Integrated Prenatal Care for Women Living With HIV: Primary Care Outcomes in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan has the highest rate of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Canada. Of those newly diagnosed, 56% identify as female, 76% identify as Indigenous, and 71% report a history of intravenous drug use. These statistics are strikingly different compared with Canadian data. This brief communication describes prenatal care provided to women living with HIV at an interdisciplinary primary care clinic in Saskatchewan, demonstrating that, despite facing great barriers such as housing insecurity, substance use, and institutionalized racism, women living with HIV can have positive outcomes, including engagement in care and the prevention of perinatal HIV infection.

An environmental scan of impacts and interventions for women with methamphetamine use in pregnancy and their children.

BACKGROUND: Indigenous women are overrepresented among people who use (PWU) methamphetamine (MA) due to colonialism and intergenerational trauma. Prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) is increasing as the number of PWUMA of childbearing age grows. Yet impacts of MA in pregnancy and effective interventions are not yet well understood. OBJECTIVE: We conducted an environmental scan of published and grey literature (2010-2020) to determine effects of MA use in pregnancy for mothers and their offspring, effective interventions and implications for Indigenous women. SEARCH STRATEGY: A strategic search of Ovid Medline, Embase, ProQuest-Public Health and CINAHL databases identified academic literature, while Google and ProQuest-Public Health identified grey literature. SELECTION CRITERIA: Article selection was based on titles, abstracts and keywords. The time frame captured recent MA composition and excluded literature impacted by coronavirus disease 2019. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extracted from 80 articles identified 463 results related to 210 outcomes, and seven interventions. Analysis focused on six categories: maternal, neonatal/infant, cognitive, behavioral, neurological, and interventions. MAIN RESULTS: Maternal outcomes were more congruent than child outcomes. The most prevalent outcomes were general neonatal/infant outcomes. CONCLUSION: A lack of Indigenous-specific research on PME and interventions highlights a need for future research that incorporates relevant historical and sociocultural contexts.

"People in regular society don't think you can be a good mother and have a substance use problem": Participatory action research with women with substance use in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To work collaboratively with women accessing an integrated program for women with substance use in pregnancy to learn how services can be improved. DESIGN: Qualitative design using focus groups within a participatory action framework. SETTING: Sheway, a program located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, BC. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 21 co-researchers who were women who had accessed Sheway services. METHODS: Semistructured focus groups were recorded and transcribed. Data analysis was iterative and reviewed weekly with focus group members. Themes were member checked and reviewed with co-researchers. The action phase of the project involved the co-researchers presenting their main findings to the Sheway staff members. The staff and women worked collaboratively to implement client-directed changes to the program. MAIN FINDINGS: Co-researchers described Sheway as family. They expressed concern about transitioning from the program to other community services and identified stereotypes and negative treatment by health care providers as barriers to their transition out of the program. One action project developed by the co-researchers was a "transition group" where women could connect to current and former Sheway clients. The women could retain the social support they gained through Sheway while learning about other resources. The co-researchers also prioritized developing peer-to-peer mentorship to support new clients. The findings of the research were disseminated to Sheway staff, the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia, and local family medicine maternity care providers with the hope of improving care for women with substance use in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: A participatory action framework allowed women to engage as co-researchers. The co-researchers emphasized the importance of relationships and a sense of family with other women as well as providers as positive aspects of their care. Women involved in this project identified negative attitudes of health care providers toward substance use in pregnancy as barriers. Co-researchers proposed transition support and peer-to-peer networking as action projects to improve their care.

Identifying factors associated with changes in CD4(+) count in HIV-infected adults in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of clinical and social factors unique to HIV-infected adults in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, regarding the rate of CD4(+) count change, and to identify factors associated with a risk of CD4(+) count decline. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study from medical chart reviews at two clinics was conducted in Saskatoon. Univariate and multivariate linear mixed effects models were used to assess the impact of selected factors on CD4(+) count change. RESULTS: Four hundred eleven HIV-infected patients were identified from January 1, 2003 to November 30, 2011. Two hundred eighteen (53%) were male, mean (± SD) age was 35.6 ±10.1 years, 257 (70.8%) were First Nations or Métis, 312 (80.2%) were hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected and 300 (73.3%) had a history of injection drug use (IDU). In univariate models, age, ethnicity, HCV, IDU, antiretroviral therapy and social assistance were significant. Using ethnicity, HCV and IDU, three multivariate models (models 1, 2, 3) were built due to high correlation. First Nations or Métis ethnicity, HCV coinfection and a history of IDU were associated with significantly lower CD4(+) counts in multivariate models. Older age and social assistance were associated with significantly lower CD4(+) counts in models 1 and 3. Age was marginally significant in model 2 (P=0.055). Not prescribed antiretroviral therapy was associated with a significantly negative CD4(+) count slope in all multivariate models. CONCLUSION: The unique epidemiology of this HIV-infected population may be contributing to CD4(+) count change. Increased attention and resources focused on this high-risk population are needed to prevent disease progression and to improve overall health and quality of life.

OBJECTIF: Évaluer les répercussions des facteurs cliniques et sociaux propres aux adultes infectés par le VIH de Saskatoon, en Saskatchewan, sur le taux de modifications de la numération de CD4+ et déterminer les facteurs associés à un risque de diminution de la numération de CD4+. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Les chercheurs ont réalisé une étude de cohorte longitudinale rétrospective des dossiers médicaux de deux cliniques de Saskatoon. Ils ont utilisé les modèles linéaires à effets mixtes univariés et multivariés pour évaluer les répercussions de certains facteurs associés aux modifications de la numération de CD4+. RÉSULTATS: Les chercheurs ont repéré 411 patients infectés par le VIH entre le 1er janvier 2003 et le 30 novembre 2011. Deux cent dix-huit d'entre eux (53 %) étaient de sexe masculin et avaient un âge moyen (± ÉT) de 35,6 ans ±10,1 ans, 257 (70,8 %) étaient Métis ou originaires des Premières nations, 312 (80,2 %) étaient co-infectés par le virus de l'hépatite C (VHC) et 300 (73,3 %) avaient des antécédents de consommation de drogues par injection (CDI). Dans les modèles univariés, l'âge, l'ethnie, le VHC, la CDI, l'antirétrovirothérapie et l'aide sociale étaient déterminants. À l'aide de l'ethnie, du VHC et de la CDI, les chercheurs ont formé trois modèles multivariés (modèles 1, 2, 3) en raison de leur forte corrélation. Le fait d'être Métis ou originaire des Premières nations, d'être co-infecté par le VHC et d'avoir des antécédents de CDI s'associait à des numérations de CD4+ beaucoup plus faibles dans les modèles multivariés. Le fait d'être plus âgé et de recevoir de l'aide sociale s'associait à une numération beaucoup plus faible de CD4+ dans les modèles 1 et 3. L'âge était légèrement significatif dans le modèle 2 (P=0,055). Dans tous les modèles multivariés, l'antirétrovirothérapie ne s'associait jamais à une pente négative de la numération de CD4+. CONCLUSION: L'épidémiologie unique de cette population infectée par le VIH contribue peut-être à une modification de la numération de CD4+. Il faudra se pencher sur ces patients à haut risque et y injecter plus de ressources pour prévenir l'évolution de leur maladie et améliorer leur santé et leur qualité de vie globales.

HIV disease progression to CD4 count <200 cells/µL and death in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize and identify determinants of HIV disease progression among a predominantly injection drug use (IDU) HIV population in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era. METHODS: The present retrospective study was based on 343 HIV patients diagnosed from 2005 to 2010 from two clinics in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Disease progression was defined as the time from diagnosis to immunological AIDS (CD4 count <200 cells/µL) and death. Uni- and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used. RESULTS: Of the 343 patients, 79% had a history of IDU, 77% were hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected and 67% were of Aboriginal descent. The one-year and three-year immunological AIDS-free probabilities were 78% and 53%, respectively. The one-year and three-year survival probabilities were 97% and 88%, respectively. Multicollinearity among IDU, HCV and ethnicity was observed and, thus, separate models were built. HCV coinfection (HR 2.9 [95% CI 1.2 to 6.9]) was a significant predictor of progression to immunological AIDS when controlling for baseline CD4 counts, treatment, age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis. For survival, only treatment use was a significant predictor (HR 0.34 [95% CI 0.1 to 0.8]). HCV coinfection was marginally significant (P=0.067). CONCLUSION: Baseline CD4 count, HCV coinfection, year of diagnosis and treatment use were significant predictors of disease progression. This highlights the importance of early treatment and the need for targeted interventions for these particularly vulnerable populations to slow disease progression.

OBJECTIF: Caractériser et établir les déterminants de la progression du VIH dans une population atteinte du VIH surtout composée d'utilisateurs de drogues injectables (UDI) à une époque d'antirétrovirothérapie très active. MÉTHODOLOGIE: La présente étude rétrospective s'est fondée sur 343 patients atteints du VIH diagnostiqués entre 2005 et 2010 dans deux cliniques de Saskatoon, en Saskatchewan. La progression de la maladie était définie comme le moment du diagnostic jusqu'à l'apparition du sida immunologique (numération de CD4 inférieure à 200 cellules/µL), puis jusqu'au décès. Les chercheurs ont utilisé le modèle univariable et multivariable de risques proportionnels de Cox. RÉSULTATS: Sur les 343 patients, 79 % avaient déjà été UDI, 77 % étaient co-infectés par le virus de l'hépatite C (VHC) et 67 % étaient d'origine autochtone. La probabilité de non-apparition de sida immunologique au bout d'un an et de trois ans correspondait à 78 % et à 53 %, respectivement. La probabilité de survie au bout d'un an et de trois ans s'élevait à 97 % et à 88 %, respectivement. Les chercheurs ont observé une multicolinéarité entre les UDI, le VHC et l'ethnie et ont donc préparé des modèles différents. La co-infection par le VHC (RC 2,9 [95 % IC 1,2 à 6,9]) était un prédicteur important de progression en sida immunologique lorsqu'on contrôlait l'effet de la numération de CD4 de référence, du traitement, de l'âge au diagnostic et de l'année de diagnostic. Seule l'utilisation du traitement était une prédicteur important de la survie (RC 0,34 [95 % IC 0,1 à 0,8]). La co-infection par le VHC avait peu d'importance (P=0,067). CONCLUSION: La numération de CD4 de référence, la co-infection par le VHC, l'année de diagnostic et l'utilisation d'un traitement étaient des prédicteurs importants de progression de la maladie. Ces constatations font ressortir l'importance d'un traitement rapide et la nécessité de procéder à des interventions ciblées pour ces populations particulièrement vulnérables afin de ralentir la progression de la maladie.