HIV Activist Identity, Commitment, and Orientation Scale (HAICOS): Psychometric Evaluation to Assess Clinician's Propensity Towards HIV Activism in Malaysia.

HIV activism has a long history of advancing HIV treatment and is critical in dismantling HIV-related stigma. This study evaluated the psychometric quality of the HIV Activist Identity, Commitment, and Orientation Scale (HAICOS) to assess clinicians' propensity towards HIV activism in Malaysia. From November 2022 to March 2023, 74 general practitioners and primary care physicians in Malaysia participated in the study. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) extracted an internally consistent three-factor solution with 13 items: (1) HIV activist identity and commitment, orientation towards (2) day-to-day, and (3) structural activism. The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.91, and intra-class correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was 0.86. Stigma-related (prejudice and discrimination intent) and clinical practice (comfort in performing clinical tasks with key populations and knowledge about HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis) measures supported the construct validity of the scale. The study provided concise, structurally valid, and reliable measures to evaluate HIV activism among clinicians.

RESUMEN: El activismo del VIH tiene una larga historia de avanzar el tratamiento del VIH y es crítico para desmantelar el estigma relacionado al VIH. Este estudio evaluó la calidad psicométrica de la Escala de Identidad, Compromiso y Orientación de Activistas del VIH (HAICOS) para evaluar la propensión de los médicos hacia el activismo del VIH en Malasia. Desde noviembre del 2022 hasta marzo del 2023, 74 médicos generales y de atención primaria en Malasia participaron en este estudio. El análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) extrajo una solución de tres factores internamente consistente con 13 ítems: (1) identidad y compromiso del activismo del VIH; orientación hacia (2) el activismo cotidiano y (3) el activismo estructural. El valor alfa de Cronbach fue de 0.91 y el coeficiente de correlación intraclase para la confiabilidad prueba-reprueba fue de 0.86. Las medidas relacionadas con el estigma (prejuicio e intención de discriminación) y la práctica clínica (comodidad realizando tareas clínicas con poblaciones claves y conocimiento sobre la profilaxis pre-exposición del VIH) respaldaron la validez de constructo de la escala. El estudio proporcionó medidas concisas, estructuralmente válidas y confiables para evaluar el activismo de VIH entre los médicos.

Liver dysfunction in adults with COVID-19 infection: A longitudinal study with transient elastography evaluation.

Background and Aim: Abnormal liver biochemistry (ALB) is common among patients with COVID-19 infection due to various factors. It is uncertain if it persists after the acute infection. We aimed to investigate this. Methods: A multicenter study of adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection, with at least a single abnormal liver function test, was conducted. Detailed laboratory and imaging tests, including transabdominal ultrasound and FibroScan, were performed at assessment and at 6-month follow-up after hospital discharge. Results: From an initial cohort of 1246 patients who were hospitalized, 731 (58.7%) had ALB. A total of 174/731 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria with the following characteristics: 48.9% patients had severe COVID-19; 62.1% had chronic liver disease (CLD); and 56.9% had metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). ALB was predominantly of a mixed pattern (67.8%). Among those (55.2%) who had liver injury (aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase >3 times the upper limit of normal, or alkaline phosphatase/γ-glutamyl transferase/bilirubin >2 times the upper limit of normal), a mixed pattern was similarly predominant. Approximately 52.3% had normalization of the liver lunction test in the 6-month period post discharge. Patients with persistent ALB had significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), higher rates of MAFLD and CLD, higher mean liver stiffness measurement and continuous attenuated parameter score on FibroScan, and higher rates of liver injury on univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Approximately 47.7% of COVID-19 patients were found to have persistent ALB up to 6 months following the acute infection, and it was associated with raised BMI, elevated serum LDL, increased rates of MAFLD and CLD, and higher rates of liver injury on univariate analysis, but not on multivariate analysis.