Unravelling the experiences of incarcerated individuals living with HIV on ART: a qualitative study in Ghanaian prisons.

PURPOSE: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) goal to end the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 emphasises the importance of leaving no one behind. To determine progress towards the elimination goal in Ghana, an in-depth understanding of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care from the perspective of vulnerable populations such as persons living with HIV in incarceration is necessary. This study aims to explore the experiences of incarcerated individuals living with HIV (ILHIV) and on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in selected Ghanaian prisons to help inform policy. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study adopted a qualitative approach involving in-depth interviews with 16 purposively selected ILHIV on ART from purposively selected prisons. Interviews were conducted between October and December 2022. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS.Ti software. FINDINGS: Three themes were generated from the analysis: waking up to a positive HIV status; living with HIV a day at a time; and being my brother's keeper: preventing HIV transmission. All participants underwent HIV screening at the various prisons. ILHIV also had access to ART although those on remand had challenges with refills. Stigma perpetuated by incarcerated individuals against those with HIV existed, and experiences of inadequate nutrition among incarcerated individuals on ART were reported. Opportunities to improve the experiences of the ILHIV are required to improve care and reduce morbidity and mortality. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Through first-hand experiences from ILHIV in prisons, this study provides the perception of incarcerated individuals on HIV care in prisons. The insights gained from this study can contribute to the development of targeted interventions and strategies to improve HIV care and support for incarcerated individuals.

Prevalence and attitude towards hepatitis B vaccination among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: adequate knowledge on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is important among healthcare workers (HCWs) as this impacts the vaccination seeking behaviour. This study sought to assess the knowledge, vaccination status and related factors amongst HCWs in a tertiary facility in Ghana. METHODS: an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted amongst full-time HCWs of different categories at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Stratified sampling was used to arrive at the number needed for each category of HCW and then simple random sampling to recruit participants. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics and logistics regression were carried out on the data. RESULTS: a total of 303 HCWs participated with 78.07% (n=235) being between 20-30 years, and majority being females (62.38%, n=189). A total of 186 (61.39%) participants had adequate knowledge, mean knowledge score was 4.73/7 (±0.97). About 80% (n=218) had received the 3 doses of HBV vaccine. Among the unvaccinated, cost was the major barrier (62.07%, n=18). Participants who did not know that HBV was more infectious than HIV (aOR=5.31, 95%CI: 1.91-14.77), p<0.001) and those who did not have knowledge that HBV vaccine was effective were more likely to be unvaccinated (aOR=8.63, 95%CI: 2.99-24.94), p<0.0001). The gender and cadre of staff did not show statistical evidence of an association with vaccination status. CONCLUSION: knowledge on HBV is paramount for all HCWs as well as the importance of receiving the full doses of the hepatitis B vaccines. Barriers to vaccination must be removed to ensure protection of HCWs.