Leveraging peer-based support to facilitate HIV care in Kenya.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Karwa R
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5510806 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Leveraging peer-based support to facilitate HIV care in Kenya.
Karwa Rakhi R Maina Mercy M Mercer Timothy T Njuguna Benson B Wachira Juddy J Ngetich Celia C Some Fatma F Jakait Beatrice B Owino Regina K RK Gardner Adrian A Pastakia Sonak S
PLoS medicine 20170714 7
Rakhi Karwa and colleagues discuss a program in which peer navigators support care for people with HIV at a Kenyan hospital. ...[more]
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Project description:BACKGROUND:People living with HIV (PLHIV) often face barriers in accessing quality and comprehensive HIV care, including stigma and discrimination, which results in poor retention and viral non-suppression. Peer-led interventions can help address these barriers. In Kenya, peer educators (PEs) are PLHIV who support other PLHIV to adhere to clinic schedules and antiretroviral medication uptake. In spite of their status as role models and their key role in supporting clients receiving HIV care and treatment, little is known about the characteristics and treatment outcomes of PEs themselves, specifically viral suppression. METHODS:This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of program data on treatment outcomes of PEs engaged in active patient support activities between October 2010 and January 2017. All eligible PEs from 140 health facilities located in 23 counties of Kenya were included in the study. Data from 230 PEs were abstracted from the electronic medical records, patient files, and registers between June and August 2017. Study variables included key sociodemographic characteristics (sex, marital status, and age), duration on antiretroviral therapy (ART), WHO clinical staging, baseline CD4 count, current antiretroviral regimen and uptake of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT). The outcome variable was viral suppression, defined as a viral load <1000 copies/ml. RESULTS:Overall, 173/230 (75%) of the PEs were female, 144/230 (63%) were married, and median age (LQ, UQ) was 38.5 (33.0, 42.0) years. The PEs had been on ART for a median (LQ, UQ) duration of 76.0 (37.0, 105.0) months. Six months IPT completion was high at 97%. Of the 222 (97%) PEs with an up-to-date viral load taken within the last one year, 211 (95%) were virally suppressed. CONCLUSION:Our study showed that peer educators actively engaged in patient support activities have achieved high viral suppression rates.
| S-EPMC6597086 | biostudies-literature
Project description:With the aim of integrating HIV and tuberculosis care in rural Kenya, a team of researchers, clinicians, and technologists used the human-centered design approach to facilitate design, development, and deployment processes of new patient-specific TB clinical decision support system for medical providers. In Kenya, approximately 1.6 million people are living with HIV and have a 20-times higher risk of dying of tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis prevention and treatment medication is widely available, proven to save lives, and prioritized by the World Health Organization, ensuring that it reaches the most vulnerable communities remains challenging. Human-centered design, used in the fields of industrial design and information technology for decades, is an approach to improving the effectiveness and impact of innovations that has been scarcely used in the health field. Using this approach, our team followed a 3-step process, involving mixed methods assessment to (1) understand the situation through the collection and analysis of site observation sessions and key informant interviews; (2) develop a new clinical decision support system through iterative prototyping, end-user engagement, and usability testing; and, (3) implement and evaluate the system across 24 clinics in rural West Kenya. Through the application of this approach, we found that human-centered design facilitated the process of digital innovation in a complex and resource-constrained context.
| S-EPMC4149343 | biostudies-other
Project description:OBJECTIVES:Patients and caregivers can experience a range of physical, psychologic, and cognitive problems following critical care discharge. The use of peer support has been proposed as an innovative support mechanism. DESIGN:We sought to identify technical, safety, and procedural aspects of existing operational models of peer support, among the Society of Critical Care Medicine Thrive Peer Support Collaborative. We also sought to categorize key distinctions between these models and elucidate barriers and facilitators to implementation. SUBJECTS AND SETTING:Seventeen Thrive sites from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia were represented by a range of healthcare professionals. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Via an iterative process of in-person and email/conference calls, members of the Collaborative defined the key areas on which peer support models could be defined and compared, collected detailed self-reports from all sites, reviewed the information, and identified clusters of models. Barriers and challenges to implementation of peer support models were also documented. Within the Thrive Collaborative, six general models of peer support were identified: community based, psychologist-led outpatient, models-based within ICU follow-up clinics, online, groups based within ICU, and peer mentor models. The most common barriers to implementation were recruitment to groups, personnel input and training, sustainability and funding, risk management, and measuring success. CONCLUSIONS:A number of different models of peer support are currently being developed to help patients and families recover and grow in the postcritical care setting.
| S-EPMC6719778 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceThe vast majority of older adults desire to age in their communities, and it is not clear what helps them be successful at aging in place.ObjectiveTo investigate the comparative effectiveness of community-designed and community-implemented peer-to-peer (P2P) support programs vs standard community services (SCS) to promote health and wellness in at-risk older adults.Design, setting, and participantsThis comparative effectiveness study involved a longitudinal cohort of adults aged 65 years and older conducted between 2015 and 2017. The setting was 3 communities in which community-based organizations delivered P2P services to older adults in California, Florida, and New York. Participants in the P2P group and in the SCS group were matched at enrollment into the study according to age, sex, and race/ethnicity at each site. Data analysis was performed from October 2018 to May 2020.ExposuresP2P support was provided by trained older adult volunteers in the same community. They provided support targeted at the needs of the older adult they served, including transportation assistance, check-in calls, social activities, help with shopping, and trips to medical appointments.Main outcomes and measuresRates of hospitalization, urgent care (UC) and emergency department (ED) use, and a composite measure of health care utilization were collected over 12 months of follow-up.ResultsA total of 503 participants were screened, 456 participants were enrolled and had baseline data (234 in the SCS group and 222 in the P2P group), and 8 participants had no follow-up data, leaving 448 participants for the main analysis (231 in the SCS group and 217 in the P2P group; 363 women [81%]; mean [SD] age, 80 [9] years). Participants in the P2P group more often lived alone, had lower incomes, and were more physically and mentally frail at baseline compared with the SCS group. After adjusting for propensity scores to account for baseline differences between the 2 groups, there was a statistically significant higher rate of hospitalization in the P2P group than in the SCS group (0.68 hospitalization per year vs 0.44 hospitalization per year; risk ratio, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14-2.07; P = .005) during the 12 months of observation. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the rates of ED or UC visits or composite health care utilization over the 12 months of the study.Conclusions and relevanceP2P support was associated with higher rates of hospitalization but was not associated with other measures of health care utilization. Given that this is not a randomized clinical trial, it is not clear from these findings whether peer support will help older adults age in place, and the topic deserves further study.
| S-EPMC7739125 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To use experience-based co-design to identify the key design requirements of a peer support model for critical care survivors; understand the use of the experience-based co-design method from clinician, patients, and family perspectives.DesignUsing experience-based co-design, qualitative data about participants' preferences for a peer support model were generated via workshops. Participants' perspectives of experience-based co-design were evaluated with focus groups.SettingUniversity-affiliated hospital in Melbourne, Australia.SubjectsSnowball sampling was used to recruit clinicians from across the care spectrum (ICU-community); critical care survivors and nominated family members were recruited using convenience sampling.Measurements and main resultsConsensus on a peer support model was reached through the experience-based co-design process, with the following key themes: 1) socialization and group cohesion; 2) management of potential risks; and 3) individualized needs of patients and families. Evaluation of participants' perspectives of the experience-based co-design method identified five key themes: 1) participation as a positive experience; 2) emotional engagement in the process; 3) learning from patients and family members; 4) feeling heard; and 5) practical challenges of experience-based co-design and readiness to participate.ConclusionsExperience-based co-design was a feasible approach to developing a peer support model for use with critical care survivors and was well received by participants. Future testing of the co-designed peer support model in a pilot randomized controlled trial will enhance understanding of peer support in critical care and the use of experience-based co-design as a design methodology.
| S-EPMC7063862 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Consensus and evidence suggest that cascade testing is critical to achieve the promise of cancer genetic testing. However, barriers to cascade testing include effective family communication of genetic risk information and family members' ability to cope with genetic risk. These barriers are further complicated by the developmental needs of unaffected family members during critical windows for family communication and adaptation. Peer support could address these barriers. We provide two illustrative examples of ongoing BRCA1/2-related clinical trials that apply a peer support model to improve family communication and functioning. Peer support can augment currently available genetic services to facilitate adjustment to and effective use of cancer genetic risk information. Importantly, this scalable approach can address the presence of cancer risk within families across multiple developmental stages. This applies a family-centered perspective that accommodates all potentially at-risk relatives. This peer support model can be further applied to emerging topics in clinical genetics to expand reach and impact.
| S-EPMC8474818 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundElectronic medical records are widely used in family practices across Canada and can improve health outcomes. However, recent reports indicate that physicians using electronic medical records work longer and have less direct patient contact which may contribute to burnout. Therefore, new and innovative digital tools are essential to reduce physician workloads and improve patient-physician interaction to address physician burnout. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency and accuracy of clinical decision-making when using a new preventive care point-of-care clinical decision support system (CDSS). An estimate of the potential annual time savings was also determined. This study also assessed physician reported perceived usefulness and ease of use of the CDSS.MethodsQuantitative and qualitative data were collected during this study. Each participant evaluated two simulated patient charts and identified which preventive care metrics were due. The participants recorded their decisions and the time required to assess each chart. Participants then completed a Technology Acceptance Model survey regarding the perceived usefulness and ease of use of the CDSS, which included qualitative feedback. The amount of time saved was determined and participants' clinical decision-making accuracy was scored against current Canadian preventive care guidelines. The number of preventive care specific visits completed per year was determined using clinic billing data.ResultsThe preventive care CDSS saved an average of 195.7 s of chart review time (249.5 s vs 445.2 s; P < 0.001). A total of 1520 preventive visits were performed at Primrose and Bruyère Family Medicine Centres. Extrapolated across the organization, implementation of the new tool could save 82.6 h per year. Decision-making accuracy was not affected by the new tool (78.4% vs 80.9%, P > 0.05). Participants rated the perceived ease of use and usefulness to be very high.ConclusionsNew digital tools may reduce providers' workload without impacting clinical decision-making accuracy. Participants indicated that the preventive care CDSS was useful and easy to use. Further software development and clinical studies are required to further improve and characterize the effect this new CDSS has when implemented in clinical practice.
| S-EPMC8588582 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:Evidence suggests peer support (PS) is as an effective strategy for enhancing prevention and control of chronic and infectious diseases, including cancer. This systematic scoping review examines the range and variety of interventions on the use of PS across the cancer care continuum. METHOD:We used a broad definition of PS to capture a wide-range of interventions and characterize the current status of the field. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL to identify relevant articles published from January 2011 to June 2016. We screened the title and abstracts of 2087 articles, followed by full-text screening of 420 articles, resulting in a final sample of 242 articles of which the most recent 100 articles were reviewed (published June 2014 to May 2016). RESULTS:A number of the recent intervention studies focused on breast cancer (32%, breast cancer only) or multiple cancer sites (23%). Although the interventions spanned all phases of the cancer care continuum, only 2% targeted end-of-life care. Seventy-six percent focused on clinical outcomes (e.g., screening, treatment adherence) and 72% on reducing health disparities. Interventions were primarily phone-based (44%) or delivered in a clinic setting (44%). Only a few studies (22%) described the impact of providing PS on peer supporters. CONCLUSION:PS appears to be a widely used approach to address needs across the cancer care continuum, with many opportunities to expand its reach.
| S-EPMC6561346 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAfter critical illness, patients are often left with impairments in physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Peer support interventions have been implemented internationally to ameliorate these issues.ObjectiveTo explore what patients believed to be the key mechanisms of effectiveness of peer support programs implemented during critical care recovery.MethodsIn a secondary analysis of an international qualitative data set, 66 telephone interviews with patients were undertaken across 14 sites in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to understand the effect of peer support during recovery from critical illness. Prevalent themes were documented with framework analysis.ResultsMost patients who had been involved in peer support programs reported benefit. Patients described 3 primary mechanisms: (1) sharing experiences, (2) care debriefing, and (3) altruism.ConclusionPeer support is a relatively simple intervention that could be implemented to support patients during recovery from critical illness. However, more research is required into how these programs can be implemented in a safe and sustainable way in clinical practice.
| S-EPMC8182973 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionPeer support offers informational, appraisal and emotional support for people with kidney disease, is recommended in national policy, yet has low engagement levels. This paper reports results of a national survey and qualitative interviews in the UK with the aim of increasing understanding of peer support availability and its barriers and facilitators.Literature reviewA recent narrative review highlighted the barriers and facilitators to peer support uptake among people with kidney disease however called on further studies to be conducted.Material and methodsThe survey, adapted from a 2012 version, was sent to all 83 UK kidney units. Semistructured interviews were conducted with staff, recipients and supporters from two units.ResultsForty-four units completed the survey, and 10 staff, 7 patients and 2 peer supporters were interviewed. The most common facilitators were promotion with staff and having peer support champions. Barriers included lack of staff time, guidance/information, other projects taking priority and too few supporters.DiscussionLittle progress has been made since 2012; a proportion of units without peer support remains significant, with similar barriers identified in 2020. Services could be designed to limit the time needed for their creation and maintenance through having simpler referrals and designating staff liaisons.Implications for clinical practicePeer support programmes should have passionate staff and volunteers, involve recipients in the design, recruit an array of supporters and establish evaluations to determine the progress/outcomes. A resource toolkit was developed in response to this project.ConclusionFindings from the national survey and qualitative interviews showed that more peer support optimisation and prioritisation is needed to ensure benefits are maximised.
| S-EPMC9292676 | biostudies-literature