Late presentation to HIV/AIDS care in Brazil among men who self-identify as heterosexual

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the factors associated with late presentation to HIV/AIDS services among heterosexual men. METHODS Men infected by HIV who self-identified as heterosexual (n = 543) were included in the study. Descriptive, biivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the factors associated with late presentation (defined as individuals whose first CD4 count was <350 cells/mm3) in the study population. RESULTS The prevalence of late presentation was 69.8%. The multivariate logistic analysis showed testing initiated by the provider (ORadjusted 3.75; 95%CI 2.45-5.63) increased the odds of late presentation. History of drug use (ORadjusted 0.59; 95%CI 0.38-0.91), history of having sexually transmitted infections (ORadjusted 0.64; 95%CI 0.42-0.97), and having less education (ORadjusted 0.63; 95%CI 0.41-0.97) were associated with a decreased odds of LP. CONCLUSIONS Provider initiated testing was the only variable to increase the odds of late presentation. Since the patients in this sample all self-identified as heterosexual, it appears that providers are not requesting they be tested for HIV until the patients are already presenting symptoms of AIDS. The high prevalence of late presentation provides additional evidence to shift towards routine testing and linkage to care, rather than risk-based strategies that may not effectively or efficiently engage individuals infected with HIV.

Revisiting the use of condoms in Brazil / Revisitando o uso do preservativo no Brasil

ABSTRACT Introduction: It is known that a single prevention strategy is not enough to control multiple HIV epidemics around the world and in Brazil. However, it is not only necessary to recognize the importance of condoms as part of the policy of HIV/AIDS prevention but also discuss its limits. In this article, we aim to investigate the use of condoms in Brazil, draw critical reflections, and understand how they can once again be highlighted in Brazil's prevention strategy going forward. Methods: A narrative review of literature was conducted using keywords in PubMed. Reports from national surveys that guide the epidemiological and behavioral surveillance of the Brazilian Ministry of Health were also included. Results: A total of 40 articles and 3 reports were included in the review and 11 intervention studies to promote the condom use; the main findings were as follows: 1) Despite the increase in national studies on sexual behavior, little attention is given to the role of condom use; 2) There are few studies examining the factors associated with condom use among key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), drug users (DU), and transvestites and transexuals (TT), while substantial studies focus on adolescents and women; 3) Evidence suggests that a combination of interventions is more effective. Discussion: new prevention technologies must not lose sight of the critical importance of condoms, and efforts to reintroduce them should focus on the role of pleasure in addition to their potential to minimize the risk of HIV.

RESUMO Introdução: No âmbito da atual política de prevenção do HIV/AIDS é necessário reconhecer a importância do preservativo masculino e discutir seus limites. Esse artigo objetivou investigar o uso do preservativo masculino no Brasil e elaborar reflexões críticas sobre o papel do mesmo no novo contexto da prevenção do HIV/AIDS. Métodos: Revisão narrativa sobre o uso do preservativo masculino no Brasil em diferentes grupos populacionais e fatores associados ao uso, por meio de buscas realizadas entre março e abril de 2013, utilizando-se descritores em inglês categorizados na base PubMed. Incluíram-se também documentos provenientes de inquéritos nacionais que orientam a vigilância epidemiológica e comportamental do Ministério da Saúde. Resultados: Incluí-se 40 artigos e 3 relatórios para caracterizar a produção de conhecimentos e outros 11 estudos de intervenção para promoção do uso de preservativos. Observou-se que: 1) apesar do aumento de estudos nacionais, estes apresentam baixa regularidade; 2) há poucos estudos sobre fatores associados ao uso de preservativo entre os grupos nos quais a epidemia se concentra, como homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH), trabalhadoras sexuais (TS), usuários de drogas (UD) e travestis e transexuais (TT), e concentração entre adolescentes e mulheres; 3) combinação de intervenções mostrou-se mais efetiva do que uma só. Discussão: A reflexão e discussão do uso do preservativo no âmbito das novas tecnologias de prevenção devem não só enfatizar a importância do mesmo, mas também considerar o papel do prazer e do sexo nas intervenções combinadas, além do potencial de redução do risco de infecção por HIV.