Financial incentives to promote retention in care and viral suppression in adults with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy in Tanzania: a three-arm randomised controlled trial, The Lancet HIV,

IMPORTANCE Current US immigration policy targets immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries; anti-immigration rhetoric has possible implications for the US-born children of immigrant parents. OBJECTIVE To assess whether concerns about immigration policy are associated with worse mental and physical health among US citizen children of Latino immigrants. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This study of cohort data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a long-term study of Mexican farmworker families in the Salinas Valley region of California, included a sample of US-born adolescents (n = 397) with at least 1 immigrant parent. These adolescents underwent a health assessment before the 2016 presidential election (at age 14 years) and in the first year after the election (at age 16 years). Data were analyzed from March 23, 2018, to February 14, 2019. EXPOSURES Adolescents aged 16 years self-reported their concern about immigration policy using 2 subscales (Threat to Family and Children's Vulnerability) of the Perceived Immigration Policy Effects Scale (PIPES) instrument. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Resting systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure; body mass index; maternal-and self-reported depression and anxiety problems (using Behavioral Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition); self-reported sleep quality (using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]); and maternal rating of child's overall health. All measures except sleep quality were assessed at both the aged-14-years and aged-16-years visits. Health outcomes at age 16 years and the change in outcomes between ages 14 and 16 years were examined among youth participants who reported low or moderate PIPES scores vs high PIPES scores. RESULTS In the sample of 397 US-born Latino adolescents (207 [52.1%] female) and primarily Mexican American individuals, nearly half of the youth participants worried at least sometimes about the personal consequences of the US immigration policy (n = 178 [44.8%]), family separation because of deportation (177 [44.6%]), and being reported to the immigration office (164 [41.3%]). Those with high compared with low or moderate PIPES scores had higher self-reported mean anxiety T scores (5.43; 95% CI, 2.64-8.23), higher maternally reported anxiety T scores (2.98; 95% CI, 0.53-5.44), and worse PSQI scores (0.98; 95% CI, 0.36-1.59). Youth participants with high PIPES scores reported statistically significantly increased levels of anxiety over the 2 visits (adjusted mean difference-indifferences, 2.91; 95% CI, 0.20-5.61) and not significantly increased levels of depression (adjusted mean difference-indifferences , 2.63; 95% CI,-0.28 to 5.54). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Fear and worry about the personal consequences of current US immigration policy and rhetoric appear to be associated with higher anxiety levels, sleep problems, and blood pressure changes among US-born Latino adolescents; anxiety significantly increased after the 2016 presiden...

Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of short-term cash and food assistance to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and retention in care among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Tanzania. Methods At three clinics, 805 participants were randomized to three groups in a 3:3:1 ratio, stratified by site: nutrition assessment and counseling (NAC) plus cash transfers (~$11/month, n=347), NAC plus food baskets (n=345), and NAC-only (comparison group, n=113, clinicaltrials.gov NCT01957917). Eligible PLHIV were: ≥18 years, initiated ART ≤90 days prior, and food insecure. Cash or food was provided for ≤6 consecutive months, conditional on visit attendance. The primary outcome was medication possession ratio (MPR) ≥95% at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were appointment attendance and loss to follow-up (LTFU) at 6 and 12 months. Results The primary intent-to-treat analysis included 800 participants. Achievement of MPR≥95% at 6 months was higher in the NAC+cash group compared to NAC-only (85.0% vs. 63.4%), a 21.6 percentage point difference (95% confidence interval (CI): 9.8, 33.4, p<0.01). MPR≥95% was also significantly higher in the NAC+food group versus NAC-only (difference=15.8, 95% CI: 3.8, 27.9, p<0.01). When directly compared, MPR≥95% was similar in the NAC+cash and NAC+food groups (difference=5.7, 95% CI: −1.2, 12.7, p=0.15). Compared to NAC-only, appointment attendance and LTFU were significantly higher in both the NAC+cash and NAC+food groups at 6 months. At 12 months, the effect of NAC+cash, but not NAC+food, on MPR≥95% and retention was sustained. Conclusions Short-term conditional cash and food assistance improves ART possession and appointment attendance and reduces LTFU among food-insecure ART initiates in Tanzania.

Program characteristics, including targeting rurally interested students, primary care focus, and substantial clinical training within a rural region, can successfully foster rural physician careers. The greatest benefit is to the rural region where the program is based.

BackgroundInterventions incorporating constructs from behavioral economics and psychology have the potential to enhance HIV ‘treatment as prevention’ (TasP) strategies. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated an intervention to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence based on the concepts of social norms and priming.MethodsWe used tools from marketing research and patient-centered design to develop a combination intervention that included visual feedback about clinic-level retention in care, a self-relevant prime, and useful take-home items with the priming image. The intervention was implemented at two HIV primary clinics in Shinyanga, Tanzania in 2-week intervals for six months. We conducted a quasi-experimental pilot study with a random sample of exposed and unexposed adult patients living with HIV infection (PLHIV) to compare retention and the proportion of patients with medication possession ratio (MPR) ≥95% after six months. Intervention acceptability was determined with a convenience sample of 405 PLHIV at baseline (n = 189) and endline (n = 216).ResultsMedical records were reviewed for 438 PLHIV (320 intervention, 118 standard of care). In adjusted analyses, PLHIV exposed to the intervention were significantly more likely to be in care after 6 months (87% vs. 79%, adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.78, p<0.05) and were more likely to achieve MPR≥95% (70% vs. 59%, OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 0.96, 2.37, p = 0.07). The intervention was associated with increases in staff support of treatment goals (100% vs. 95%, p = 0.01) and life goals (66% vs. 50%, p<0.01), the perceived likelihood of other patients’ adherence (54% vs. 32%, p<0.01), support from other patients (71% vs. 60%, p = 0.03), and being very satisfied with care (53% vs. 35%, p<0.01).ConclusionsThis novel intervention has the potential to improve the clinic experience, short-term retention in care, and ART adherence. Future studies are needed to expand the generalizability of the approach and evaluate effectiveness on clinical outcomes.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT02938533

BackgroundUniversal access to and utilization of malaria prevention measures is defined as every person at malaria risk sleeping under a quality insecticide-treated mosquito net (ITN) and every pregnant woman at risk receiving at least two doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP). This study aimed to determine factors affecting accessibility, availability and utilisation of malaria interventions among women of reproductive age in Kilosa district in central Tanzania.MethodsWomen of reproductive age with children <5 years old or those who had been pregnant during the past 5 years were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to seek information on malaria knowledge, accessibility and utilization of malaria interventions during pregnancy.ResultsA total of 297 women (mean age=29±6.8 years) were involved. Seventy percent of the women had attained primary school education. About a quarter of women had two children of <5 years while over 58% had ≥3 children. Most (71.4%) women had medium general knowledge on malaria while only eight percent of them had good knowledge on malaria in pregnancy. A significant proportion of women were not aware of the reasons for taking SP during pregnancy (35%), timing for SP (18%), and the effect of malaria on pregnancy (45.8%). Timing for first dose of SP for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) was 1-3 months (28.4%) and 4-6 months (36.8%). Some 78.1% were provided with SP under supervision of the health provider. Knowledge on malaria in pregnancy had a significant association with levels of education (p=0.024). Ninety-eight percent had an ITN, mostly (87.1%) received free from the government. All women attended the ANC during their last pregnancy. The coverage of IPT1 was 53.5% and IPTp2 was 41.1%. The proportion of women making more ANC visits decreased with increasing parity.ConclusionThis study showed that the knowledge of the pregnant women on malaria in pregnancy and IPTp was average and is likely to have an impact on the low IPTp coverage. Campaigns that provide educational massages on the risk of malaria during pregnancy and the usefulness of IPTp need to be emphasised.

Background We assessed Zimbabwe’s progress towards elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (eMTCT) under Option A. Methods We analyzed 2012 and 2014 cross-sectional serosurvey data from mother-infant pairs residing in the same 157 health facility catchment areas (CA) randomly sampled from 5 provinces. Eligible women were ≥16 years and mothers/caregivers of infants born 9–18 months prior. We aggregated individual-level questionnaire and HIV serostatus within CA or district to estimate MTCT and the number of HIV-infected infants; these data were mapped using facility GPS coordinates. Findings A weighted population of 8,800 and 10,404 mother-infant pairs was included from 2012 and 2014, respectively. In 2014, MTCT among HIV-exposed infants was 6.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.2,8.6), not significantly different from 2012 (8.8%, 95%CI: 6.9,11.1, p=0.13). From 2012–2014, self-reported antiretroviral therapy or prophylaxis among HIV-infected women increased from 59% to 65% (p=0.05), as did self-reported infant antiretroviral prophylaxis (63% vs. 67%, p=0.08). In 2014, 65 (41%), 55 (35%), and 37 (24%) CAs had the same, lower, and higher MTCT rate as in 2012, respectively. MTCT in 2014 varied by CA (median=0%, mean=4.9%, interquartile range (IQR)=0–10%) as did the estimated number of HIV-infected infants (median=0, mean=1.1, IQR=0–1.0). Also in 2014, 106 (68%) CAs had MTCT=0%. Geovisualization revealed clustering of CAs where both MTCT and the estimated number of HIV-infected infants were relatively high. Interpretation Although MTCT is declining in Zimbabwe, geospatial analysis indicates facility-level variability. CAs with high MTCT rates and a high burden of HIV-infected infants should be the highest priority for service intensification.

BackgroundUnderstanding the interactions between malaria and agriculture in Tanzania is of particular significance when considering that they are the major sources of illness and livelihoods. The objective of this study was to determine knowledge, perceptions and practices as regards to malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food insecurity in a rural farming community in central Tanzania.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, heads of households were interviewed on their knowledge and perceptions on malaria transmission, symptoms and prevention and knowledge and practices as regards to climate change and food security.ResultsA total of 399 individuals (mean age = 39.8 ± 15.5 years) were interviewed. Most (62.41%) of them had attained primary school education and majority (91.23%) were involved in crop farming activities. Nearly all (94.7%) knew that malaria is acquired through a mosquito bite. Three quarters (73%) reported that most people get sick from malaria during the rainy season. About 50% of the respondents felt that malaria had decreased during the last 10 years. The household coverage of insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITN) was high (95.5%). Ninety-six percent reported to have slept under a mosquito net the previous night. Only one in four understood the official Kiswahili term (Mabadiliko ya Tabia Nchi) for climate change. However, there was a general understanding that the rain patterns have changed in the past 10 years. Sixty-two percent believed that the temperature has increased during the same period. Three quarters of the respondents reported that they had no sufficient production from their own farms to guarantee food security in their household for the year. Three quarters (73.0%) reported to having food shortages in the past five years. About half said they most often experienced severe food shortage during the rainy season.ConclusionFarming communities in Kilosa District have little knowledge on climate change and its impact on malaria burden. Food insecurity is common and community-based strategies to mitigate this need to be established. The findings call for an integrated control of malaria and food insecurity interventions.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-015-0052-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.