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1.
J Int AIDS Soc ; 27 Suppl 2: e26245, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38982894

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The HIV Prevention 2025 Roadmap, developed by UNAIDS, recommends the adoption of a precision prevention approach focused on priority populations and geographies. With reduction in new HIV acquisitions in many countries, designing a differentiated HIV prevention response, using a Programme Science approach, based on the understanding of the epidemic and transmission dynamics at a sub-national level, is critical. METHODS: To support strategic planning, an epidemic appraisal at the sub-national level across 47 counties, with the 2019 population ranging from 0.14 million in Lamu to 4.40 million in Nairobi City, was conducted in Kenya using several existing data sources. Using 2021 Spectrum/EPP/Naomi model estimates of national and sub-national HIV incidence and prevalence, counties with high HIV incidence and prevalence were identified for geographic prioritization. The size of local key population (KP) networks and HIV prevalence in key and general populations were used to define epidemic typology and prioritize populations for HIV prevention programmes. Analysis of routine programme monitoring data for 2021 was used to assess coverage gaps in HIV prevention programmes, including prevention of vertical transmission, anti-retroviral therapy, KP programmes, adolescent girls and young women programme, and voluntary male medical circumcision programme. RESULTS: Ten counties with more than 1000 incident acquisitions in 2021 accounted for 57% of new acquisitions. Twenty-four counties were grouped into the concentrated epidemic type-due to their low prevalence in the general population, high prevalence in KPs and relatively higher density of female sex workers and men who have sex with men populations. Four counties reflected a generalized epidemic, where HIV prevalence was more than 10% and 30%, respectively, among the general and key populations. The remaining 19 counties were classified as having mixed epidemics. Gaps in programmes were identified and counties where these gaps need to be addressed were also prioritized. CONCLUSIONS: The HIV burden in Kenya is unevenly distributed and hence the mix of prevention strategies may vary according to the epidemic typology of the county. Prioritization of programmes based not only on disease burden and epidemic typology, but also on the prevailing gaps in coverage for reducing inequities is a key aspect of this appraisal.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Humans , Kenya/epidemiology , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/prevention & control , HIV Infections/transmission , Male , Prevalence , Female , Adolescent , Incidence , Epidemics/prevention & control , Adult , Young Adult
2.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 11(6): ofae297, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38911948

ABSTRACT

Introduction: HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a key strategy for preventing HIV transmission, requires awareness and access to PrEP services. Although all patients should be made aware of HIV PrEP; the diagnosis of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is an important indicator of potential HIV PrEP need. In a previous evaluation of Get2PrEP (G2P), we found that an electronic medical record laboratory comments did not increase the frequency of PrEP discussions between patients and providers. In Get2PrEP2 (G2P2), we hypothesized that active, personalized messaging to providers about HIV PrEP would increase the documentation of PrEP discussions, referrals, and/or provision of HIV PrEP to individuals diagnosed with an STI. Methods: G2P2 was a parallel 3-arm, unblinded, randomized controlled design. Participants were allocated 2:1 to intervention or control. Participants in the intervention arm were further allocated to receive provider messaging through the electronic medical record chat message or e-mail. Results: The 191 randomized encounters resulted in a modest 7.8% (odds ratio, 1.078; confidence interval, 1.02-1.13) increase in documented PrEP discussions in intervention encounters versus none in the standard care group. There was no statistical difference by intervention modality. All documented discussions occurred in the outpatient or emergency department and were more frequent in women and those aged <25 years. Discussion: An e-mail or electronic medical record chat message sent to providers of patients testing positive for an STI had a small but significant effect on documented patient-provider PrEP discussions. Further investigation is required to determine whether provider messaging can increase PrEP uptake among eligible patients and longer-term outcomes.

3.
AIDS Care ; : 1-8, 2024 May 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38771971

ABSTRACT

The federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative was created to reduce new US HIV infections, largely through pre-exposure prophylaxis and HIV treatments that reduce HIV transmissibility to zero. Behavioral health disorders (mental health and substance use) remain significant barriers to achieving EHE goals. Addressing behavioral health (BH) disorders within HIV primary care settings has been promoted as a critical EHE strategy. Implementation of efficacious HIV-BH care integration and its impact on HIV-related health outcomes is not well documented. In a federally-funded, exploratory phase implementation science study, we used the Collective Impact Framework to engage partners in seven EHE jurisdictions about the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of implementing HIV-BH integration interventions within local HIV settings. Partners concluded that full integration will remain the exception unless health systems invest in collaborative practice, professional training, appropriate health technology, and inter-system communication. Partners supported smaller incremental improvements including transdiagnostic approaches to reinforce each team member's sense of value in the shared endeavor. This early phase implementation science study identified research and implementation gaps that are critical to fill to end the HIV epidemic. Both the Collective Impact Framework and implementation science show promise for guiding future implementation of evidence-based HIV-BH intervention integration.

4.
Res Sq ; 2024 Apr 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38746123

ABSTRACT

Background Missouri is one of seven priority states identified by the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, and St. Louis contains almost half of the people living with HIV (PLWH) in Missouri. As St. Louis has a marked history of structural racism and economic inequities, we utilized the Intersectionality Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework to guide a participatory needs assessment for planning and program development. Methods The planning team included researchers, the lead implementer from our community partner, and two community representatives, and had biweekly 60-90 minute meetings for 18 months. The planning team discussed and approved all research materials, reviewed and interpreted results, and made decisions about outreach, recruitment, conduct of the needs assessment and development of the planned intervention. The needs assessment integrated information from existing data, (1) interviews with (a) PLWH (n=12), (b) community leaders (n=5), (c) clinical leaders (n=4), and (d) community health workers (CHWs) (n=3) and (e) CHW supervisors (n=3) who participated in a Boston University-led demonstration project on CHWs in the context of HIV and (2) focus groups (2 FG, 12 participants) with front line health workers such as peer specialists, health coaches and outreach workers. A rapid qualitative analysis approach was used for all interviews and focus groups. Results The IBPA was used to guide team discussions of team values, definition and framing of the problem, questions and topics in the key informant interviews, and implementation strategies. Applying the IBPA framework contributed to a focus on intersectional drivers of inequities in HIV services. The effective management of HIV faces significant challenges from high provider turnover, insufficient integration of CHWs into care teams, and organizational limitations in tailoring treatment plans. Increasing use of CHWs for HIV treatment and prevention also faces challenges. People living with HIV (PLWH) encounter multiple barriers such as stigma, lack of social support, co-morbidities, medication side effects and difficulties in meeting basic needs. Conclusions Addressing intersectional drivers of health inequities may require multi-level, structural approaches. We see the IBPA as a valuable tool for participatory planning while integrating community engagement principles in program and implementation design for improving HIV outcomes.

5.
Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med ; 16(1): e1-e12, 2024 Apr 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38708735

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Targeted interventions for key populations remain critical for realisation of epidemic control for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because of the causal relationship between HIV infection in the general population and among key population groups. AIM: To consolidate evidence on the fast-track interventions towards achieving HIV epidemic control among key populations. METHODS: A rapid scoping review was conducted using the methodological framework by Arksey and O' Malley. The Population, Intervention, Context and Outcome (PICO) framework was used to identify relevant studies using key words with Boolean operators in electronic data bases, namely CINHAL, Web of Science, Psych Info and Sabinet. Studies were extracted using a modified data extraction tool, and results were presented narratively. RESULTS: A total of 19 articles were included in this review. Most articles were primary studies (n = 17), while another involved the review of existing literature and policies (n = 2) and routinely collected data (n = 1). Most studies were conducted in the United States of America (n = 6), while another were conducted in China, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique. All studies revealed findings on tested interventions to achieve HIV epidemic control among key populations. CONCLUSION: Effective interventions for HIV epidemic control were stand-alone behavioural preventive interventions, stand-alone biomedical preventive strategies and combination prevention approaches. Furthermore, the findings suggest that effective activities to achieve HIV epidemic control among key populations should be centred around prevention.Contribution: The findings of this study have policy and practice implications for high HIV burden settings such as South Africa in terms of interventions to facilitate realisation of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets, thereby contributing to HIV epidemic control.


Subject(s)
Epidemics , HIV Infections , Humans , HIV Infections/prevention & control , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Epidemics/prevention & control , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/prevention & control , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology
6.
Nurs Clin North Am ; 59(2): 165-181, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38670687

ABSTRACT

Substantial improvements have been made in reducing HIV incidence rates among women in the United States. However, numerous disparities affect women's risk of HIV acquisition, in addition to affecting treatment outcomes for women living with HIV. As people with HIV continue to live longer due to antiretroviral therapy, clinicians must be cognizant of various health, financial, and social implications that can affect HIV self-management. Successfully ending the HIV epidemic will require more targeted approaches on prevention, linkage to care, and treatment while also addressing underlying factors that affect women's engagement in HIV-related services across the HIV care continuum.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Humans , Female , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/drug therapy , United States/epidemiology , Women's Health , Adult
7.
Nurs Clin North Am ; 59(2): 153-164, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38670686

ABSTRACT

The ongoing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic reveals sustained health care disparities among Black and Brown people and those living in the United States South. With increased rates of HIV incidence in several geographic regions, we must identify and address the structural barriers that limit advances to end the HIV epidemic. This article will shine a reflective and insightful light on the advances that we have made with HIV treatment and prevention and propose novel ways to close the gap for vulnerable people living with or affected by HIV.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Humans , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/prevention & control , United States/epidemiology , Healthcare Disparities , Female , Male
8.
Nurs Clin North Am ; 59(2): 297-308, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38670696

ABSTRACT

The US National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) is a comprehensive plan that outlines specific goals for Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States (EHE) by 2025. The strategy also provides specific strategies to prevent new HIV infections and improve health outcomes for people with HIV. The EHE is a companion document which focuses on achieving the goals of the NHAS in specific US jurisdictions where the HIV epidemic is concentrated. This article provides an overview of the NHAS and EHE and provides examples of programs and strategies that can be used to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.


Subject(s)
Epidemics , HIV Infections , Humans , United States/epidemiology , HIV Infections/prevention & control , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Epidemics/prevention & control , Health Policy
9.
Viruses ; 16(3)2024 02 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38543734

ABSTRACT

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a significant global health challenge, with millions of people affected and new cases emerging each year. While various treatment and prevention methods exist, including antiretroviral therapy and non-vaccine approaches, developing an effective vaccine remains the most crucial and cost-effective solution to combating the HIV epidemic. Despite significant advancements in HIV research, the HIV vaccine field has faced numerous challenges, and only one clinical trial has demonstrated a modest level of efficacy. This review delves into the history of HIV vaccines and the current efforts in HIV prevention, emphasizing pre-clinical vaccine development using the non-human primate model (NHP) of HIV infection. NHP models offer valuable insights into potential preventive strategies for combating HIV, and they play a vital role in informing and guiding the development of novel vaccine candidates before they can proceed to human clinical trials.


Subject(s)
AIDS Vaccines , HIV Infections , HIV-1 , Animals , Humans , Primates , Vaccine Development
10.
JMIR Res Protoc ; 13: e56293, 2024 Mar 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38517456

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Most new HIV diagnoses among cisgender women in the United States occur in the South. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a cornerstone of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative, remains underused by cisgender women who may benefit. Awareness and access to PrEP remain low among cisgender women. Moreover, improving PrEP reach among cisgender women requires effectively engaging communities in the development of appropriate and acceptable patient-centered PrEP care approaches to support uptake. In a community-clinic-academic collaboration, this protocol applies an evidence-based community organizing approach (COA) to increase PrEP awareness and reach among cisgender women in Atlanta. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to use and evaluate a COA for engaging community members across 4 Atlanta counties with high-priority EHE designation, to increase PrEP awareness, interest, and connection to PrEP care among cisgender women. METHODS: The COA, consisting of 6 stages, will systematically develop the skills of community members to become leaders and advocates for HIV prevention inclusive of PrEP for cisgender women in their communities. We will use the evidence-based COA to develop and implement a PrEP-specific action plan to create broader community change by raising awareness and interest in PrEP, reducing stigma associated with HIV or PrEP, and connecting women to sexual health clinics providing PrEP services. In the first 4 stages, to prepare for and develop action plans, we will gather data from one-on-one interviews with up to 100 individuals across Atlanta to capture attitudes, motivations, and influences related to women's sexual health with a focus on HIV prevention and PrEP. Informed by the community interviews, we will revise a sexual health curriculum inclusive of PrEP and community-centered engagement. We will then recruit and train community action team members to develop action plans to implement the curriculum during community-located events. In the last 2 stages, we will implement and evaluate COA's effect on PrEP awareness, interest, HIV or PrEP stigma, and connection to PrEP care among cisgender women community members. RESULTS: This project was funded by the National Institutes of Health and approved by the Emory University institutional review board in July 2021. Data collection began in December 2021 and is ongoing. COA stage 1 of the study is complete with 70 participants enrolled. Community events commenced in November 2023, and data collection will be completed by November 2025. Stage 1 qualitative data analysis is complete with results to be published in 2024. Full study results are anticipated to be reported in 2026. CONCLUSIONS: Through a community-clinic-academic collaboration, this protocol proposes to mount a coordinated approach across diverse Atlanta counties to strengthen HIV prevention for cisgender women and to create a sustainable systems approach to move new sexual health innovations more quickly to cisgender women. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56293.

11.
J Adolesc Health ; 74(5): 1012-1018, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38416099

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden among Florida adolescents and young adults (AYA, aged 13-24 years), particularly in Tampa Bay, is among the highest in the nation. We sought to determine the association between zip code-level test site accessibility and AYA HIV burden, compare this association with adult (aged 25-44 years) HIV burden, and identify local AYA HIV testing deserts. We further aimed to identify the association between test site accessibility and population-level markers of social disadvantage. METHODS: We geocoded HIV test sites and determined the percent surface area per zip code within 15-minute walking distance to ≥ 1 test sites (PSA15) in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. We calculated Pearson's correlation coefficients for the association of PSA15 and HIV burden by age group and, separately, the association of PSA15 and population-level characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 96 zip codes analyzed, 36.5% had a PSA15 for HIV testing of 0%. The association between PSA15 and HIV burden was substantially higher for adults (r = 0.51, p < .001) than for AYA (r = 0.09, p = .38). Overall, we identified four potential AYA testing deserts. We also found that greater PSA15 was correlated with greater %Black/African-American residents (r = 0.32, p = .002), greater %residents living in poverty (r = 0.27, p = .008), and lower child opportunity index scores (r = -0.29, p = .004). DISCUSSION: Walking-accessible HIV test sites in Tampa Bay were limited and geographically distributed largely based on adult HIV burden, population-level markers of social disadvantage, and among areas with higher percentages of Black/African-American residents. Test site distribution was less correlated with AYA HIV burden, leaving this population vulnerable across multiple testing deserts.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Adolescent , Humans , Young Adult , Bays , Florida/epidemiology , HIV , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Testing
12.
AJOB Empir Bioeth ; 15(1): 66-79, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37768111

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The emergence of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) and cluster detection and response (CDR) programs as key features of the United States (US) HIV strategy since 2018 has caused major controversies. HIV surveillance programs that re-use individuals' routinely collected clinical HIV data do not require consent on the basis that the public benefit of these programs outweighs individuals' rights to opt out. However, criticisms of MHS/CDR have questioned whether expanded uses of HIV genetic sequence data for prevention reach beyond traditional public health ethics frameworks. This study aimed to explore views on consent within MHS/CDR among critical stakeholders. METHODS: In 2021 we interviewed 26 US HIV stakeholders who identified as being critical or concerned about the rollout of MHS/CDR. Stakeholders included participants belonging to networks of people living with HIV, other advocates, academics, and public health professionals. This analysis focused on identifying the range of positions among critical and concerned stakeholders on consent affordances, opt-outs, how to best inform people living with HIV about how data about them are used in public health programs, and related ethical issues. RESULTS: Participants were broadly supportive of introducing some forms of consent into MHS/CDR. However, they differed on the specifics of implementing consent. While some participants did not support introducing consent affordances, all supported the idea that people living with HIV should be informed about how HIV surveillance and prevention is conducted and how individuals' data are used. CONCLUSIONS: MHS/CDR has caused sustained controversy. Among critical stakeholders, consent is generally desirable but contested, although the right for people living with HIV to be informed was centrally supported. In an era of big data-driven public health interventions and routine uses of HIV genetic sequence data in surveillance and prevention, CDC and other agencies should revisit public health ethics frameworks and consider the possibility of consent processes.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Humans , United States , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Public Health , Informed Consent
13.
Lancet Reg Health Am ; 27: 100623, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37928440

ABSTRACT

Background: The US Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative aims to reduce national HIV incidence 90% by 2030 and to address the disproportionate burden of HIV among different racial/ethnic populations. Florida's state-wide 2022-2026 Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan outlines objectives for reaching EHE goals. In Miami-Dade County, we determined the epidemiological impact of achieving the integrated plan's objectives individually and jointly. Methods: We adapted an HIV transmission model calibrated to Miami-Dade County adjusting access to HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral treatment to model the effects of each objective between 2022 and 2030. We compared two service scale-up approaches: (a) scale-up proportionally to existing racial/ethnic group access levels, and (b) scale-up according to new diagnoses across racial/ethnic groups (equity-oriented). We estimated reductions in new HIV infections by each objective and approach, compared to the EHE's incidence reduction target. Findings: The single most influential strategy was reducing new HIV diagnoses in Hispanic/Latinx men who have sex with men through increased PrEP uptake, resulting in 907/2444 (37.1%) fewer annual new HIV infections in 2030. Achieving all objectives jointly would result in 1537/2444 (62.9%) and 1553/2444 (63.5%) fewer annual new HIV infections with the proportional and equity-oriented approaches, respectively. Interpretation: Achieving the goals of Florida's integrated care plan would significantly reduce HIV incidence in Miami-Dade County; however, further efforts are required to achieve EHE targets. Structural changes in service delivery and a focus on effective implementation of available interventions to address racial/ethnic disparities will be crucial to ending the HIV epidemic. Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse grant no. R01-DA041747.

14.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 10(10): ofad477, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37799129

ABSTRACT

CD4 cell count at entry into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is a useful indicator of success of multiple steps in HIV public health programming. We demonstrate that CD4 cell count at care initiation was stable in St Louis between 2017 and 2019 but declined in 2020. Missouri efforts in the Ending the HIV Epidemic plan should focus on rapidly identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV infection.

15.
AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses ; 39(11): 601-603, 2023 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37658837

ABSTRACT

The 2022 global mpox outbreak created an opportunity to test the utility of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) to identify high-risk transmission networks. Individuals diagnosed with mpox in New York State (NYS) outside New York City-[Rest of State (ROS)] were matched to the NYS HIV and sexually transmitted infection registries. The demographic characteristics of individuals diagnosed with mpox in ROS mirror national trends. HIV-mpox comorbid individuals were more likely to be included in HIV molecular clusters compared to persons living with diagnosed HIV in ROS overall, men who have sex with men (MSM) in ROS, and age-adjusted MSM (to match individuals with mpox diagnosis) in ROS. For the 3-year 0.5% clusters, which are used to define national priority clusters, the HIV-mpox comorbid individuals clustered 2.4 times more frequently than the age/risk-adjusted control group. This study supports the use of HIV MHS to identify populations for priority public health interventions.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Mpox (monkeypox) , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Male , Humans , Homosexuality, Male , HIV Infections/prevention & control , New York City/epidemiology , Reactive Oxygen Species , Cluster Analysis , Morbidity
16.
AIDS Educ Prev ; 35(4): 320-331, 2023 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37535323

ABSTRACT

We sought to describe and quantify the association between HIV service organization availability, HIV burden, and HIV awareness and prevention in the 57 priority jurisdictions selected as part of the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. On average, jurisdictions with more per capita organizations had more people living with HIV, more individuals aware of their positive status, and more individuals prescribed PrEP (b = 0.3; 95% CI [0.2, 0.5] for each additional case per 1,000 people in the first metric, and b = 0.3; 95% CI [0.2, 0.4] and b = 0.1; 95% CI [< 0.1, 0.1], respectively, for each percentage point change in the second two metrics), accounting for jurisdiction size. Several jurisdictions were outliers in the modeled associations and may reflect comparatively better, or worse, performance than similar jurisdictions. This information can assist in evaluating resource allocation and determining whether availability translates to accessibility.


Subject(s)
Epidemics , HIV Infections , Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis , Humans , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Epidemics/prevention & control
17.
AIDS Educ Prev ; 35(3): 235-246, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37410372

ABSTRACT

Monitoring pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) metrics can guide service delivery yet does not occur routinely. We developed a survey to understand current practices for monitoring PrEP at PrEP-providing organizations in Illinois and Missouri. The survey was distributed from September through November 2020; 26 organizations participated. Most respondents indicated ongoing efforts to screen for PrEP eligibility (66.7%), link to care (87.5%), and retain clients in care (70.8%); 70.8% reported collecting data on PrEP initiation, 41.7% on retention in care, and 37.5% on missed visits. Barriers to monitoring PrEP metrics included lack of IT support (69.6%), manual processes (69.6%), and lack of staff resources (65.2%). Most respondents offered clients support for PrEP retention and adherence and wanted to expand interventions for PrEP persistence, yet fewer monitored corresponding metrics. To enhance PrEP implementation, organizations should improve monitoring and evaluation of PrEP metrics along the entire continuum and respond with appropriate services to support clients.


Subject(s)
Anti-HIV Agents , HIV Infections , Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis , Humans , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use , Midwestern United States/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires
18.
Front Reprod Health ; 5: 1196392, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37361343

ABSTRACT

Background: The United States' (U.S.) initiative to End the HIV Epidemic aims to reduce new HIV infections in areas of high HIV prevalence. Despite national efforts to reduce HIV incidence, cisgender women continue to represent approximately one out of every five new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy; however, PrEP initiation among cisgender women is suboptimal, with only 10% of eligible women receiving PrEP prescriptions in 2019. Methods: We designed a trial to test the effectiveness of interventions to increase PrEP initiation, while evaluating the implementation strategy (hybrid type II trial) in seven obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinics (two federally qualified health centers, three community-based, and two academic) in Baltimore, Maryland. A total of 42 OB/GYN providers will be enrolled and randomized (1:1:1) into one of three clinical trial arms (standard of care, patient-level intervention, or multi-level intervention). Eligible patients of enrolled providers will receive a sexual health questionnaire before their appointment through the electronic health record's (EHR) patient portal. The questionnaire will be scored in three tiers (low, moderate, and high) to assess HIV risk. Patients at low risk will be offered an HIV test only, while those who score medium or high risk will be included in the clinical trial and assigned to the clinical trial arm associated with their provider. Differences in PrEP initiation, our primary outcome, across the three arms will be analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effect models with logistic regression. We will adjust results for demographic differences observed between arms and examine PrEP initiation stratified by patient's and provider's race and ethnicity.Additionally, a comprehensive economic analysis for each intervention will be conducted. Discussion: We hypothesize that gathering information on sensitive sexual behaviors electronically, communicating HIV risk in an understandable and relatable format to patients and OB/GYN providers, and deploying EHR alerts will increase PrEP initiation and HIV testing. Trial Registration: The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05412433) on 09 June 2022. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05412433?term=NCT05412433&draw=2&rank=1.

19.
Milbank Q ; 101(4): 1033-1046, 2023 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37380617

ABSTRACT

Policy Points Molecular HIV surveillance and cluster detection and response (MHS/CDR) programs have been a core public health activity in the United States since 2018 and are the "fourth pillar" of the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative launched in 2019. MHS/CDR has caused controversy, including calls for a moratorium from networks of people living with HIV. In October 2022, the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) adopted a resolution calling for major reforms. We analyze the policy landscape and present four proposals to federal stakeholders pertaining to PACHA's recommendations about incorporating opt-outs and plain-language notifications into MHS/CDR programs.


Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , HIV Infections , United States/epidemiology , Humans , HIV , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Public Health , Informed Consent
20.
Urol Case Rep ; 49: 102456, 2023 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37293368

ABSTRACT

Genitourinary tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis that affects the kidneys, ureters, prostate, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, testes, and epididymis. Testicular tuberculosis is a very unusual form, We report a rare case of unilateral testicular tuberculosis that manifested as orchi-epididymitis. The main treatment for urogenital tuberculosis is antituberculosis therapy, possibly combined with surgery.

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