors of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). We prospectively ascertained birth records and outcomes from all deliveries in our hospital in 1 year. Records were used to determine and stratify for either full-term or preterm [spontaneous or indicated (I)] deliveries. We analyzed for risk factor association using χ(2) tests and common odds ratio estimates (SPSS v21.0). Our cohort totaled 6088 deliveries: 236 IPTB, 43 SPTB, and 5809 term births. Largely Hispanic, we determined race, parity, prenatal care access, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and BMI to be highly associated with SPTB (p < 0.01). Histologically, placentas of women with SPTB were twice as likely to have chronic villitis. We found that chronic villitis is associated with SPTB. Results of this study can be used in increasing the understanding of SPTB.

Visit Data and Telehealth in a Clinic for Trafficked Persons: Virtual Care and Human Trafficking During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Human trafficking involves coerced labor or sex. THRIVE, a multidisciplinary University of Miami clinic for trafficked persons, transitioned to a hybrid telehealth model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Th is paper presents appointment data across THRIVE clinic services during this transition. METHODS: A review of appointments for THRIVE patients (n=156) was conducted to compare pre-pandemic (February 2019 to February 2020) and pandemic (March 2020 to December 2021) appointment trends. RESULTS: There were 15% more scheduled (n=51.1 versus n=44) and 8% more completed (n=30.2 versus n=27.9) appointments per month early in the pandemic period with telehealth use compared to the pre-pandemic period. Telehealth was most used within psychiatry. Rescheduled and no-show appointments per month significantly increased during the pandemic period (p=0.010 in pandemic period 1 and and p=0.028 in pandemic period 2). There were few significant differences in appointment trends according to demographic variables. CONCLUSION: Telehealth succeeded in connecting THRIVE patients during the pandemic, highlighting its potential for long-term use amongst trafficked persons.

HIV is always with me: men living with perinatally acquired HIV and planning their families.

Once expected to not survive childhood, youth with perinatally-acquired HIV have now reached young adulthood are of reproductive age and sexually active. Given the health impact of pregnancy among YPHIV, understanding reproductive decision making may inform preconception counseling strategies. Most literature regarding reproductive health among YPHIV focuses on women, overlooking one of the most important factors influencing the reproductive decision making process, male sexual partners. This manuscript examined attitudes, perceptions and experiences of young men with perinatally-acquired HIV (YMPHIV) regarding family planning and relationships, safer sex, disclosure, stigma and psychological health. Participants (n = 21) were YMPHIV aged 18-24 recruited in Miami, Florida. Focus groups (n = 4) were conducted; qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory. HIV disclosure, stigma, fertility intentions, safer preconception knowledge, attitudes and practices, family planning communication with medical providers and family, and mental health emerged as themes. Results suggest that despite accurate knowledge regarding healthy preconception practices, psychopathology, substance use, and stigma, impact the uptake of HIV healthcare interventions. Effective interventions on preconception counseling may require more tailored approaches than knowledge-based psychoeducation alone, such as inclusion of psychological treatment, which could be offered in HIV healthcare settings to optimize health outcomes.

Training Impact on Novice and Experienced Research Coordinators.

Competency-based training and professional development is critical to the clinical research enterprise. Understanding research coordinators' perspectives is important for establishing a common core curriculum. The purpose of this study was to describe participants' perspectives regarding the impact of online and classroom training sessions. 27 participants among three institutions, completed a two-day classroom training session. 10 novice and seven experienced research coordinators participated in focus group interviews. Grounded theory revealed similarities in novice and experienced coordinator themes including Identifying Preferences for Instruction and Changing Self Perceptions. Differences, seen in experienced participants, focused on personal change, in the theme of Re-Assessing Skills. Infrastructure and cultural issues were evident in their theme, Promoting Leadership and Advocacy. Novice participants recommended ways to improve training via their theme of Making Programmatic Improvements. Participants reported a clear preference for classroom learning. Training played an influential role in changing participants' self-perceptions by validating their experiences. The findings provided guidance for developing a standardized curriculum. Training must be carefully tailored to the needs of participants while considering audience needs based on work experience, how technology can be used and offering content that is most urgently needed.

Fertility Desires among Women Living with HIV.

OBJECTIVE: Rates of pregnancy among women living with HIV (WLHIV) have increased with the availability of effective HIV treatment. Planning for pregnancy and childbirth is an increasingly important element of HIV care. Though rates of unintended pregnancies are high among women in general, among couples affected by HIV, significant planning and reproductive decisions must be considered to prevent negative health consequences for WLHIV and their neonates. To gain insight into this reproductive decision-making process among WLHIV, this study explored women's knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding fertility planning, reproductive desires, and safer conception practices. It was hypothesized that pregnancy desires would be influenced by partners, families, the potential risk of HIV transmission to infants, and physicians' recommendations. METHODS: WLHIV of childbearing age were recruited from urban South Florida, and completed an assessment of demographics (N = 49), fertility desires and a conjoint survey of factors associated with reproductive decision-making. RESULTS: Using conjoint analysis, we found that different decision paths exist for different types of women: Younger women and those with less education desired children if their partners wanted children; reproductive desires among those with less education, and with less HIV pregnancy-related knowledge, displayed a trend toward additional emphasis on their family's desires. Conversely, older women and those with more education appeared to place more importance on physician endorsement in their plans for childbearing. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study highlight the importance of ongoing preconception counselling for all women of reproductive age during routine HIV care. Counselling should be tailored to patient characteristics, and physicians should consider inclusion of families and/or partners in the process.

Factors associated with prenatal care use among peripartum women in the Mother-Infant Rapid Intervention at Delivery study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with receiving prenatal care among women who present in labor without human immunodeficiency virus documentation using the results of a previous study, Mother-Infant Rapid Intervention at Delivery. DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter study. SETTING: Eighteen hospitals in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: The present analysis is based on 667 peripartum women who completed a face-to-face interview after delivery. For purposes of this analysis, human immunodeficiency virus-infected and human immunodeficiency virus-uninfected women were considered together as the "study group." METHODS: The original study, Mother-Infant Rapid Intervention at Delivery, offered rapid human immunodeficiency virus testing to women in labor without human immunodeficiency virus testing documentation at 18 hospitals in the United States. This secondary study evaluated factors related to prenatal care, among participants who agreed to an interview after delivery. RESULTS: Interviews were completed by 667 women. Of these, 26.8% reported no prenatal care before admission to labor and delivery. These women were more likely to have been born in the United States, have other children, used alcohol, and reported being unhappy. Those who reported receiving prenatal care were more likely to have had Medicaid, stronger social support, and reported good health. CONCLUSION: Women who are unlikely to receive prenatal care lack social support and are more likely to have additional social stressors. Medicaid may provide an important safety net to enhance access to care, because those with Medicaid were more likely to receive prenatal care. Further research is necessary to identify nontraditional models of care to enhance outreach to women at risk for no prenatal care.