Dataset Information

HIV testing and counselling experiences: a qualitative study of older adults living with HIV in western Kenya.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Finding HIV infected persons and engaging them in care is crucial in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets; diagnosing 90% of those infected with HIV, initiating 90% of the diagnosed on ART and achieving viral suppression in 90% of those on ART. To achieve the first target, no person should be left behind in their access to HIV testing services. In Kenya, HIV prevention and testing services give less emphasis on older adults. This article describes HIV testing experiences of older adults living with HIV and how their age shaped their interaction and treatment received during HIV testing and diagnosis.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study in two HIV clinics (rural and urban) in western Kenya, and recruited 57 HIV infected persons aged ?50 years. We conducted in depth interviews (IDIs) with 25 participants and 4 focus group discussions (FGDs) with a total of 32 participants and audio recorded all the sessions. Participants recruited were aged between 54 and 79 years with 43% being females. We transcribed audio records and analyzed the data using thematic content analysis method.

Results

Older persons' experiences with HIV testing depended on where they tested (hospital or community setting); whether they actively sought the testing or not; and the age and gender of the healthcare provider who conducted the test. Participants expressed concerns with ageist discrimination when actively seeking HIV care testing services in hospital settings, characterized by providers' reluctance or refusal to test. The testing and counseling sessions were described as short and hurried within the hospital settings, whereas the interactions with service providers in home-based testing were experienced as appropriate and supportive. Participants in this study expressed preference for healthcare providers who were older and of similar gender.

Conclusion

HIV testing services are still not tailored to target older adults' needs in our setting resulting in late diagnosis among older persons. We argue that a scale-up of community level testing services that provide adequate testing and counselling time and actively reach out to older adults is key to attaining the UNAIDS targets of having 90% of PLWH know their status.

SUBMITTER: Kiplagat J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6203278 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

HIV testing and counselling experiences: a qualitative study of older adults living with HIV in western Kenya.

Kiplagat Jepchirchir J Huschke Susann S

BMC geriatrics 20181025 1

<h4>Background</h4>Finding HIV infected persons and engaging them in care is crucial in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets; diagnosing 90% of those infected with HIV, initiating 90% of the diagnosed on ART and achieving viral suppression in 90% of those on ART. To achieve the first target, no person should be left behind in their access to HIV testing services. In Kenya, HIV prevention and testing services give less emphasis on older adults. This article describes HIV testing experiences of older ...[more]

PMID: 30359223

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Project description:BackgroundRetention, defined as continuous engagement in care, is an important indicator for quality of healthcare services. To achieve UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, emphasis on retention as a predictor of viral suppression in patients initiated on ART is vital. Using routinely collected clinical data, the authors sought to determine the effect of age on retention post ART initiation.MethodsDe-identified electronic data for 32965 HIV-infected persons aged ≥15 years at enrolment into the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare program between January 2008 and December 2014 were analyzed. Follow-up time was defined from the date of ART initiation until either loss to follow-up or death or close of the database (September 2016) was observed. Proportions were compared using Pearson's Chi-square test and medians using Mann-Whitney U test. Logistic regression model was used to assess differences in ART initiation between groups, adjusting for baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for baseline characteristics and antiretroviral therapy (ART) status was used to compute hazard ratios. Kaplan-Meier survival function was used to compare retention on ART at 12, 24, and 36 months post ART initiation.ResultsOf the total sample, 3924 (12.0%) were aged ≥50 years at enrolment. The median (IQR) age of young adults and older adults were 32.5 (26.6, 36.9) and 54.9 (51.7, 59.9) respectively. ART initiation rates were 70.5% among older adults and 68.2% among younger adults. Retention rates in care at 12, 24 and 36 months post ART initiation were 73.9% (95% CL: 72.2, 75.5), 62.9% (95% CL: 61.0, 64.7) and 55.4% (95% CL: 53.5, 57.3) among older adults compared to 69.8% (95% CL: 69.1, 70.4), 58.1% (95% CL: 57.4, 58.8) and 49.3% (95% CL: 48.6, 50.0) among younger adults (p <0.001). A higher proportion of older adults were retained in HIV care post ART initiation compared to younger adults, Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR): 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.87) though they were more likely to die, AHR: 1.35 (95% CI: 1.19, 1.52).ConclusionA higher proportion of older adults are initiated on ART and have better retention in care at 12, 24 and 36 months post ART initiation than younger adults. However, older adults have a higher all-cause mortality rate, perhaps partially driven by late presentation to care. Enhanced outreach and care to this group is imperative to improve their outcomes.

Project description:Despite the need, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in resource-limited settings have limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services for improved health outcomes. This is worse for AYAs living with HIV in resource-limited settings where much is unknown about contexts and issues inhibiting access to SRHs. We explored adolescents', healthcare workers, and caregivers' preferences for access to sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young adults living with HIV. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions among a subset of AYA aged 14-24 living with HIV, healthcare workers, and caregivers/parents. We recruited participants from Lumumba Sub-County Hospital (KLM) and Kisumu County Referral Hospitals in Kisumu County (KCH). Trained and experienced qualitative research assistants 5-10 years older than the adolescents conducted interviews and facilitated discussions using guides designed to elicit detailed views and perspectives on sex and sexuality, access to SRH services, challenges of AYA living with HIV, and potential interventions to improve access to SRH services. Audio files were transcribed verbatim and translated to English where necessary before coding and analysis. We applied constant comparative analysis for theme and content to arrive at our conclusions. Our analysis yielded two main themes: preferences for a venue for SRH services and choices for qualities of an SRH counsellor. We found that AYAs generally preferred receiving SRH services to be co-situated within clinical facilities. We also observed gender differences in the qualities of SRH providers, with male AYAs preferring older male service providers compared to females who preferred younger female providers close to their age. The study highlighted the preferences of AYAs for accessing SRH, which need to be considered when designing their health programs. Further, AYAs seem to endite health systems to individualize access to SRH for AYAs living with HIV by providing a combination of attributes that meet individual preferences.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Researchers have widely documented the pervasiveness of HIV stigma and discrimination, and its impact on people living with HIV. Only a few studies, however, have analysed the perceptions of women living with HIV accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. This study explores the experiences of stigma of HIV-positive clients attending family planning and post-natal services and implications for service use and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. Our aim was to gain a better understanding of the impact of various dimensions of stigma on service use and ART adherence among HIV clients in order to inform the response of integrated SRH services. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 48 women living with HIV attending SRH services in two districts in Kenya. Data were coded using Nvivo 8 and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Findings show that many women living with HIV report high levels of anticipated stigma, resulting in a desire to hide their status from family and friends for fear of being discriminated against. Many women feared desertion following disclosure of their positive status to partners. Consequently some women preferred to hide their status and adhere to HIV treatment in secret. However, the majority of study participants attending postnatal care (PNC) services also revealed that anticipated stigma does not adversely affect their HIV drug uptake and ART adherence, as their drive to live outweighs their fear of stigma. Our findings also seem to suggest a preference for specialist HIV services by some family planning (FP) clients because of better confidentiality and reduced opportunities for unwanted disclosure that could lead to stigma. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight that anticipated stigma leading to low disclosure is widespread and sometimes reinforced by health providers' actions and facility layout (contributing to enacted stigma). However, the motivation to stay healthy and look after the children appears in many cases to override fears of stigma related to ART adherence in our client-based sample.

Dataset Information

HIV testing and counselling experiences: a qualitative study of older adults living with HIV in western Kenya.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

HIV testing and counselling experiences: a qualitative study of older adults living with HIV in western Kenya.

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