Exploring adolescent girls and young women's PrEP-user profiles: qualitative insights into differentiated PrEP delivery platform selection and engagement in Cape Town, South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), a priority population for HIV prevention in Africa, show high interest but difficulty in sustained effective use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). With ongoing PrEP scale-up focused on increasing access, it is important to understand what influences AGYW's choice of PrEP delivery platforms. METHODS: The POWER implementation study in Cape Town provided PrEP between 2017 and 2020 to AGYW (16-25 years) from four differentiated delivery platforms: mobile clinic, government facility, courier delivery or community-based youth club. Healthcare providers at government and mobile clinics provided PrEP (initiation and refills) as part of comprehensive, integrated sexual and reproductive health services. Courier and youth club platforms provided light-touch PrEP refill services incorporating rapid HIV self-testing. We conducted in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of AGYW who had ≥3 months of PrEP-use and accessed ≥2 PrEP delivery platforms. The thematic analysis explored AGYW's preferences, decision-making and habits related to PrEP access to inform market segmentation. RESULTS: We interviewed 26 AGYW (median age 20) PrEP-users between November 2020 and March 2021. AGYW PrEP-users reported accessing different services with, 24 accessing mobile clinics, 17 courier delivery, 9 government health facilities and 6 youth clubs for their PrEP refills. Qualitative findings highlighted four potential behavioural profiles. The "Social PrEP-user" preferred PrEP delivery in peer spaces, such as youth clubs or adolescent-friendly mobile clinics, seeking affirmation and social support for continued PrEP use. The "Convenient PrEP-user" favoured PrEP delivery at easily accessible locations, providing quick (courier) or integrated contraception-PrEP refill visits (mobile and government clinic). The "Independent PrEP-user" preferred PrEP delivery that offered control over delivery times that fit into their schedule, such as the courier service. The "Discreet PrEP-user" highly valued privacy regarding their PrEP use (courier delivery) and avoided delivery options where unintentional disclosure was evident (youth club). Comfort with HIV self-testing had minimal influence on PrEP delivery choice. CONCLUSIONS: Market segmentation of AGYW characterizes different types of PrEP-users and has the potential to enhance tailored messaging and campaigns to reach specific segments, with the aim of improving sustained PrEP use and HIV prevention benefits.

Adolescent girls' descriptions of dysmenorrhea and barriers to dysmenorrhea management in Moshi, Tanzania: A qualitative study.

Dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain) is common among adolescent girls globally, but many girls in Sub-Saharan Africa do not receive effective treatment. Qualitative interviews were used to describe adolescent girls' experiences of dysmenorrhea and identify sociocultural barriers to dysmenorrhea management in Moshi, Tanzania. From August to November 2018, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 adolescent girls and 10 adult experts (e.g., teachers, medical providers) who have experience working with girls in Tanzania. Thematic content analysis identified themes related to dysmenorrhea, including descriptions of dysmenorrhea and the impact of dysmenorrhea on well-being, as well as factors influencing the use of pharmacological and behavioral pain management strategies. Potential barriers to dysmenorrhea management were identified. Dysmenorrhea negatively impacted the physical and psychological well-being of girls and hindered girls' ability to participate in school, work, and social events. The most common pain management strategies were resting, drinking hot water, engaging in physical activity, and taking paracetamol. Barriers to dysmenorrhea management included beliefs that medications are harmful to the body or can hinder fertility, limited knowledge about the benefits of hormonal contraceptives to manage menstruation, little continuing education for healthcare providers, and a lack of consistent access to effective medications, medical care, or other supplies necessary for pain management. Medication hesitancy and inconsistent access to effective medication and other menstrual supplies must be addressed to improve girls' ability to manage dysmenorrhea in Tanzania.

Mechanisms of action for stigma reduction among primary care providers following social contact with service users and aspirational figures in Nepal: an explanatory qualitative design.

BACKGROUND: There are increasing initiatives to reduce mental illness stigma among primary care providers (PCPs) being trained in mental health services. However, there is a gap in understanding how stigma reduction initiatives for PCPs produce changes in attitudes and clinical practices. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of a stigma reduction intervention in Nepal: REducing Stigma among HealthcAre Providers (RESHAPE). In a previous analysis of this pilot, we described differences in stigmatizing attitudes and clinical behaviors between PCPs receiving a standard mental health training (mental health Gap Action Program, mhGAP) vs. those receiving an mhGAP plus RESHAPE training. The goal of this analysis is to use qualitative interview data to explain the quantitative differences in stigma outcomes identified between the trial arms. METHODS: PCPs were randomized to either standard mental health training using mhGAP led by mental health specialists or the experimental condition (RESHAPE) in which service users living with mental illness shared photographic recovery narratives and participated in facilitated social contact. Qualitative interviews were conducted with PCPs five months post-training (n = 8, standard mhGAP training; n = 20, RESHAPE). Stigmatizing attitudes and clinical practices before and after training were qualitatively explored to identify mechanisms of change. RESULTS: PCPs in both training arms described changes in knowledge, skills, and confidence in providing mental healthcare. PCPs in both arms described a positive feedback loop, in which discussing mental health with patients encouraged more patients to seek treatment and open up about their illness, which demonstrated for PCPs that mental illness can be treated and boosted their clinical confidence. Importantly, PCPs in the RESHAPE arm were more likely to describe a willingness to treat mental health patients and attributed this in part to social contact with service users during the training. CONCLUSIONS: Our qualitative research identified testable mechanisms of action for stigma reduction and improving clinical behavior: specifically, recovery stories from service users and social engagement led to greater willingness to engage with patients about mental illness, triggering a feedback loop of more positive experiences with patients who benefit from mental healthcare, which further reinforces willingness to deliver mental healthcare. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02793271.

Treatment Preferences for Pharmacological versus Psychological Interventions among Primary Care Providers in Nepal: Mixed Methods Analysis of a Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

There is increasing evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychological interventions in low- and middle-income countries. However, primary care providers (PCPs) may prefer treating patients with medication. A secondary exploratory analysis of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate psychological vs. pharmacological treatment preferences among PCPs. Thirty-four health facilities, including 205 PCPs, participated in the study, with PCPs in 17 facilities assigned to a standard version of the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) training delivered by mental health specialists. PCPs in the other 17 facilities received mhGAP instruction delivered by specialists and people with lived experience of mental illness (PWLE), using a training strategy entitled Reducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE). Pre- and post- intervention attitudes were measured through quantitative and qualitative tools. Qualitative interviews with 49 participants revealed that PCPs in both arms endorsed counseling's benefits and collaboration within the health system to provide counseling. In the RESHAPE arm, PCPs were more likely to increase endorsement of statements such as "depression improves without medication" (F = 9.83, p < 0.001), "not all people with depression must be treated with antidepressants" (χ2 = 17.62, p < 0.001), and "providing counseling to people who have alcohol abuse problems is effective" (χ2 = 26.20, p < 0.001). These mixed-method secondary findings from a pilot trial suggest that in-person participation of PWLE in training PCPs may not only reduce stigma but also increase PCPs' support of psychological interventions. This requires further investigation in a full-scale trial.

Puberty- and Menstruation-Related Stressors Are Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and Reproductive Tract Infection Symptoms Among Adolescent Girls in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Puberty and menstruation are significant stressors for adolescent girls and young women in low-resource settings in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about the impact of these stressors on girls' mental health and reproductive health. METHODS: In 2018, a cross-sectional self-report survey was conducted with 581 adolescent girls and young women between 13 to 21 years old who had reached menarche and were attending secondary school in Moshi, Tanzania. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships of puberty-related stressors and menstruation-related stressors (menstrual deficits, movement/activity difficulties, and menstrual symptoms) to depression, anxiety, and the likelihood of reporting reproductive tract infection (RTI) symptoms. RESULTS: Puberty-specific stressors, menstrual symptoms, and menstrual deficits were associated with depression and anxiety. Movement/activity difficulties were associated with anxiety. Increases in menstrual symptoms, menstrual deficits, puberty stressors, and depression were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting a lifetime RTI. However, the relationship of puberty stressors and depression with RTIs was no longer significant in two of three models after correcting for Type I error. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, puberty- and menstruation-related stressors were associated with mental health and symptoms of reproductive tract infections. This suggests there is an important relationship between stressors specific to adolescent girls and young women during puberty, mental health, and reproductive health. There is a need for adolescent-tailored interventions to reduce the negative impact of stressors among girls transitioning through puberty in sub-Saharan Africa.

Collaboration With People With Lived Experience of Mental Illness to Reduce Stigma and Improve Primary Care Services: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Collaboration with people with lived experience of mental illness (PWLE), also referred to as service users, is a growing priority to reduce stigma and improve mental health care. Objective: To examine feasibility and acceptability of conducting an antistigma intervention in collaboration with PWLE during mental health training of primary care practitioners (PCPs). Design, Setting, and Participants: This pilot cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted from February 7, 2016, to August 10, 2018, with assessors, PCPs, and patients blinded to group assignment. The participants were PCPs and primary care patients diagnosed with depression, psychosis, or alcohol use disorder at primary care facilities (the cluster unit of randomization) in Nepal. Statistical analysis was performed from February 2020 to February 2021. Interventions: In the control group, PCPs were trained on the World Health Organization Mental Health Gap Action Programme-Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG). In the Reducing Stigma Among Healthcare Providers (RESHAPE) group, the mhGAP-IG trainings for PCPs were cofacilitated by PWLE who presented recovery testimonials through photographic narratives. Main Outcomes and Measures: Prespecified feasibility and acceptability measures were adequacy of randomization, retention rates, intervention fidelity, data missingness, and safety. Outcome measures for PCPs included the Social Distance Scale (SDS), accuracy of diagnoses of mental illness in standardized role-plays using the Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic factors tool (ENACT), and accuracy of diagnosis with actual patients. The primary end point was 16 months posttraining. Results: Among the overall sample of 88 PCPs, 75 (85.2%) were men and 67 (76.1%) were upper caste Hindus; the mean (SD) age was 36.2 (8.8) years. Nine of the PCPs (10.2%) were physicians, whereas the remaining 79 PCPs (89.8%) were health assistants or auxiliary health workers. Thirty-four facilities were randomized to RESHAPE or the control group. All eligible PCPs participated: 43 in RESHAPE and 45 in the control group, with 76.7% (n = 33) and 73.3% (n = 33) retention at end line, respectively. Due to PCP dropout, 29 facilities (85.3%) were included in end line analysis. Of 15 PWLE trained as cofacilitators, 11 (73.3%) participated throughout the 3 months of PCP trainings. Among PCPs, mean SDS changes from pretraining to 16 months were -10.6 points (95% CI, -14.5 to -6.74 points) in RESHAPE and -2.79 points (-8.29 to 2.70 points) in the control group. Role-play-based diagnoses with ENACT were 78.1% (25 of 32) accurate in RESHAPE and 66.7% (22 of 33) in the control group. Patient diagnoses were 72.5% (29 of 40) accurate by PCPs in RESHAPE compared with 34.5% (10 of 29) by PCPs in the control group. There were no serious adverse events. Conclusions and Relevance: This pilot cluster randomized clinical trial found that procedures were feasible and acceptable for PCPs to be trained by PWLE. These pilot results will help inform a full trial to evaluate benefits of collaboration with PWLE during training of PCPs to reduce stigma and improve diagnostic accuracy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02793271.

Reducing mental illness stigma in healthcare settings: Proof of concept for a social contact intervention to address what matters most for primary care providers.

Initiatives for integration of mental health services into primary care are underway through the World Health Organization's mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) and related endeavors. However, primary healthcare providers' stigma against persons with mental illness is a barrier to success of these programs. Therefore, interventions are needed to reduce stigma among primary healthcare providers. We developed REducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE), a theoretically-grounded intervention that draws upon the medical anthropology conceptual framework of "what matters most." RESHAPE addresses three domains of threats to what matters most: survival, social, and professional. In a proof-of-concept study, mental health service users and aspirational healthcare providers (primary healthcare providers actively incorporating mental health services) were trained to co-facilitate the RESHAPE intervention embedded within mhGAP training in Nepal. Two trainings with the RESHAPE anti-stigma component were held with 41 primary healthcare providers in Nepal. Evaluation of the training included four focus groups and 25 key informant interviews. Stigmatizing attitudes and role play-based clinical competency, assessed with the ENhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic factors tool (ENACT), were evaluated pre-training and followed-up at four and 16 months. The study was conducted from February 2016 through June 2017. In qualitative interviews, primary healthcare providers described changes in perceptions of violence (survival threats) and the ability to treat mental illness effectively (professional threats). Willingness to interact with a person with mental illness increased from 54% pre-training to 81% at 16 months. Observed clinical competency increased from 49% pre-training to 93% at 16-months. This proof-of-concept study supports reducing stigma by addressing what matters most to healthcare providers, predominantly through mitigating survival and professional threats. Additional efforts are needed to address social threats. These findings support further exploration of service user and aspirational figure involvement in mhGAP trainings based on a "what matters most" conceptual framework.

Screening for Traumatic Experiences and Mental Health Distress Among Women in HIV Care in Cape Town, South Africa.

Traumatic events can negatively affect clinical outcomes among HIV positive women, particularly when those events result in ongoing psychological distress. Consequently, there have been calls to integrate screening and treatment of traumatic experiences and associated mental health disorders into HIV care. In South Africa, screening for traumatic experiences and mental health is not a routine part of HIV care. The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of traumatic experiences and mental health distress among women in an HIV clinic in Cape Town, South Africa, and to explore the acceptability of routine screening in this setting. Seventy HIV positive women were screened following referral from health care workers in the clinic. Among the participants, 51% reported a history of sexual abuse and 75% reported physical intimate partner violence (physical IPV). Among all participants, 36% met screening criteria for depression; among those with traumatic experiences (n = 57), 70% met screening criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared with reporting no sexual abuse or physical IPV, having experienced both sexual abuse and physical IPV was significantly associated with higher odds of depression, while reporting either sexual abuse or physical IPV individually was not significantly associated with increased odds of depression. Among women reporting sexual abuse, 61% were disclosing their experience for the first time during the screening; 31% of women with physical IPV experience were disclosing for the first time. Overall, 98% of participants thought screening should be routine and extended to all women as part of clinic care. Screening women for sexual abuse and physical IPV may be an important component of ensuring HIV care engagement.

"I cannot change what happened to me, but I can learn to change how I feel": A case study from ImpACT, an intervention for women with a history of sexual trauma who are living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sexual trauma is highly prevalent among women living with HIV in South Africa, and there is a great need for psychotherapeutic interventions to address these concerns. Improving AIDS Care After Trauma (ImpACT) is a manualized intervention, based on stress and coping theories, that builds skills for coping with sexual trauma and HIV to promote long-term HIV care engagement. Using qualitative case study methodology, we report the case of Xoliswa, a 34-year-old woman with a complex history of sexual trauma and alcohol use who was diagnosed with HIV 1 year prior to enrollment in ImpACT. The interventionist, a lay counselor, worked with Xoliswa in a primary care clinic to address her concerns by exploring personal values, managing barriers to HIV care, and teaching active coping. Xoliswa's drinking reduced, symptoms of trauma and depression improved, and she maintained strong HIV care engagement. The interventionist experienced stress and emotional challenges in delivering ImpACT to Xoliswa and other highly traumatized women, and the interventionist's skill development and support received through training and supervision are briefly discussed. The case demonstrates the feasibility of ImpACT in a resource-limited setting and highlights themes and barriers in therapy, which can inform future interventions for women living with HIV. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and health-related quality of life among older adults with HIV.

PURPOSE: In the United States, approximately 45% of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) are ≥ 50 years of age. Many older PLHIV have multi-morbidities that complicate HIV infection and/or interfere with, or are exacerbated by, antiretroviral treatment. Physical health symptoms and psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, can worsen life quality in older PLHIV. METHODS: This study assessed associations among physical symptoms, indicators of HIV-related health status (i.e., time since diagnosis; ever diagnosed with AIDS; having attained viral suppression), depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older PLHIV. Regression analyses examined data from 296 PLHIV ≥ 50 years of age living in Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, and New York City. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms and physical symptoms, particularly those related to appearance and sexual functioning, most strongly predicted HRQoL. Indicators of HIV health status did not significantly predict HRQoL. Depressive symptoms were a particularly robust predictor of HRQoL, even when accounting for physical health symptoms. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that symptom management is critical to HRQoL in older PLHIV, and symptoms related to physical appearance and sexual functioning should not be overlooked in this growing population.

Women's perspectives on ImpACT: a coping intervention to address sexual trauma and improve HIV care engagement in Cape Town, South Africa.

HIV-infected women who have experienced sexual violence face unique challenges in their HIV care engagement and adherence to antiretroviral medications (ARVs). Improving AIDS Care after Trauma (ImpACT) is a brief counseling intervention aimed at reducing the negative impact of sexual trauma and HIV, building coping skills, and improving long-term HIV care engagement. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial of ImpACT with 64 women initiating ARVs in Cape Town, South Africa, with results suggesting the intervention can reduce PTSD symptoms and increase motivation to adhere to ARVs. For the current study, we abstracted data from ImpACT worksheets completed by 31 participants during intervention sessions, and qualitative responses from post-intervention surveys, to examine mechanisms, facilitators, and barriers to change in the intervention. Data included participant descriptions of the values informing their care, barriers to participation, and perceived benefits of the intervention related to coping with trauma and improving care engagement. During the first session, women reported feelings of shame, sadness, and anger that led to social isolation, mistrust, and damaged relationships. Barriers to participation included work and school demands, issues with transportation, finances, and discomfort in talking about HIV and trauma, particularly in group sessions. Despite these challenges, several women stated they developed more positive thinking, felt more confident, and improved their interpersonal relationships. Participants also reported substantial positive impact on symptoms of sexual trauma and motivation to continue with long-term HIV care, and clearer understanding of barriers and facilitators to ARV adherence. ImpACT is a promising intervention model for building adaptive coping skills and adherence to HIV treatment, informed by personal values, among women with a history of trauma in this high-risk setting. The data also offer insights into strategies to strengthen the intervention, overcome barriers to participation, encourage the practical application of skills, and promote long-term HIV care engagement.

Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort.

Mothers who have experienced childhood maltreatment are more likely to have children also exposed to maltreatment, a phenomenon known as intergenerational transmission. Factors in the perinatal period may contribute uniquely to this transmission, but timing effects have not been ascertained. Using structural equation modeling with 1,016 mothers and their 2,032 children in the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, we tested the mediating role of postpartum depression between maternal childhood maltreatment and a cascade of negative child outcomes, specifically child exposure to maltreatment, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms: (a) adjusting for later maternal depression, (b) comparing across sex differences, and (c) examining the relative role of maltreatment subtypes. Mothers who had been maltreated as children, especially those who had experienced emotional or sexual abuse, were at increased risk for postpartum depression. In turn, postpartum depression predicted children's exposure to maltreatment, followed by emotional and behavioral problems. Indirect effects from maternal childhood maltreatment to child outcomes were robust across child sex and supported significant mediation through postpartum depression; however, this appeared to be carried by mothers' depression beyond the postpartum period. Identifying and treating postpartum depression, and preventing its recurrence, may help interrupt the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment and its sequelae.

Attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy among women recruited from alcohol-serving venues in Cape Town, South Africa: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The Western Cape Province of South Africa has one of the highest rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) globally. Effective prevention of FASD requires understanding women's attitudes about alcohol use during pregnancy and whether these attitudes translate into behavior. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this mixed-methods study was to describe attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy and examine how these attitudes influence drinking behaviors during pregnancy. METHOD: Over a five month period, 200 women were recruited from alcohol-serving venues in a township in Cape Town; a sub-set of 23 also completed in-depth interviews. Potential gaps between attitudes and behavior were described, and logistic regression models examined predictors of harmful attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy. Interviews were reviewed and coded for emergent themes. RESULTS: Most women (n = 176) reported at least one pregnancy. Among these, the majority (83%) had positive preventive attitudes, but more than half of these still reported alcohol use during a previous pregnancy. The strongest predictors of harmful attitudes were a history of physical or sexual abuse and drinking during a previous pregnancy. Qualitative analysis revealed several themes that contributed to alcohol use during pregnancy: 1) having an unplanned pregnancy; 2) drinking because of stress or to cope with abuse/trauma; 3) reliance on the venue for support; 4) socialization; and 5) feelings of invincibility. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight an attitude-behavior gap and suggest that positive preventive attitudes are insufficient to elicit FASD preventive behavior. Interventions are needed that go beyond education to build intrinsic motivation and structural support to refrain from alcohol use during pregnancy.

HIV Disclosure Among Pregnant Women Initiating ART in Cape Town, South Africa: Qualitative Perspectives During the Pregnancy and Postpartum Periods.

For women enrolled in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs, non-disclosure of their HIV status can be a significant barrier to sustained HIV care engagement. To explore decision-making surrounding HIV disclosure among HIV-infected pregnant women, we conducted repeated in-depth interviews during pregnancy and postpartum with 20 women recruited from a PMTCT clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. Three domains were examined using thematic analysis: (1) disclosure experiences, (2) challenges associated with partner disclosure, and (3) implications of nondisclosure. All women had disclosed to someone by the time of the baby's birth, typically limiting their disclosure to trusted individuals. Only half of participants disclosed to the father of the child. Nondisclosure, particularly to partners, was a significant source of worry and stress. Women used pregnancy as an explanation for using medication and attending frequent clinic appointments, and recognized impending challenges in the postpartum period when this excuse would no longer apply. Results suggest that PMTCT programs have a key role to play in helping individuals to make decisions about HIV disclosure, and assisting patients to navigate the disclosure process, especially with partners.

A service user co-facilitated intervention to reduce mental illness stigma among primary healthcare workers: Utilizing perspectives of family members and caregivers.

INTRODUCTION: Service users' involvement as cofacilitators of mental health trainings is a nascent endeavor in low- and middle-income countries, and the role of families on service user participation in trainings has received limited attention. This study examined how caregivers perceive and facilitate service user's involvement in an antistigma program that was added to mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) trainings for primary care workers in Nepal. METHOD: Service users were trained as cofacilitators for antistigma and mhGAP trainings delivered to primary care workers through the REducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE) program. Key informant interviews (n = 17) were conducted with caregivers and service users in RESHAPE. RESULTS: Five themes emerged: (a) Caregivers' perceived benefits of service user involvement included reduced caregiver burden, learning new skills, and opportunities to develop support groups. (b) Caregivers' fear of worsening stigma impeded RESHAPE participation. (c) Lack of trust between caregivers and service users jeopardized participation, but it could be mitigated through family engagement with health workers. (d) Orientation provided to caregivers regarding RESHAPE needed greater attention, and when information was provided, it contributed to stigma reduction in families. (e) Time management impacted caregivers' ability to facilitate service user participation. DISCUSSION: Engagement with families allows for greater identification of motivational factors and barriers impacting optimal program performance. Caregiver involvement in all program elements should be considered best practice for service user-facilitated antistigma initiatives, and service users reluctant to include caregivers should be provided with health staff support to address barriers to including family. (PsycINFO Database Record

Development of a coping intervention to improve traumatic stress and HIV care engagement among South African women with sexual trauma histories.

This paper describes the development and preliminary trial run of ImpACT (Improving AIDS Care after Trauma), a brief coping intervention to address traumatic stress and HIV care engagement among South African women with sexual trauma histories. We engaged in an iterative process to culturally adapt a cognitive-behavioral intervention for delivery within a South African primary care clinic. This process involved three phases: (a) preliminary intervention development, drawing on content from a prior evidence-based intervention; (b) contextual adaptation of the curriculum through formative data collection using a multi-method qualitative approach; and (c) pre-testing of trauma screening procedures and a subsequent trial run of the intervention. Feedback from key informant interviews and patient in-depth interviews guided the refinement of session content and adaptation of key intervention elements, including culturally relevant visuals, metaphors, and interactive exercises. The trial run curriculum consisted of four individual sessions and two group sessions. Strong session attendance during the trial run supported the feasibility of ImpACT. Participants responded positively to the logistics of the intervention delivery and the majority of session content. Trial run feedback helped to further refine intervention content and delivery towards a pilot randomized clinical trial to assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of this intervention.

Reducing stigma among healthcare providers to improve mental health services (RESHAPE): protocol for a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial of a stigma reduction intervention for training primary healthcare workers in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Non-specialist healthcare providers, including primary and community healthcare workers, in low- and middle-income countries can effectively treat mental illness. However, scaling-up mental health services within existing health systems has been limited by barriers such as stigma against people with mental illness. Therefore, interventions are needed to address attitudes and behaviors among non-specialists. Aimed at addressing this gap, REducing Stigma among HealthcAre Providers to ImprovE mental health services (RESHAPE) is an intervention in which social contact with mental health service users is added to training for non-specialist healthcare workers integrating mental health services into primary healthcare. METHODS: This protocol describes a mixed methods pilot and feasibility study in primary care centers in Chitwan, Nepal. The qualitative component will include key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The quantitative component consists of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial (c-RCT), which will establish parameters for a future effectiveness study of RESHAPE compared to training as usual (TAU). Primary healthcare facilities (the cluster unit, k = 34) will be randomized to TAU or RESHAPE. The direct beneficiaries of the intervention are the primary healthcare workers in the facilities (n = 150); indirect beneficiaries are their patients (n = 100). The TAU condition is existing mental health training and supervision for primary healthcare workers delivered through the Programme for Improving Mental healthcarE (PRIME) implementing the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). The primary objective is to evaluate acceptability and feasibility through qualitative interviews with primary healthcare workers, trainers, and mental health service users. The secondary objective is to collect quantitative information on health worker outcomes including mental health stigma (Social Distance Scale), clinical knowledge (mhGAP), clinical competency (ENhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic factors, ENACT), and implicit attitudes (Implicit Association Test, IAT), and patient outcomes including stigma-related barriers to care, daily functioning, and symptoms. DISCUSSION: The pilot and feasibility study will contribute to refining recommendations for implementation of mhGAP and other mental health services in primary healthcare settings in low-resource health systems. The pilot c-RCT findings will inform an effectiveness trial of RESHAPE to advance the evidence-base for optimal approaches to training and supervision for non-specialist providers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02793271.

Avoidant Coping Mediates the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy for HIV Disclosure and Depression Symptoms Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Newly Diagnosed with HIV.

HIV diagnosis presents a critical opportunity to reduce secondary transmission, improve engagement in care, and enhance overall well-being. To develop relevant interventions, research is needed on the psychosocial experiences of newly diagnosed individuals. This study examined avoidant coping, self-efficacy for HIV disclosure decisions, and depression among 92 newly diagnosed men who have sex with men who reported recent sexual risk behavior. It was hypothesized that avoidant coping would mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and depression. Cross-sectional surveys were collected from participants 3 months after HIV diagnosis. To test for mediation, multiple linear regressions were conducted while controlling for HIV disclosure to sexual partners. Self-efficacy for HIV disclosure decisions showed a negative linear relationship to depression symptoms, and 99% of this relationship was mediated by avoidant coping. The index of mediation of self-efficacy on depression indicated a small-to-medium effect. Higher self-efficacy was related to less avoidant coping, and less avoidant coping was related to decreased depression symptoms, all else held constant. These findings highlight the role of avoidant coping in explaining the relationship between self-efficacy for HIV disclosure decisions and depression.

Memory Impairment in HIV-Infected Individuals with Early and Late Initiation of Regular Marijuana Use.

Marijuana use is disproportionately prevalent among HIV-infected individuals. The strongest neurocognitive effect of marijuana use is impairment in the domain of memory. Memory impairment is also high among HIV-infected persons. The present study examined 69 HIV-infected individuals who were stratified by age of regular marijuana initiation to investigate how marijuana use impacts neurocognitive functioning. A comprehensive battery assessed substance use and neurocognitive functioning. Findings indicated early onset marijuana users (regular use prior to age 18), compared to non-marijuana users and late onset marijuana users (regular use at age 18 or later), were over 8 times more likely to have learning impairment and nearly 4 times more likely to have memory impairment. A similar pattern of early onset marijuana users performing worse in learning emerged when examining domain deficit scores. The potential for early onset of regular marijuana use to exacerbate already high levels of memory impairment among HIV-infected persons has important clinical implications, including increased potential for medication non-adherence and difficulty with independent living.