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BACKGROUND: Children affected by HIV are at risk for poor mental health. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Family Strengthening Intervention (FSI-HIV), a family home-visiting intervention to promote mental health and improve parent-child relationships in families with caregivers living with HIV, hypothesizing that child and family outcomes would be superior to usual care social work services. METHODS: Eighty two families (N = 170 children, 48.24% female; N = 123 caregivers, 68.29% female) with at least one HIV-positive caregiver (n = 103, 83.74%) and school-aged child (ages 7-17) (HIV+ n = 21, 12.35%) were randomized to receive FSI-HIV or treatment-as-usual (TAU). Local research assistants blind to treatment conducted assessments of child mental health, parenting practices, and family functioning at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Multilevel modeling assessed effects of FSI-HIV on outcomes across three time points. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01509573, 'Pilot Feasibility Trial of the Family Strengthening Intervention in Rwanda (FSI-HIV-R).' https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/;NCT01509573?term=Pilot+Feasibility+Trial+of+the+Family+Strengthening+Intervention+in+Rwanda+%28FSI-HIV-R%29&rank=1. RESULTS: At 3-month follow-up, children in FSI-HIV showed fewer symptoms of depression compared to TAU by both self-report (ß = -.246; p = .009) and parent report (ß = -.174; p = .035) but there were no significant differences by group on conduct problems, functional impairment, family connectedness, or parenting. CONCLUSIONS: Family-based prevention has promise for reducing depression symptoms in children affected by HIV. Future trials should examine the effects of FSI-HIV over time in trials powered to examine treatment mediators.
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Filho de Pais com Deficiência/psicologia , Depressão/psicologia , Relações Familiares/psicologia , Terapia Familiar/métodos , Infecções por HIV/psicologia , Promoção da Saúde/métodos , Comportamento Problema/psicologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Depressão/terapia , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Relações Pais-Filho , Poder Familiar/psicologia , Projetos Piloto , Método Simples-Cego , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: More than 85% of pediatric cancer cases and 95% of deaths occur in resource-poor countries that use less than 5% of the world's health resources. In the developed world, approximately 81% of children with cancer can be cured. Models applicable in the most resource-poor settings are needed to address global inequities in pediatric cancer treatment. PROCEDURE: Between 2006 and 2011, a cohort of children received cancer therapy using a new approach in rural Rwanda. Children were managed by a team of a Rwandan generalist doctor, Rwandan nurse case manager, Rwanda-based US-trained pediatrician, and US-based pediatric oncologist. Biopsies and staging studies were obtained in-country. Pathologic diagnoses were made at US or European laboratories. Rwanda-based clinicians and the pediatric oncologist jointly generated treatment plans by telephone and email. RESULTS: Treatment was provided to 24 patients. Diagnoses included lymphomas (n = 10), sarcomas (n = 9), leukemias (n = 2), and other malignancies (n = 3). Standard chemotherapy regimens included CHOP, ABVD, VA, COP/COMP, and actino-VAC. Thirteen patients were in remission at the completion of data collection. Two succumbed to treatment complications and nine had progressive disease. There were no patients who abandoned treatment. The mean overall survival was 31 months and mean disease-free survival was 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that chemotherapy can be administered with curative intent to a subset of cancer patients in this setting. This approach provides a platform for pediatric cancer care models, relying on local physicians collaborating with remote specialist consultants to deliver subspecialty care in resource-poor settings.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/administração & dosagem , Modelos Biológicos , Neoplasias , População Rural , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Neoplasias/diagnóstico , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/mortalidade , Ruanda/epidemiologia , Taxa de SobrevidaRESUMO
Despite an estimated 456,000 deaths caused by cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 and a cancer burden that is predicted to double by 2030, the region accounts for only 0·3% of worldwide medical expenditure for cancer. Challenges to cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa include a shortage of clinicians and training programmes, weak healthcare infrastructure, and inadequate supplies. Since 2011, Rwanda has developed a national cancer programme by designing comprehensive, integrated frameworks of care, building local human resource capacity through partnerships, and delivering equitable, rights-based care. In the 2 years since the inauguration of Rwanda's first cancer centre, more than 2500 patients have been enrolled, including patients from every district in Rwanda. Based on Rwanda's national cancer programme development, we suggest principles that could guide other nations in the development of similar cancer programmes.
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Prestação Integrada de Cuidados de Saúde/organização & administração , Países em Desenvolvimento , Política de Saúde , Oncologia/organização & administração , Neoplasias/terapia , População Negra , Comportamento Cooperativo , Prestação Integrada de Cuidados de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Política de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Necessidades e Demandas de Serviços de Saúde/organização & administração , Disparidades em Assistência à Saúde/organização & administração , Humanos , Oncologia/legislação & jurisprudência , Modelos Organizacionais , Neoplasias/diagnóstico , Neoplasias/etnologia , Neoplasias/mortalidade , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente/organização & administração , Formulação de Políticas , Desenvolvimento de Programas , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde , Ruanda/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Two decades ago, the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda led to the deaths of 1 million people, and the displacement of millions more. Injury and trauma were followed by the effects of a devastated health system and economy. In the years that followed, a new course set by a new government set into motion equity-oriented national policies focusing on social cohesion and people-centred development. Premature mortality rates have fallen precipitously in recent years, and life expectancy has doubled since the mid-1990s. Here we reflect on the lessons learned in rebuilding Rwanda's health sector during the past two decades, as the country now prepares itself to take on new challenges in health-care delivery.
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Atenção à Saúde/organização & administração , Criança , Mortalidade da Criança , Genocídio , Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Infecções por HIV/terapia , Política de Saúde , Humanos , Ruanda/epidemiologia , Tuberculose Pulmonar/mortalidade , GuerraRESUMO
The opioid epidemic has heavily affected adults of childbearing age, leading to thousands of children impacted by parental substance use. Few programs provide longitudinal support to these children. This article describes an innovative pediatric medical home model for substance-impacted children and their families, at an urban safety-net hospital. The team-based program directly serves children, and also devotes significant resources to parental health and recovery. In the program's first 3 years, 95% of enrollees were engaged in care, meeting the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended periodicity schedule for preventive health visits. On-time receipt of childhood vaccines ranged from 95% (pneumococcal conjugate) to 100% (human papilloma virus). The program's high engagement in care shows promise in engaging vulnerable families over time. Future work should explore how to engage children from more diverse backgrounds, and should examine whether the model impacts other indicators of health and well-being for children impacted by parental substance use.
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Background: Factors that contribute to low initiation and continuation of breastfeeding among mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD) are poorly understood. Objective: To understand barriers and facilitators to breastfeeding initiation and continuation beyond the birth hospitalization for mothers with OUD. Materials and Methods: We conducted 23 in-depth, semistructured interviews with mothers with OUD who cared for their infants at home 1-7 months after birth. Our interview guide was informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, which has been used to understand decision-making regarding breastfeeding. An iterative approach was used to develop codes and themes. Results: Among 23 participants, 16 initiated breastfeeding, 10 continued after hospital discharge, and 4 continued beyond 8 weeks. We identified factors influencing breastfeeding decisions in the four TPB domains. Regarding attitudes, feeding intentions were based on beliefs of the healthiness of breastfeeding particularly pertaining to infant withdrawal or exposure to mothers' medications. Regarding social norms, breastfeeding was widely recommended, but mothers had varying levels of trust in medical professional advice. Regarding perceived control, infant withdrawal and maternal pain caused breastfeeding to be difficult, with decisions to continue modulated by level of outside support. Regarding self-efficacy, mothers weighed their own recovery and well-being against the constant demands of breastfeeding, impacting decisions to continue. Conclusion: Mothers with OUD face unique barriers to breastfeeding related to their infants' withdrawal as well as their own health, recovery, and social context. Overcoming these barriers may serve as future intervention targets for breastfeeding promotion among this high-risk population.
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Aleitamento Materno , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Opioides , Lactente , Feminino , Humanos , Mães , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Opioides/epidemiologia , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Intenção , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em SaúdeRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We sought to 1) identify models of integrated care that offer medical care and social services for children and families impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD) in the postpartum year; and 2) describe how each program was developed, designed, and sustained, and explore facilitators and barriers to implementation of a dyadic, two-generation approach to care. METHODS: In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 23) were conducted with programs for women and children affected by OUD across North America. Using a phenomenologic approach, key program components and themes were identified. Following thematic saturation, these results were triangulated with experts in program implementation and with a subset of key informants to ensure data integrity. RESULTS: Five distinct types of programs were identified that varied in the degree of medical and behavioral care for families. Three themes emerged unique to the provision of dyadic care: 1) families require supportive, frequent visits with a range of providers, but constraints around billable services limit care integration across the perinatal continuum; 2) individual program champions are critical, but degree and reach of interdisciplinary care is limited by siloed systems for medical and behavioral care; and 3) addressing dual, sometimes competing, responsibilities for both parental and infant health following recurrence of parental substance use presents unique challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The key components of dyadic care models for families impacted by OUD included prioritizing care coordination, removing barriers to integrating medical and behavioral services, and ensuring the safety of children in homes with ongoing parental substance use while maintaining parental trust.
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Analgésicos Opioides , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Opioides , Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapêutico , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , América do Norte , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Opioides/terapia , Pais , Gravidez , Serviço SocialRESUMO
Background. Haiti lacks early childhood development data and guidelines in malnourished populations. Literature shows that developmental interventions are crucial for improving developmental outcomes malnourished children. This study examines the prevalence of early childhood development delays in a cohort of malnourished Haitian children and their associations with parental depression and self-efficacy. Methods. We used cross-sectional data from 42 patients 6 months to 2 years old in Saint-Marc, Haiti. We assessed their developmental status using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire. Parents were surveyed on depression symptoms and self-efficacy using validated surveys developed for low-resource settings. Demographic and socio-economic data were included. Prevalence of early childhood development delays and high parental depression risk were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to test whether parental depression risk and low self-efficacy were associated with a higher risk for childhood developmental delays. Results. Among participants, 45.2% (SD = 7.7%) of children with a recorded ASQ met age-specific cutoffs for developmental delay in one or more domains. 64.3% (SD = 7.4%) of parents were at high risk for depression. 47.6% (SD = 7.7%) of parents reported relatively low self-efficacy. Multivariable analysis showed that low parental self-efficacy was strongly associated with developmental delays (OR 17.5, CI 1.1-270.0) after adjusting for socioeconomic factors. Parental risk for depression was associated with higher odds (OR 4.6, CI 0.4-50.6) of children having developmental delays but did not reach statistical significance in this study. Conclusion. Parental self-efficacy was protectively associated with early childhood developmental delays in malnourished Haitian children. More research is needed to design contextually appropriate interventions.
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OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated a novel early childhood development (ECD) programme integrated it into the primary healthcare system. SETTING: The intervention was implemented in a rural district of Lesotho from 2017 to 2018. PARTICIPANTS: It targeted primary caregivers during routine postnatal care visits and through village health worker home visits. INTERVENTION: The hybrid care delivery model was adapted from a successful programme in Lima, Peru and focused on parent coaching for knowledge about child development, practicing contingent interaction with the child, parent social support and encouragement. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: We compared developmental outcomes and caregiving practices in a cohort of 130 caregiver-infant (ages 7-11 months old) dyads who received the ECD intervention, to a control group that did not receive the intervention (n=125) using a case-control study design. Developmental outcomes were evaluated using the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ), and caregiving practices using two measure sets (ie, UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), Parent Ladder). Group comparisons were made using multivariable regression analyses, adjusting for caregiver-level, infant-level and household-level demographic characteristics. RESULTS: At completion, children in the intervention group scored meaningfully higher across all EASQ domains, compared with children in the control group: communication (δ=0.21, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.26), social development (δ=0.27, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.8) and motor development (δ=0.33, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.31). Caregivers in the intervention group also reported significantly higher adjusted odds of engaging in positive caregiving practices in four of six MICS domains, compared with caregivers in the control group-including book reading (adjusted OR (AOR): 3.77, 95% CI 1.94 to 7.29) and naming/counting (AOR: 2.05; 95% CI 1.24 to 3.71). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that integrating an ECD intervention into a rural primary care platform, such as in the Lesothoan context, may be an effective and efficient way to promote ECD outcomes.
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Desenvolvimento Infantil , População Rural , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Humanos , Lactente , Lesoto , Atenção Primária à SaúdeRESUMO
In assessing the mental health of HIV/AIDS-affected children and adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa, researchers often employ mental health measures developed in other settings. However, measures derived from standard Western psychiatric criteria are frequently based on conceptual models of illness or terminology that may or may not be an appropriate for diverse populations. Understanding local perceptions of mental health problems can aid in the selection or creation of appropriate measures. This study used qualitative methodologies (Free Listing, Key Informant interviews, and Clinician Interviews) to understand local perceptions of mental health problems facing HIV/AIDS-affected youth in Rwinkwavu, Rwanda. Several syndrome terms were identified by participants: agahinda kenshi, kwiheba, guhangayika, ihahamuka, umushiha, and uburara. While these local syndromes share some similarities with Western mood, anxiety, and conduct disorders, they also contain important culture-specific features and gradations of severity. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding local manifestations of mental health syndromes when conducting mental health assessments and when planning interventions for HIV/AIDS-affected children and adolescents in diverse settings.
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Transtornos de Ansiedade/etiologia , Transtorno Depressivo/etiologia , Infecções por HIV/complicações , Transtornos Mentais/etiologia , Adolescente , Criança , Características Culturais , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , Humanos , Masculino , Transtornos Mentais/epidemiologia , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Saúde da População Rural , Ruanda/epidemiologia , Estresse Psicológico , Adulto JovemRESUMO
As increasing resources are now being directed towards addressing the growing U.S. opioid epidemic, the long-term care of children from opioid-affected families has been relatively neglected. While an array of evidence suggests long-term negative developmental, medical, and social impacts to children related to their parents' opioid use, there remains much to be learned about how best to support children and families to promote healthy outcomes. Here, we report on the launch of an innovative family-centered pediatric medical home for opioid-affected families in Boston. We describe the program, the patient cohort, and early lessons learned. Important themes include the vulnerability of families with infants whose parents are in early recovery, and the need for compassionate, high-touch, high-continuity, team-based care that views the needs of the family as a whole. We recommend a future emphasis on non-stigmatizing, trauma-informed care; centering the needs of the family by addressing social and logistics barriers and by expanding models of parent-child dyadic care; investing in attachment and mental health interventions; developing strategies for prevention of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the next generation; and grounding our advocacy and actions in a social justice approach.
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Epidemia de Opioides , Pais , Criança , Humanos , LactenteRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Malaria control is currently receiving significant international commitment. As part of this commitment, Rwanda has undertaken a two-pronged approach to combating malaria via mass distribution of long-lasting insecticidal-treated nets and distribution of antimalarial medications by community health workers. This study attempted to measure the impact of these interventions on paediatric hospitalizations for malaria and on laboratory markers of disease severity. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of hospital records pre- and post-community-based malaria control interventions at a district hospital in rural Rwanda was performed. The interventions took place in August 2006 in the region served by the hospital and consisted of mass insecticide treated net distribution and community health workers antimalarial medication disbursement. The study periods consisted of the December-February high transmission seasons pre- and post-rollout. The record review examined a total of 551 paediatric admissions to identify 1) laboratory-confirmed malaria, defined by thick smear examination, 2) suspected malaria, defined as fever and symptoms consistent with malaria in the absence of an alternate cause, and 3) all-cause admissions. To define the impact of the intervention on clinical markers of malaria disease, trends in admission peripheral parasitaemia and haemoglobin were analyzed. To define accuracy of clinical diagnoses, trends in proportions of malaria admissions which were microscopy-confirmed before and after the intervention were examined. Finally, to assess overall management of febrile illnesses antibiotic use was described. RESULTS: Of the 551 total admissions, 268 (48.6%) and 437 (79.3%) were attributable to laboratory-confirmed and suspected malaria, respectively. The absolute number of admissions due to suspected malaria was smaller during the post-intervention period (N = 150) relative to the pre-intervention period (N = 287), in spite of an increase in the absolute number of hospitalizations due to other causes during the post-intervention period. The percentage of suspected malaria admissions that were laboratory-confirmed was greater during the pre-intervention period (80.4%) relative to the post-intervention period (48.1%, prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.39 - 2.02; chi-squared p-value < 0.0001). Among children admitted with laboratory-confirmed malaria, the risk of high parasitaemia was higher during the pre-intervention period relative to the post-intervention period (age-adjusted PR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.11 - 2.38; chi-squared p-value = 0.004), and the risk of severe anaemia was more than twofold greater during the pre-intervention period (age-adjusted PR: 2.47; 95% CI: 0.84 - 7.24; chi-squared p-value = 0.08). Antibiotic use was common, with 70.7% of all children with clinical malaria and 86.4% of children with slide-negative malaria receiving antibacterial therapy. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that both admissions for malaria and laboratory markers of clinical disease among children may be rapidly reduced following community-based malaria control efforts. Additionally, this study highlights the problem of over-diagnosis and over-treatment of malaria in malaria-endemic regions, especially as malaria prevalence falls. More accurate diagnosis and management of febrile illnesses is critically needed both now and as fever aetiologies change with further reductions in malaria.
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Controle de Doenças Transmissíveis/métodos , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Malária/epidemiologia , Malária/prevenção & controle , Anemia/epidemiologia , Antimaláricos/uso terapêutico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Malária/tratamento farmacológico , Masculino , Controle de Mosquitos/métodos , Parasitemia/epidemiologia , Equipamentos de Proteção/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudos Retrospectivos , População Rural , Ruanda/epidemiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Malaria control is currently receiving significant international commitment. As part of this commitment, Rwanda has undertaken a two-pronged approach to combating malaria via mass distribution of long-lasting insecticidal-treated nets and distribution of antimalarial medications by community health workers. This study attempted to measure the impact of these interventions on paediatric hospitalizations for malaria and on laboratory markers of disease severity. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of hospital records pre- and post-community-based malaria control interventions at a district hospital in rural Rwanda was performed. The interventions took place in August 2006 in the region served by the hospital and consisted of mass insecticide treated net distribution and community health workers antimalarial medication disbursement. The study periods consisted of the December-February high transmission seasons pre- and post-rollout. The record review examined a total of 551 paediatric admissions to identify 1) laboratory-confirmed malaria, defined by thick smear examination, 2) suspected malaria, defined as fever and symptoms consistent with malaria in the absence of an alternate cause, and 3) all-cause admissions. To define the impact of the intervention on clinical markers of malaria disease, trends in admission peripheral parasitaemia and haemoglobin were analyzed. To define accuracy of clinical diagnoses, trends in proportions of malaria admissions which were microscopy-confirmed before and after the intervention were examined. Finally, to assess overall management of febrile illnesses antibiotic use was described. RESULTS: Of the 551 total admissions, 268 (48.6%) and 437 (79.3%) were attributable to laboratory confirmed and suspected malaria, respectively. The absolute number of admissions due to suspected malaria was smaller during the post-intervention period (N = 150) relative to the pre-intervention period (N = 287), in spite of an increase in the absolute number of hospitalizations due to other causes during the post-intervention period. The percentage of suspected malaria admissions that were laboratory-confirmed was greater during the pre-intervention period (80.4%) relative to the post-intervention period (48.1%, prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.39-2.02; chi-squared p-value < 0.0001). Among children admitted with laboratory-confirmed malaria, the risk of high parasitaemia was higher during the pre-intervention period relative to the post-intervention period (age-adjusted PR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.11-2.38; chi-squared p-value = 0.004), and the risk of severe anaemia was more than twofold greater during the prei-ntervention period (age-adjusted PR: 2.47; 95% CI: 0.84-7.24; chi-squared p-value = 0.08). Antibiotic use was common, with 70.7% of all children with clinical malaria and 86.4% of children with slide-negative malaria receiving antibacterial therapy. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that both admissions for malaria and laboratory markers of clinical disease among children may be rapidly reduced following community-based malaria control efforts. Additionally, this study highlights the problem of over-diagnosis and over-treatment of malaria in malaria-endemic regions, especially as malaria prevalence falls. More accurate diagnosis and management of febrile illnesses is critically needed both now and as fever aetiologies change with further reductions in malaria.
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INTRODUCTION: Although Rwanda's health system underwent major reforms and improvements after the 1994 Genocide, the health system and population health in the southeast lagged behind other areas. In 2005, Partners In Health and the Rwandan Ministry of Health began a health system strengthening intervention in this region. We evaluate potential impacts of the intervention on maternal and child health indicators. METHODS: Combining results from the 2005 and 2010 Demographic and Health Surveys with those from a supplemental 2010 survey, we compared changes in health system output indicators and population health outcomes between 2005 and 2010 as reported by women living in the intervention area with those reported by the pooled population of women from all other rural areas of the country, controlling for potential confounding by economic and demographic variables. RESULTS: Overall health system coverage improved similarly in the comparison groups between 2005 and 2010, with an indicator of composite coverage of child health interventions increasing from 57.9% to 75.0% in the intervention area and from 58.7% to 73.8% in the other rural areas. Under-five mortality declined by an annual rate of 12.8% in the intervention area, from 229.8 to 83.2 deaths per 1000 live births, and by 8.9% in other rural areas, from 157.7 to 75.8 deaths per 1000 live births. Improvements were most marked among the poorest households. CONCLUSION: We observed dramatic improvements in population health outcomes including under-five mortality between 2005 and 2010 in rural Rwanda generally and in the intervention area specifically.
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Of 277 HIV-infected children in rural Rwanda enrolled in a community-based accompaniment program, 95.0% were retained in care 5 years after treatment initiation, with only 9 (3.3%) deaths and 3 (1.1%) defaults. Of 235 (84.8%) children with a documented viral load result, 201 (85.5%) demonstrated viral load suppression (<1000 copies/mL).
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Fármacos Anti-HIV/uso terapêutico , Terapia Antirretroviral de Alta Atividade , Infecções por HIV/tratamento farmacológico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Serviços de Saúde Comunitária , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/virologia , Humanos , Masculino , Ruanda , Resultado do Tratamento , Carga ViralAssuntos
Serviços de Saúde da Criança/normas , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Infecções por HIV/transmissão , Transmissão Vertical de Doenças Infecciosas/prevenção & controle , Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida/epidemiologia , Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida/prevenção & controle , Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida/transmissão , Criança , Serviços de Saúde da Criança/organização & administração , Serviços de Saúde da Criança/provisão & distribuição , Pré-Escolar , Comportamento Cooperativo , Feminino , Fidelidade a Diretrizes/estatística & dados numéricos , Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Transmissão Vertical de Doenças Infecciosas/estatística & dados numéricos , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Gravidez , Ruanda/epidemiologia , Organização Mundial da SaúdeAssuntos
Equidade em Saúde , Atenção Primária à Saúde , Populações Vulneráveis , Boston , Hospitais Urbanos , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Direito à Saúde , RuandaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The global HIV/AIDS response has advanced in addressing the health and well-being of HIV-positive children. Although attention has been paid to children orphaned by parental AIDS, children who live with HIV-positive caregivers have received less attention. This study compares mental health problems and risk and protective factors in HIV-positive, HIV-affected (due to caregiver HIV), and HIV-unaffected children in Rwanda. METHODS: A case-control design assessed mental health, risk, and protective factors among 683 children aged 10 to 17 years at different levels of HIV exposure. A stratified random sampling strategy based on electronic medical records identified all known HIV-positive children in this age range in 2 districts in Rwanda. Lists of all same-age children in villages with an HIV-positive child were then collected and split by HIV status (HIV-positive, HIV-affected, and HIV-unaffected). One child was randomly sampled from the latter 2 groups to compare with each HIV-positive child per village. RESULTS: HIV-affected and HIV-positive children demonstrated higher levels of depression, anxiety, conduct problems, and functional impairment compared with HIV-unaffected children. HIV-affected children had significantly higher odds of depression (1.68: 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-2.44), anxiety (1.77: 95% CI 1.14-2.75), and conduct problems (1.59: 95% CI 1.04-2.45) compared with HIV-unaffected children, and rates of these mental health conditions were similar to HIV-positive children. These results remained significant after controlling for contextual variables, there were no significant differences on mental health outcomes groups, reflecting a potential explanatory role of factors such as daily hardships, caregiver depression, and HIV-related stigma [corrected]. CONCLUSIONS: The mental health of HIV-affected children requires policy and programmatic responses comparable to HIV-positive children.
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Saúde da Família , Soropositividade para HIV/psicologia , Saúde Mental , Adolescente , Cuidadores , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de Risco , RuandaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention to reduce mental health problems and bolster resilience among children living in households affected by caregiver HIV in Rwanda. DESIGN: Pre-post design, including 6-month follow-up. METHODS: The Family Strengthening Intervention (FSI) aims to reduce mental health problems among HIV-affected children through improved child-caregiver relationships, family communication and parenting skills, HIV psychoeducation and connections to resources. Twenty families (N = 39 children) with at least one HIV-positive caregiver and one child 7-17 years old were enrolled in the FSI. Children and caregivers were administered locally adapted and validated measures of child mental health problems, as well as measures of protective processes and parenting. Assessments were administered at pre and postintervention, and 6-month follow-up. Multilevel models accounting for clustering by family tested changes in outcomes of interest. Qualitative interviews were completed to understand acceptability, feasibility and satisfaction with the FSI. RESULTS: Families reported high satisfaction with the FSI. Caregiver-reported improvements in family connectedness, good parenting, social support and children's pro-social behaviour (P < 0.05) were sustained and strengthened from postintervention to 6-month follow-up. Additional improvements in caregiver-reported child perseverance/self-esteem, depression, anxiety and irritability were seen at follow-up (P < .05). Significant decreases in child-reported harsh punishment were observed at postintervention and follow-up, and decreases in caregiver reported harsh punishment were also recorded on follow-up (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The FSI is a feasible and acceptable intervention that shows promise for improving mental health symptoms and strengthening protective factors among children and families affected by HIV in low-resource settings.