Pediatric HIV Disclosure Intervention Improves Immunologic Outcome at 48 Weeks: The Sankofa Trial Experience

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization recommends disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents living with HIV (CALWH). HIV disclosure improves adherence to antiretroviral therapy and immunologic and virologic outcomes. However, the prevalence of HIV disclosure is low in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the longitudinal effect of the Sankofa Pediatric HIV disclosure intervention on immunologic and virologic outcomes among CALWH in Ghana. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of a two-arm site-randomized clinical trial among CALWH aged 7–18 years. Data were collected at baseline, 24, and 48 weeks. Generalized linear mixed models were used to compare immunologic (CD4) and virologic (viral load) outcomes as both continuous and categorical variables by disclosure status and by intervention group. Results: Among participants who had their HIV status disclosed during this study, the proportion with CD4 percent >25% increased from 56.5% at baseline to 75.4% at week 48 (P = 0.03), with a slight increase in the undisclosed group (69.5% vs. 74.3%, P = 0.56). In the intervention arm, there was a steady increase in proportion with CD4 percent >25% from 47.1% at baseline to 67.8% at week 48 (P = 0.01) while it remained unchanged in the control arm (80.5% vs. 81.3% [P = 0.89]). Concurrently, declines in detectable viral load were observed in both disclosed (63.3% vs. 51.5%, P = 0.16) and undisclosed (69.9% vs. 62.0%, P = 0.17) groups while the intervention group experienced a meaningful drop from 72.9% to 57.6% at 24 weeks (P = 0.04), which was maintained at 48 weeks. Conclusions: A structured, culturally relevant disclosure intervention can improve clinical outcomes.