Estimating the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on Self-reported Antiretroviral Therapy Use and Late Refill Visits Among People Living With HIV in Rural South Africa.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
; 96(4): 318-325, 2024 08 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38916425
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
People living with HIV require reliable access to and adequate supply of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for viral suppression. The Deliver Health Study, a randomized trial conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, found that home-delivered ART significantly increased viral suppression compared with clinic-based care. The effect of changing COVID-19 alert levels on self-reported ART use has not been quantified.SETTING:
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.METHODS:
Adults living with HIV were followed in the Deliver Health Study during October 2019-December 2020. We used difference-in-differences (DiD) to estimate the effect of changing COVID-19 alert levels during 3 distinct periods on self-reported missed ART doses (missed 0 vs. ≥1 doses in past week) for participants receiving home-delivered vs. clinic-based refills. We additionally estimated the effect of changing COVID-19 alert levels on late clinic ART refill visits (late vs. on-time). We used relative risk regression for both binary outcomes.RESULTS:
Of 155 participants, 46% were women and the median age was 36 years. The mean number of missed weekly doses was 0.11, 0, and 0.12 in the home-delivery group and 0.09, 0.08, and 0.18 in the clinic group during periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There were no differences in relative risk of self-reported daily ART use between refill groups when comparing across periods [DiDperiod 2 vs. 1 = 1.05; 95% confidence interval 0.97, 1.13 and DiDperiod 3 vs. 2 = 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91, 1.08]. In the clinic group, the risk of late refill visits was significantly higher during COVID-19 restrictions (vs. before alert level 5 implementation) and even after the COVID-19 alert level was downgraded to level 1 (RRperiod 2 vs. 1 = 1.83, 95% CI 1.34, 2.51 and RRperiod 3 vs. 2 = 1.71; 95% CI 1.43, 2.04).CONCLUSION:
The COVID-19 pandemic did not differentially impact self-reported ART adherence by the method of ART refills, but the risk of late clinic refill visits was significantly higher during COVID-19 restrictions and sustained after restrictions were loosened.
Texto completo:
1
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Población Rural
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Infecciones por VIH
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Autoinforme
/
COVID-19
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
Asunto de la revista:
SINDROME DA IMUNODEFICIENCIA ADQUIRIDA (AIDS)
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article