Knowledge, attitudes and practices on childhood TB among healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: Increasing childhood TB case detection requires the deployment of diagnostic services at peripheral healthcare level. Capacity and readiness of healthcare workers (HCWs) are key to the delivery of innovative approaches.METHODS: In 2019, HCWs from five district hospitals (DHs) and 20 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote d´Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Uganda completed a self-administered knowledge-attitudes-practices (KAP) questionnaire on childhood TB. We computed knowledge and attitudes as scores and identified HCW characteristics associated with knowledge scores using linear regression.RESULT: Of 636 eligible HCWs, 497 (78%) participated. Median knowledge scores per country ranged between 7.4 and 12.1 (/18). Median attitude scores ranged between 2.8 and 3.3 (/4). Between 13.3% and 34.4% of HCWs reported diagnosing childhood with (presumptive) TB few times a week. Practising at PHC level, being female, being involved in indirect TB care, having a non-permanent position, having no previous research experience and working in Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote d´Ivoire and Sierra Leone as compared to Uganda were associated with a lower knowledge score.CONCLUSION: HCWs had overall limited knowledge, favourable attitudes and little practice of childhood TB diagnosis. Increasing HCW awareness, capacity and skills, and improving access to effective diagnosis are urgently needed.

[Men who have sex with men (MSM) and HIV infection in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Knowledge, attitudes, practices and seroprevalence survey]. / Les hommes qui ont des rapports sexuels avec d'autres hommes (HSH) et l'infection à VIH à Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso : connaissances, attitudes, pratiques et enquête de séroprévalence.

BACKGROUND: Like many African countries, the issue of sex between men in Burkina Faso remains taboo and sometimes result in social exclusion. This population which is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS is unknown, due to lack of scientific researches. AIM: Our study aimed to characterize knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices and to estimate HIV seroprevalence among men having sex with men (MSM) living in Ouagadougou. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to describe and analyze MSM living in Ouagadougou. They were recruited by snowball sampling, aged at least 18 years, and accepted to participate at the study. Data were collected by qualified interviewers through administered questionnaire face to face. HIV test was systematically proposed. RESULTS: A total of 142 MSM were recruited during the study period. The sample was mostly composed of students or pupils (60.8%), single men (91%), with age range 18-30 years (96.5%). The HIV knowledge median score was 8/10. HIV seroprevalence was 8.9% (4.5-15.4). CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the vulnerability of MSM living in Ouagadougou about HIV/AIDS given the high rate of HIV seroprevalence. Targeted interventions for prevention, care and scientific research are challenges for the authorities to sustain the achievements of the national fight against HIV and AIDS.

Barriers to antiretroviral treatment initiation in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been freely available since 2004 in South Africa, not all those who are eligible initiate ART. We aimed to investigate individual and household characteristics as barriers to ART initiation in men and women in rural KwaZulu-Natal. METHODS: Adults ≥ 16 years old living within a sociodemographic surveillance area (DSA) who accessed the local HIV programme between 2007 and 2011 were included in the study. Individual and household factors associated with ART initiation within 3 months of becoming eligible for ART were investigated using multivariable logistic regression stratified by sex and after exclusion of individuals who died before initiating ART. RESULTS: Of the 797 men and 1598 women initially included, 8% and 5.5%, respectively, died before ART initiation and were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 733 men and 1510 women, 68.2% and 60.2%, respectively, initiated ART ≤ 3 months after becoming eligible (P = 0.34 after adjustment for CD4 cell count). In men, factors associated with a higher ART initiation rate were being a member of a household located < 2 km from the nearest HIV clinic and being resident in the DSA at the time of ART eligibility. In women, ART initiation was more likely in those who were not pregnant, in members of a household where at least one person was on ART and in those with a high wealth index. CONCLUSIONS: In this rural South African setting, barriers to ART initiation differed for men and women. Supportive individual- and household-level interventions should be developed to guarantee rapid ART initiation taking account gender specificities.

[HIV seroprevalence and associated factors among men who have sex with men in Togo]. / Séroprévalence du VIH et facteurs associés chez les hommes ayant des rapports sexuels avec d'autres hommes au Togo.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on HIV infection among vulnerable populations in sub-saharan African countries, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). The aim of this study was to estimate HIV prevalence and the factors associated with HIV infection among MSM in Togo in 2011. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among MSM aged at least 18years old, living in Togo for at least 3months. They were recruited through the snowball method in six cities of Togo from November 2011 to January 2012. A survey form was used and an HIV screening test was proposed to the participants. The HIV prevalence was estimated with a 95% confidence interval. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with HIV infection. RESULTS: A total of 758 MSM were enrolled in this study, including 498 (67.5%) from Lomé, the capital of Togo. The median age was 24years with an interquartile range of [21-27years] and 271 MSM (35.7%) were students. The vast majority of MSM were Togolese (90.3%) and 14.6% were married or committed to a woman. HIV testing was accepted by 488 MSM (64.3%) but only 408 (53.8%) finally accepted a blood sample collection. The prevalence of HIV infection was 19.6% [95% confidence interval, 15.9-23.8]. In multivariate analysis, three factors were associated with HIV infection: living in Lomé, with an HIV prevalence of 29.8% against 4.3% in the other cities of Togo [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=9.68; P<0.001]; having a good knowledge of HIV transmission modes (aOR=0.59; P=0.049); and not having a regular sex partner (aOR=1.69; P=0.049). CONCLUSION: One MSM out of five was HIV-infected. Intervention programs targeting this vulnerable population are urgently needed, to reduce HIV incidence in Togo.

[Enhanced prenatal HIV couple oriented counselling session and couple communication about HIV (ANRS 12127 Prenahtest Trial)]. / Intervention de conseil VIH prénatal orienté vers le couple et communication conjugale autour du VIH (Essai ANRS 12127 Prenahtest).

BACKGROUND: The Prenahtest study investigated the efficacy of a couple-oriented HIV counselling session (COC) in encouraging couple HIV counselling and testing, and improving intra-couple communication about sexual and reproductive health. We report here on the effect of COC on intra-couple communication about HIV. METHODS: Within this 4-country trial (India, Georgia, Dominican Republic and Cameroon), 484 to 491 pregnant women per site were recruited and individually randomized to receive either the COC intervention, enhanced counselling with role playing, or standard post-test HIV counselling. Women were interviewed at recruitment, before HIV testing (T0), and 2 to 8 weeks after post-test HIV counselling (T1). Four dichotomous variables documented intra-couple communication about HIV at T1: 1) discussion about HIV, 2) discussion about condom use, 3) suggesting HIV testing and 4) suggesting couple HIV counselling to the partner. An intra-couple HIV communication index was created: low degree of communication ("yes" response to zero or one of the four variables), intermediate degree of communication ("yes" to two or three variables) or high degree of communication ("yes" to the four variables). To estimate the impact of COC on the intra-couple HIV communication index, multivariable logistic regressions were conducted. RESULTS: One thousand six hundred and seven women were included in the analysis of whom 54 (3.4%) were HIV-infected (49 in Cameroon). In the four countries, the counselling group was associated with intra-couple HIV communication (P≤0.03): women allocated to the COC group were significantly more likely to report high or intermediate degrees of intra-couple communication about HIV (versus low degree of communication) than women allocated to standard counselling. CONCLUSION: COC improved short-term communication about HIV within couples in different sociocultural contexts, a positive finding for a couple approach to HIV prevention.

Community-based assessment of infant feeding practices within a programme for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in rural Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the infant feeding practices and attitudes of women who used prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services in rural Zimbabwe. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study including structured interviews and focus group discussions was conducted between June 2003 and February 2004. SETTING: The study took place in Murambinda Mission Hospital (Buhera District, Manicaland Province), the first site offering PMTCT services in rural Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS: The interviews targeted HIV-infected and HIV-negative women who received prenatal HIV counselling and testing and minimal infant feeding counselling, and who delivered between 15 August 2001 and 15 February 2003. The focus groups were conducted among young and elderly men and women. RESULTS: Overall, 71 HIV-infected and 93 HIV-negative mothers were interviewed in clinics or at home. Most infants (97%) had ever been breast-fed. HIV-negative mothers introduced fluids/foods other than breast milk significantly sooner than HIV-infected mothers (median 4.0 vs. 6.0 months, P = 0.005). Infants born to HIV-negative mothers were weaned significantly later than HIV-exposed infants (median 19.0 vs. 6.0 months, P = 10(-5)). More than 90% of mothers reported that breast-feeding their infant was a personal decision, a third of whom also mentioned having taken into account health workers' messages. CONCLUSION: The HIV-infected mothers interviewed were gradually implementing infant feeding practices recommended in the context of HIV. Increased infant feeding support capacity in resource-limited rural populations is required, i.e. training of counselling staff, decentralised follow-up and weaning support.

Improved knowledge and practices among end-users of mother-to-child transmission of HIV prevention services in rural Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV advocacy and mobilization campaign on awareness and knowledge levels within the community. METHOD: We used a knowledge, attitudes and practices survey to collect baseline data in November 2002 and again in July 2004 for evaluation purposes. RESULTS: A total of 351 women attending healthcare services were interviewed each time. The proportion of women aware of the service increased from 48.0% in 2002 to 82.8% in 2004 (OR = 4.9, 95% CI 3.3-7.3, P = 0.001). Exclusive breastfeeding was identified as a mother-to-child transmission risk factor by 27.1% in 2002 and by 55.8% of respondents in 2004 (OR = 2.9, CI 2.1-4.2, P = 0.001). Although most interviewees agreed that the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV was the best strategy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (88.3% in 2002 and 96.4% in 2004), few reported having ever used a male condom (24.8% in 2002 vs. 29.8% in 2004, P = 0.16). DISCUSSION: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV strategies at both individual and community level were still insufficiently understood and applied. Targeted educational messages and communication for social change need to be combined. Knowledge, attitudes and practices surveys can be used to monitor programme progress.