How the COVID-19 pandemic and the health system's response reduced HIV testing and increased late diagnoses in Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the disruption in HIV screening and diagnoses due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to investigate the pandemic's subsequent influence on the HIV epidemic. DESIGN: A retrospective examination of testing and confirmed diagnoses time series was undertaken from 2011 to 2022. The analysis encompassed testing, positive tests, positivity rates, and diagnosis outcomes, including new HIV diagnoses, asymptomatic HIV diagnoses, and symptomatic HIV diagnoses. METHODS: We used Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models to estimate the COVID-19 epidemic's impact on screening and diagnosis outcomes. We gauged the pandemic's effect between January 2020 and December 2022 by comparing modeled predicted results with actual outcomes. RESULTS: The advent of COVID-19 prompted a reduction of 50.7% in HIV testing, followed by a monthly escalation in testing afterward, estimated at 30.2 and 65.1% for 2021 and 2022, respectively. Although new diagnoses reported between 2020 and 2022 gradually increased to prepandemic levels, we estimate a gap of 13 207 new diagnoses, with symptomatic detections increasing more than proportionally in 2021 and 2022. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in missed HIV diagnoses and a rise in late HIV diagnoses. Implementing tailored post-COVID-19 strategies to accelerate timely HIV testing and prevention is needed to avert additional burdens and remain on track toward achieving the 2030 HIV management goals.

The impact of the Covid-19 vaccination policy in Mexico. A quasi-experimental effectiveness evaluation of a multi-vaccine strategy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a vaccination campaign that administered five different technologies in a middle-income country with one of the largest Covid-19 epidemics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using data from Mexico's Epidemiological Surveillance System for Viral Respiratory Disease (Sisver) and the design of the vaccine policy in Mexico as a natural experiment, we applied difference-in-differences econometric methods to assess the strategy's effectiveness on transmission, hospitalizations, and mortality rates among adults 60 to 64 years old in Mexico between April and June 2021. RESULTS: We estimated average effectiveness levels of 60.9% against confirmed cases of Covid-19. Vaccination also decreased hospitalizations and deaths by 62.7 and 62.6%, respectively. After adjusting for vaccination coverage, we found an impact of 79.1, 80.9, and 81.3% reduction in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among the vaccinated. CONCLUSION: Despite the significant progress in our knowledge of Covid-19 vaccination effectiveness, the available evidence relies mostly on experiences from high-income countries. This study contributes to the scientific literature of Covid-19 vaccination effectiveness in a middle-income country with a multi-vaccine scheme.

[Depressive symptoms and coverage of diagnosis andtreatment of depression in Mexican population]. / Síntomas depresivos y cobertura de diagnóstico y tratamiento de depresión en población mexicana.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in the prevalence of de-pressive symptoms (DS) and in detection and treatment coverage between 2006 and 2018, and to identify the socio-demographic factors associated with the latter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the Ensanut 2006, 2012, 2018-19, 100k. We used logistic regression to explore demographic factors associated with coverage of detection and treatment of depression. RESULTS: The prevalence of DS was respectively: 15.4, 13.7, 13.6 and 15.0%. Living in munici-palities with a very high and high degree of marginalization was associated with less coverage of detection and treatment of depression. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides evidence on the gaps that exist in access to mental health services between regions and different levels of marginalization and highlights the need to direct efforts to increase access to health services that allow timely diagnosis and treatment of DS and depression.

OBJETIVO: Estimar cambios en la prevalencia de síntomas depresivos (SD) y en la cobertura de detección y tratamiento entre 2006 y 2018, e identificar los factores sociodemográfi-cos asociados con estos últimos. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) 2006, 2012, 2018-19 y 100k. Usamos regresión logística para explorar factores demográficos asociados con detección y tratamiento de depresión. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de SD fue respectivamente de 15.4, 13.7, 13.6 y 15.0%. Vivir en municipios con muy alto y alto grado de marginación se asoció con menor cobertura de detección y tratamiento de depresión. CONCLUSIONES: Este trabajo brinda evidencia sobre las brechas que existen en el acceso a servicios de salud mental entre regiones y diferentes niveles de marginación, y resalta la necesidad de encaminar esfuerzos para incrementar acceso de servicios de salud que permitan el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos de SD y la depresión.

Síntomas depresivos y cobertura de diagnóstico y tratamiento de depresión en población mexicana / Depressive symptoms and coverage of diagnosis and treatment of depression in Mexican population

Abstract Objective: To assess changes in the prevalence of depressive symptoms (DS) and in detection and treatment coverage between 2006 and 2018, and to identify the sociodemographic factors associated with the latter. Materials and methods: We used data from the Ensanut 2006, 2012, 2018-19, 100k. We used logistic regression to explore demographic factors associated with coverage of detection and treatment of depression. Results: The prevalence of DS was respectively: 15.4, 13.7, 13.6 and 15.0%. Living in municipalities with a very high and high degree of marginalization was associated with less coverage of detection and treatment of depression. Conclusions: This work provides evidence on the gaps that exist in access to mental health services between regions and different levels of marginalization and highlights the need to direct efforts to increase access to health services that allow timely diagnosis and treatment of DS and depression.

Resumen Objetivo: Estimar cambios en la prevalencia de síntomas depresivos (SD) y en la cobertura de detección y tratamiento entre 2006 y 2018, e identificar los factores sociodemográficos asociados con estos últimos. Material y métodos: Se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) 2006, 2012, 2018-19 y 100k. Usamos regresión logística para explorar factores demográficos asociados con detección y tratamiento de depresión. Resultados: La prevalencia de SD fue respectivamente de 15.4, 13.7, 13.6 y 15.0%. Vivir en municipios con muy alto y alto grado de marginación se asoció con menor cobertura de detección y tratamiento de depresión. Conclusiones: Este trabajo brinda evidencia sobre las brechas que existen en el acceso a servicios de salud mental entre regiones y diferentes niveles de marginación, y resalta la necesidad de encaminar esfuerzos para incrementar acceso de servicios de salud que permitan el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos de SD y la depresión.