HIV prevalence and TB in migrant miners communities of origin in Gaza Province, Mozambique: The need for increasing awareness and knowledge.

BACKGROUND: As part of ongoing efforts to generate evidence needed on HIV and tuberculosis (TB) to inform policies and programs aimed to improve the health outcomes of migrants and communities affected by migration and mining, a preliminary investigation was conducted through a biological and behavioral (BBS) approach related to HIV and TB in two communities of origin of migrant mineworkers in Gaza Province. The main objective was to determine the prevalence of HIV and the rates of asymptomatic infection by TB, and the social and behavioral risk factors associated. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June 2017 using a simple random sampling methodology. Eligible participants were individuals who were living in the community at the time the survey was conducted, which included adult mine workers and members of their families aged 18 and above. A socio-behavioral questionnaire was administered, blood specimens were collected for HIV testing (Determine/Unigold) and sputum for TB (GeneXpert MTB/RIF) was collected. The statistical analysis was performed using the R studio software to produce means, proportion and odds ratio at 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 1012 participants were enrolled, 75.2% were females, with a median age of 34. The overall prevalence of HIV found in the two communities was 24.2% (CI: 21.6-27.0) and was higher in the rural community (31.6%; 95% CI: 27.0-35.3). The prevalence of active TB was found to be 0.3% (n = 3) while 7.5% of the participants self-reported to have been previously diagnosed with TB at some point in their life. Only 2.8% of participants had knowledge of the basic principles of TB transmission. Condom use at last sexual intercourse with a regular partner was low among both sexes (17.3% male and 12.6% female). A considerable proportion of participants had not been aware of their HIV positive serostatus(31.1% female and 25.0% male). About 1/3 of the participants had had a history of STIs. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey confirm a high prevalence of HIV in communities of origin of migrant miners in Gaza province. Findings also demonstrated low levels of awareness/ knowledge and prevention of TB and HIV. It is important to strengthen strategies that encourage regular HIV testing and TB screening. Appropriate communication interventions on methods of transmission and prevention of HIV and TB in these communities must be intensified, as well as ensuring ongoing linkage to TB and HIV social and healthcare services.

HIV prevalence and TB in migrant miners communities of origin in Gaza Province, Mozambique: the need for increasing awareness and knowledge

As part of ongoing efforts to generate evidence needed on HIV and tuberculosis (TB) to inform policies and programs aimed to improve the health outcomes of migrants and communities affected by migration and mining, a preliminary investigation was conducted through a biological and behavioral (BBS) approach related to HIV and TB in two communities of origin of migrant mineworkers in Gaza Province. The main objective was to determine the prevalence of HIV and the rates of asymptomatic infection by TB, and the social and behavioral risk factors associated. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June 2017 using a simple random sampling methodology. Eligible participants were individuals who were living in the community at the time the survey was conducted, which included adult mine workers and members of their families aged 18 and above. A socio-behavioral questionnaire was administered, blood specimens were collected for HIV testing (Determine/Unigold) and sputum for TB (GeneXpert MTB/RIF) was collected. The statistical analysis was performed using the R studio software to produce means, proportion and odds ratio at 95% confidence intervals. Results A total of 1012 participants were enrolled, 75.2% were females, with a median age of 34. The overall prevalence of HIV found in the two communities was 24.2% (CI: 21.6­27.0) and was higher in the rural community (31.6%; 95% CI: 27.0­35.3). The prevalence of active TB was found to be 0.3% (n = 3) while 7.5% of the participants self-reported to have been previously diagnosed with TB at some point in their life. Only 2.8% of participants had knowledge of the basic principles of TB transmission. Condom use at last sexual intercourse with a regular partner was low among both sexes (17.3% male and 12.6% female). A considerable proportion of participants had not been aware of their HIV positive serostatus(31.1% female and 25.0% male). About 1/3 of the participants had had a history of STIs. Conclusion The results of this survey confirm a high prevalence of HIV in communities of origin of migrant miners in Gaza province. Findings also demonstrated low levels of awareness/ knowledge and prevention of TB and HIV. It is important to strengthen strategies that encourage regular HIV testing and TB screening. Appropriate communication interventions on methods of transmission and prevention of HIV and TB in these communities must be intensified, as well as ensuring ongoing linkage to TB and HIV social and healthcare services.

The role of agency in the implementation of Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT): Lessons from oMakoti in uMgungundlovu District, South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: In response to revisions in global and national policy in 2011, six-month isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) became freely available as a preventive measure for people living with HIV in the uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Given a difference in uptake and completion by sex, we sought to explore the reasons why Zulu women were more likely to accept and complete IPT compared to men in an effort to inform future implementation. METHODS: Utilising a community-based participatory research approach and ethnographic methods, we undertook 17 individual and group interviews, and met regularly with grassroots community advisory teams in three Zulu communities located in uMgungundlovu District between March 2012-December 2016. FINDINGS & DISCUSSION: Three categories described women's willingness to initiate IPT: women are caregivers, women are obedient, and appearance is important. The findings suggest that the success of IPT implementation amongst clinic-utilising women of uMgungundlovu is related to the cultural gender norms of uMakoti, isiZulu for "the bride" or "the wife." We invoke the cultural concept of inhlonipho, meaning "to show respect," to discuss how the cultural values of uMakoti may conflict with biomedical expectations of adherence. Such conflict can result in misinterpretations by healthcare providers or patients, and lead some patients to fear the repercussions of asking questions or contemplating discontinuation with the provider, preferring instead to appear obedient. We propose a shift in emphasis from adherence-focussed strategies, characteristic of the current biomedical approach, to practices that promote patient agency in an effort to offer IPT more appropriately. IMPLICATIONS: Building on existing tools, namely the harm reduction model and the use of mini-ethnography, we provide guidance on how to support women to participate as agents in the decision to initiate or continue IPT, decisions which may also impact the health and choices of the family.

Validity and reliability of the tuberculosis-related stigma scale version for Brazilian Portuguese.

BACKGROUND: Stigma associated with tuberculosis (TB) has been an object of interest in several regions of the world. The behaviour presented by patients as a result of social discrimination has contributed to delays in diagnosis and the abandonment of treatment, leading to an increase in the cases of TB and drug resistance. The identification of populations affected by stigma and its measurement can be assessed with the use of valid and reliable instruments developed or adapted to the target culture. This aim of this study was to analyse the initial psychometric properties of the Tuberculosis-Related Stigma scale in Brazil, for TB patients. METHODS: The Tuberculosis-Related Stigma scale is a specific scale for measuring stigma associated with TB, originally validated in Thailand. It presents two dimensions to be assessed, namely Community perspectives toward tuberculosis and Patient perspectives toward tuberculosis. The first has 11 items regarding the behaviour of the community in relation to TB, and the second is made up of 12 items related to feelings such as fear, guilt and sorrow in coping with the disease. A pilot test was conducted with 83 TB patients, in order to obtain the initial psychometric properties of the scale in the Brazilian Portuguese version, enabling simulation of the field study. RESULTS: As regards its psychometric properties, the scale presented acceptable internal consistency for its dimensions, with values ≥0.70, the absence of floor and ceiling effects, which is favourable for the property of scale responsiveness, satisfactory converging validity for both dimensions, with values over 0.30 for initial studies, and diverging validity, with adjustment values different from 100%. CONCLUSION: The results found show that the Tuberculosis-Related Stigma scale can be a valid and reliable instrument for the Brazilian context.

A disease called stigma: the experience of stigma among African men with TB diagnosis in London.

OBJECTIVES: Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly stigmatised disease. This paper sought to explore the experiences and meanings of stigma among African men with a previous TB diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative approach with ten men recruited from a community based organisation offering health support to the men. METHODS: In-depth semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Men were unable to recognise TB symptoms and subsequently made late clinical presentation when they were also diagnosed with HIV. A few were diagnosed when in immigration detention centres. The experience of late diagnosis informed their understanding of the word stigma. The link between HIV and TB compounded experiences of stigma which led to depression and compromised HIV confidentiality. CONCLUSION: TB late diagnosis among the men has implications for population health. Multidisciplinary teams supporting ongoing TB education programmes should include African men's organisations, due to the close supportive links such organisations have with African men.

O autocuidado de idosos com HIV/aids: contribuições de Enfermagem / Self-care of elderly people with HIV/AIDS: nursing contributions

Pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa com o objetivo de discutir como idosos com HIV/aids realizam o autocuidado, quais as implicações para sua saúde e para o cuidado de enfermagem. Aprovada pelos Comitês de Ética em Pesquisa EEAN/HESFA e HUCFF/UFRJ, utilizou o método Grounded Theory (GT) ou Teoria Fundamentada em Dados (TFD) para guiar a coleta, análise e discussão dos dados de 25 idosos com HIV/aids, usuários do ambulatório de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias do HUCFF/UFRJ. Na entrevista e pesquisa documental foram utilizados dois instrumentos: o roteiro da entrevista, com seções semiestruturada e estruturada, e a planilha de registro de informações nos prontuários. Do total de idosos entrevistados, 60% eram homens, 48% entre 60 e 64 anos, 68% heterossexuais, 32% solteiros e 32% viúvos, 84% aposentados ou pensionistas, 48% frequentaram a escola de nove (09) a onze (11) anos,e 68% informaram renda entre um (01) e três (03) salários mínimos. O tempo de diagnóstico HIV/aids variou de dois (02) a 30 anos, a idade no momento do diagnóstico de 30 a 70 anos, com 100% fazendo uso da TARV por períodos entre um (01) e 25 anos. As doenças oportunistas mais frequentes foram pneumonia, tuberculose e herpes zoster e as comorbidades foram hipertensão arterial sistêmica, diabetes mellitus e dislipidemia. A partir dos dados submetidos aos processos analíticos da TFD, emergiram 47 códigos, agrupados em oito (08) subcategorias - (1) O Mim, (2) Diagnóstico, (3) Saúde Mental, (4) Saúde Física, (5) Espiritualidade, (6) Sexualidade, (7) O Outro, (8) Preconceito - e três (03) categorias - "Idoso com HIV/aids", "Interação Social" e a categoria central "Autocuidado", ilustradas pelo diagrama de Venn. Em conclusão, dentre as demandas de cuidado físico e psicossocial de enfermagem aos idosos com HIV/aids, emergiram necessidades de instrumentalização para a adoção e sustentação do autocuidado e de fomentar a autoestima para o enfrentamento do preconceito.

Qualitative approach research with the objective to discuss how older adults with HIV/aids practice self-care, its health and nursing care implications. Approved by the EEAN/HESFA and HUCFF/UFRJ Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), used Grounded Theory (GT) or Teoria Fundamentada em Dados (TFD) to guide data collection, analysis and discussion of 25 older adults with HIV/aids, outpatients at the Infectious and Parasitic Diseases at the HUCFF/UFRJ ambulatory. Two instruments were used on the interview and documental research: the interview guide with two sections, one semi-structured and one structured, and a spreadsheet for data entry of information on patient files. From the overall number of participants, 60% were men, 48% between 60-64 years old, 68% heterosexuals, 32% single and 32% widowers, 84% were retired or received pensions, 48% attended school between nine (09) and eleven (11) years, and 68% declared income between one (01) e three (03) minimum wages. HIV/aids time of known diagnosis varied from two (02) to 30 years; age at the time of diagnosis between 30-70 years old, with 100% in use of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for periods varying between one (01) and 25 years long. The most frequent opportunist diseases were pneumonia, tuberculosis and herpes zoster and the comorbidities were systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. From the data submitted to GT analytic processes, emerged 47 codes, groups into eight (08) subcategories - (1) The Me, (2) Diagnose, (3) Mental Health, (4) Physical Health, (5) Spirituality, (6) Sexuality, (7) The Other, (8) Prejudice- and three (03) categories- "Older with HIV/aids", "Social Interaction" and the central category "Self-care", illustrated by a Venn diagram. In conclusion, among the nursing physical and psychosocial care demands of older adults with HIV/aids, emerged needs for effective support towards(i) the adoption and sustainingof self-care practices and (ii) the building up of self-esteem for coping against prejudice.

Investigación de abordaje cualitativa com el objetivo de discutir como ancianos con VIH/sida realizan el autocuidado, cuales las implicaciones para su salud y para el cuidado de enfermería. Aprobada por los Comités de Ética em Investigación EEAN/HESFA y HUCFF/UFRJ, utilizo el método Grounded Theory (GT) o Teoría Fundamentada em Datos (TFD) para conducir la recolección, análisis y discusión de los datos de 25 ancianos con VIH/sida, usuários del ambulatorio de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias del HUCFF/UFRJ. En la entrevista e investigación documental fueron utilizados dos instrumentos: el guión de la entrevista, con secciones semiestructurada y estructurada, y una hoja de trabajo para registro de informaciones em los historiales clínicos. En la totalidad de participantes entrevistados, 60% eran hombres, 48% entre 60 y 64 años, 68% heterosexuales, 32% solteros y 32% viudos, 84% eran jubilados o pensionistas, 48% con nueve (09) a once (11) años de escolaridad, y 68% informaron renta entre una (01) y tres (03) remuneraciones mínimas. El tiempo de diagnóstico VIH/sida varió de dos (02) a 30 años, la edad en el momento del diagnóstico de 30 a 70 años, con 100% haciendo uso de la Terapia Antirretroviral (TAR) por periodos entre uno (01) y 25 años. Las enfermedades oportunistas más frecuentes fueronpulmonía, tuberculosis y herpes zóster y las comorbilidades fueron hipertensión arterial sistémica, diabetes mellitus y dislipimia. A partir de los datos sometidos a los procesos analíticos de la TFD, emergieron 47 códigos, agrupados en ocho (08) subcategorias - (1) El Mí, (2) Diagnóstico, (3) Salud Mental, (4) Salud Física, (5) Espiritualidad, (6) Sexualidad, (7) El Otro, (8) Prejuicio ­ y tres (03) categorías ­ "Anciano con VIH/sida", "Interacción Social" y la categoría central "Autocuidado", ilustradas por el diagrama de Venn. En conclusión, de las demandas del cuidado físico y psicosocial de enfermería a los ancianos con VIH/sida, emergieron necesidades de instrumentalización para la adopción y sustentación del autocuidado y de fomentar la autoestima para el enfrentamiento del prejuicio.

[Cryptococcal meningitis and neuropsychiatric consequences of HIV-infection]. / Cryptokokkenmeningitis en neuro-psychiatrische gevolgen van hiv-besmetting.

A 49-year-old African-born male was admitted to hospital with an acute psychosis. He had been treated by an internist after being found to have hiv; as a result of non-compliance over a period of about four months his cd4-count had dropped to 40. Six months earlier he had developed a cryptococcal meningitis, which left him a number of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. During his stay in hospital there had to be good collaboration with the specialist in internal medicine whose dual task was to manage the patient's dramatically low cd4-account as well as his psychosis. Cryptococcal meningitis is a risk factor for psychiatric disorders and mortality in hiv-infected persons.

Complex care needs of patients with late-stage HIV disease: a retrospective study.

This retrospective chart review provides a profile of an emerging population of vulnerable HIV patients with complex comorbidities. Data were abstracted from all 83 patients admitted in 2008 to Casey House, a community-based hospital dedicated to supportive and palliative care for persons with HIV in Toronto, Canada. We describe patient characteristics, including medical and psychiatric conditions, and use a Venn diagram and case study to illustrate the frequency and reality of co-occurring conditions that contribute to the complexity of patients' health and health care needs. The mean age at admission was 49.2 years (SD10.5). Sixty-seven patients (80.7%) were male. Patients experienced a mean of 5.9 medical comorbidities (SD2.3) and 1.9 psychiatric disorders (lifetime Axis I diagnoses). Forty patients (48.2%) experienced cognitive impairment including HIV-associated dementia. Patients were on a mean of 11.5 (SD5.3) medications at admission; 74.7% were on antiretroviral medications with 55.0% reporting full adherence. Current alcohol and drug use was common with 50.6% reporting active use at admission. Our Venn diagram illustrates the breadth of complexity in the clients with 8.4% of clients living in unstable housing with three or more medical comorbidities and two or more psychiatric diagnoses. Comprehensive HIV program planning should include interventions that can flexibly adapt to meet the multidimensional and complex needs of this segment of patients. Researchers, policy-makers, and clinicians need to have greater awareness of overlapping medical, psychiatric and psychosocial comorbidities. Inclusion of the needs of these most vulnerable patients in the development of evidence-based guidelines is an important step for effectively treating, preventing, and planning for the future of HIV/AIDS care.

Assessing the influence of health literacy on HIV-positive women's cervical cancer prevention knowledge and behaviors.

Women living with HIV (WLH) bear a disproportionate burden of cervical cancer and may face challenges understanding health information. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of health literacy on WLH cervical cancer screening knowledge and behaviors. WLH were recruited from clinic- and community-based settings in the southeastern USA. The majority of women completing a questionnaire assessing factors related to cervical cancer were African American (90 %). About 38 % of women reported low health literacy. Compared to women with high health literacy, these women were more likely to report having had ≥ 2 Pap tests during the year after HIV diagnosis (p=0.02), and less likely to have had a Pap test <1 year previously (p=0.05). There was no difference in cervical cancer or human papillomavirus knowledge among those with low versus high health literacy. Results revealed mixed finding on the influence of health literacy on screening knowledge and behaviors.

A study to assess the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS reporting to an ART Center of Central India.

Effectively addressing the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and providing them with adequate care and support services are an essential intervention necessary to address the problem of HIV. The current study analyzed the needs of PLHA, the support received and the support required, to help frame comprehensive and focused programs for HIV infected individuals. The study was cross-sectional in design, incorporating quantitative analysis techniques and was conducted at the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) Center of MGM Medical College Indore, India, from February 2009 to January 2010. A semistructured interview schedule was used to interview 420 respondents currently on ART and the data was analyzed using SPSS software. Males and females constituted 69 and 31% of the study participants, respectively. The major support received by the respondents was care and help from families and friends, free ART, medicines for opportunistic infections (OI) and monthly health check-up at the ART Center. Other support received included nutritional supplements, traveling allowance to travel to the ART Center for availing the monthly dose of ART and educational help for children. The major support required was regular availability of medicines for various OI and associated diseases at ART centers, free laboratory investigations at hospitals, educational help for children, employment opportunities, development of a vaccine, facility of households, availability of second line ART drugs at ART centers, decentralization of ART centers, strengthening of existing PLHA networks and support groups, and better and effective counseling services. Coordinated efforts by governmental, non-governmental sources and PLHA themselves will result in the development of a comprehensive package of care and support for PLHA, to cater to their needs and requirements.

Reliability and validity of dermatology life quality index: assessment of quality of life in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with pruritic papular eruption.

OBJECTIVE: To test the reliability and validity of dermatology life quality index (DLQI) in simplified Chinese language by assessing the quality of life (QoL) in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)/AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) patients with pruritic papular eruption (PPE). METHODS: A study of simplified-Chinese-version DLQI was carried out in Henan province, China. The reliability and validity were tested by means of statistical method. Data were processed with SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: One hundred and seven subjects participated in the study and 106 (99.07%) finished the questionnaire. Eighteen patients were mildly affected; 62 were moderately affected, 24 were highly affected, and 2 were extremely affected. Reliability analysis showed that the split-half reliability coefficient of questionnaire was 0.556 and the reliability of the full test estimated with Spearman-Brown. correction was 0.7146. The Cronbach alpha was 0.673. According to validity analysis, the correlation between the scores of items and the total scores ranged from 0.208 to 0.529 (P < 0.05). Three factors were abstracted froml0 questions with the principal component analysis and the contribution rate of the 3 common factors was 59.95%. CONCLUSION: The simplified-Chinese-version DIQL is an acceptable and valid scale for HIV/AIDS patients with PPE. It can be used to evaluate the QoL of HIV/AIDS patients with PPE in China.

Social constraints to TB/HIV healthcare: accounts from coinfected patients in South Africa.

There is a growing imperative to improve the coordination and collaboration of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV healthcare services in response to escalating rates of TB/HIV coinfection. Patient-specific challenges associated with the delivery of TB/HIV care have been minimally explored in this regard. As part of a larger study conducted in South Africa, this article highlights coinfected patients' experiences with TB and HIV healthcare in light of their broader social environments. Qualitative, in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 adult, coinfected patients (24 women and 16 men) and eight key-informant healthcare workers at three urban/peri-urban, ambulatory, public health clinics in the high-burden province of KwaZulu-Natal. Transcribed interviews were analyzed under a modified grounded theory approach to capture subjective meanings of healthcare experience subsequent to patients' codiagnosis with TB and HIV. Emerging analytic themes highlighted critical sociomedical constraints to TB/HIV care in relation to patients' income and employment, eligibility for social assistance and antiretroviral treatment, fears around illness disclosure, social and material support, and treatment adherence. Patients' healthcare experiences were bound by their poor access to essential resources, multiple life responsibilities, disparate gender roles, limits within the healthcare system, and the stigmatizing social symbolism of their illness. Overlapping social inequalities perpetuated coinfected patients' experiences with stigma and collectively mediated their health decisions around disclosure, adherence, and retention in medical care. The study urges a contextualized understanding of the social challenges associated with TB/HIV healthcare and helps inform more patient-sensitive and socially responsive interventions against the co-epidemic.

HIV and tuberculosis: the construction and management of double stigma.

Mitigation of the tuberculosis (TB) and HIV syndemic is undermined by critical clinical, operational and social challenges of which the social aspects have been least explored. This paper examines the lived experience of TB disease and HIV from the perspective of affected individuals to analyze how they may think about their dual illness; how they understand their illness with TB in relation to HIV, and vice versa; and how they characterize their (stigmatized) experiences in the context of their perceptions and identities. From February-August 2009, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 adults with HIV and TB disease at three ambulatory clinics in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Subjective meanings of illness experience were analyzed using modified grounded-theory. Emergent themes on illness perception and disclosure revealed how patients constructed dichotomous identities associated with TB and HIV through social constructs of moral susceptibility and (im)permanence. Each identity was associated with relatively disparate degrees of stigma as a product of labeling, negative stereotyping and discrimination. HIV bore the least desirable identity and invoked the greatest stigma. However, the confluence of the two epidemics rendered TB symbolic and symptomatic of HIV, and enhanced the visibility of AIDS. Dual illness thus introduced a paradox to patients' identity constructions, and produced a unique, overlapping double stigma. This facilitated new forms of stigma against TB, and aggravated existing stigma against HIV. It also conferred visibility to some forms of extra-pulmonary TB. Patients managed their double stigmas through novel forms of information sharing that relied on segregating their dual illness identities. Patients deflected the dominant stigma of HIV through concurrent processes of HIV 'othering' - their symbolic distancing from persons affected by HIV, and 'covering' - their selective disclosure of illness (and identity associated) with TB over that of HIV. Findings call for greater consideration to the complex role of stigma in the delivery of TB/HIV healthcare.

Hepatitis C virus infection is associated with painful symptoms in HIV-infected adults.

The study aim was to assess whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) was associated with painful symptoms among patients with HIV. Using data from a prospective cohort of HIV-infected adults with alcohol problems, we assessed the effects of HCV on pain that interfered with daily living and painful symptoms (muscle/joint pain, headache and peripheral neuropathy). Exploratory analyses assessed whether depressive symptoms and inflammatory cytokines mediated the relationship between HCV and pain. HCV-infected participants (n = 200) had higher odds of pain that interfered with daily living over time (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.43; 95% CI: 1.02-2.01; p = 0.04) compared to those not infected with HCV. HIV/HCV co-infected participants had higher odds of muscle or joint pain (AOR 1.45; 95% CI: 1.06-1.97; p = 0.02) and headache (AOR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.18-2.07; p<0.01). The association between HCV and peripheral neuropathy did not reach statistical significance (AOR 1.33; 95% CI: 0.96-1.85; p = 0.09). Depressive symptoms and inflammatory cytokines did not appear to mediate the relationship between HCV and pain. Adults with HIV who are also co-infected with HCV are more likely to experience pain that interfered with daily living, muscle or joint pain, and headaches compared to those not co-infected. Research is needed to explore the association between HCV infection and pain, and to determine whether HCV treatment is an effective intervention.

Psychiatric management of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients beginning treatment for hepatitis C virus infection: survey of provider practices.

OBJECTIVE: To determine expert clinical practice in the management of psychiatric status of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients initiating pegylated interferon/ribavirin for the treatment of hepatitis C. METHOD: Two hundred thirty-six expert providers were identified and invited by email to complete an online anonymous survey. RESULTS: Ninety-two providers (39%) completed the survey, 24 (26%) of whom are psychiatrists. More than one third of providers indicate that they use or offer the option of antidepressant use prophylactically in HIV-positive patients with no past or current depression beginning HCV treatment, and more than three quarters do so in patients with a history of depression but no current symptoms of depression. The most experienced nonpsychiatrist providers were more likely to use antidepressants prior to the start of treatment in HIV-coinfected patients as compared to in HCV monoinfected patients. There is consensus among providers to leave psychiatric medication unchanged in patients currently treated for unipolar depression. CONCLUSIONS: Many expert providers prescribe antidepressants to HIV/HCV-coinfected patients initiating Hepatitis C treatment in the absence of symptoms of depression, despite the lack of data supporting this approach in this population. Research is needed to provide an evidence base to guide the optimal psychiatric management of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients beginning hepatitis C treatment.

Iranian dental students' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients.

Dental treatment procedures frequently involve blood and saliva that may be contaminated with HIV. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to assess Iranian dental students' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients. In 2008, a fifty-three-item self-administered questionnaire was conducted on all 750 dental students who participated in the 10(th) Dental Student Congress in Isfahan, Iran. The overall response rate to the questionnaire was 60.7 percent. The total mean knowledge and attitudes scores were 82.1 percent (excellent) and 57.4 percent (negative), respectively. There were no significant differences in the knowledge or attitude scores between male and female students. A majority of the students were aware of the association between HIV and oral candidiasis (98.1 percent), major aphthous (95.8 percent), and Kaposi's sarcoma (93.8 percent). Although a majority of the students had excellent knowledge (78.4 percent), only 1 percent had professional attitudes about treating patients with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, it is important that dental students, as future dentists, develop not only the necessary practical skills but also attitudes that will prepare them to treat HIV/AIDS patients.

Community reactions to a syphilis prevention campaign for gay and bisexual men in Los Angeles County.

"Stop the Sores" (STS), a humor-based syphilis prevention campaign, was implemented in response to increasing syphilis prevalence among gay and bisexual men in Los Angeles County. In 2004, 564 men completed surveys measuring exposure and reactions to the campaign and syphilis testing. Mean age was 39, and men of color comprised a significant proportion of the sample (46.8%). Most men reported being HIV-negative (79.3%). Overall, 7.8% of the sample reported ever having syphilis; HIV-positive men were six times more likely to report this. Over one half of the sample (58.5%) reported exposure to the campaign. Men reporting any recent unprotected anal sex were twice more likely (than those who did not) to see the campaign. Men of color were twice more likely than White men to report wanting to speak to their friends about it. Finally, 39.1% of men exposed to the campaign reported being tested for syphilis as a result. Factors related to higher likelihood to test for syphilis included HIV seropositive status, any recent unprotected anal insertive sex, recent use of methamphetamine, recent use of "poppers," and recent use of erectile dysfunction drugs. Although STS was somewhat effective, outreach efforts to particular subgroups may need to increase.