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HIV Prevention (hiv + prevention)
Terms modified by HIV Prevention Selected AbstractsCan hepatitis C virus prevalence be used as a measure of injection-related human immunodeficiency virus risk in populations of injecting drug users?ADDICTION, Issue 2 2010An ecological analysis ABSTRACT Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreaks occur among injecting drug users (IDUs), but where HIV is low insight is required into the future risk of increased transmission. The relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV prevalence among IDUs is explored to determine whether HCV prevalence could indicate HIV risk. Methods Systematic review of IDU HIV/HCV prevalence data and regression analysis using weighted prevalence estimates and time,series data. Results HIV/HCV prevalence estimates were obtained for 343 regions. In regions other than South America/sub-Saharan Africa (SAm/SSA), mean IDU HIV prevalence is likely to be negligible if HCV prevalence is <30% (95% confidence interval 22,38%) but increases progressively with HCV prevalence thereafter [linearly (, = 0.39 and R2 = 0.67) or in proportion to cubed HCV prevalence (, = 0.40 and R2 = 0.67)]. In SAm/SSA, limited data suggest that mean HIV prevalence is proportional to HCV prevalence (, = 0.84, R2 = 0.99), but will be much greater than in non-SAm/SSA settings with no threshold HCV prevalence that corresponds to low HIV risk. At low HCV prevalences (<50%), time,series data suggest that any change in HIV prevalence over time is likely to be much smaller (<25%) than the change in HCV prevalence over the same time-period, but that this difference diminishes at higher HCV prevalences. Conclusions HCV prevalence could be an indicator of HIV risk among IDUs. In most settings, reducing HCV prevalence below a threshold (30%) would reduce substantially any HIV risk, and could provide a target for HIV prevention. [source] Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis among injecting drug users in Russia: a multi-city studyADDICTION, Issue 2 2006Tim Rhodes ABSTRACT Objectives To estimate the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis in injecting drug users (IDUs) in Russia. Methods Unlinked anonymous cross-sectional survey of 1473 IDUs recruited from non-treatment settings in Moscow, Volgograd and Barnaul (Siberia), with oral fluid sample collection for HIV, HCV antibody (anti-HIV, anti-HCV) and syphilis testing. Results Prevalence of antibody to HIV was 14% in Moscow, 3% in Volgograd and 9% in Barnaul. HCV prevalence was 67% in Moscow, 70% in Volgograd and 54% in Barnaul. Prevalence of positive syphilis serology was 8% in Moscow, 20% in Volgograd and 6% in Barnaul. Half of those HIV positive and a third of those HCV positive were unaware of their positive status. Common risk factors associated with HIV and HCV infection across the cities included both direct and indirect sharing of injecting equipment and injection of home-produced drugs. Among environmental risk factors, we found increased odds of anti-HIV associated with being in prison in Moscow, and some association between official registration as a drug user and anti-HIV and anti-HCV. No associations were found between sexual risk behaviours and anti-HIV in any city. Conclusions HIV prevalence among IDUs was markedly higher than city routine surveillance data suggests and at potentially critical levels in terms of HIV prevention in two cities. HCV prevalence was high in all cities. Syphilis prevalence highlights the potential for sexual risk and sexual HIV transmission. Despite large-scale testing programmes, knowledge of positive status was poor. The scaling-up of harm reduction for IDUs in Russia, including sexual risk reduction, is an urgent priority. [source] Safer sex decision-making among men with haemophilia and HIV and their female partnersHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 1 2001K. L. Parish An exploratory qualitative study of adult heterosexual men with haemophilia and HIV and women who were their sexual partners was conducted as formative research to better understand cognitive factors involved in behavioural intentions and practices which comprise HIV risk-reduction for sexual transmission. The study sought to generate hypotheses, uncover themes, and develop a broad perspective on possible determinants of behaviours related to HIV transmission risk reduction. Qualitative analysis of these data served as a basis for developing a subsequent quantitative, hypothesis-testing survey and an intervention. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 23 single men and 28 married men with haemophilia and HIV infection, and 28 married women partners selected through stratified, purposeful sampling. The interviews identified beliefs, attitudes, and values underlying decisions regarding target behaviours related to preventing sexual transmission of HIV, including (1) using condoms consistently during vaginal intercourse and (2) talking to partners about risk reduction. The interviews elicited information about perceived advantages and disadvantages of performing each of the targeted behaviours, and factors that facilitate or prevent performing them. Qualitative analysis of coded responses yielded important themes regarding how choices are made about sexual activity and safer sex. Most notably, communication between partners (1) plays a direct, key role in facilitating condom use and (2) forms the basis for maintaining emotional intimacy in these relationships. The link between condom use and communicating about safer sex was viewed as pivotal in achieving HIV prevention for individuals in serodiscordant couples. Recommendations for risk reduction intervention development are discussed. [source] Male circumcision in HIV prevention: some implementation caveats,HIV MEDICINE, Issue 6 2008JV Lazarus No abstract is available for this article. [source] HIV disclosure among HIV positive individuals: a concept analysisJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 9 2010Rosemary W. Eustace eustace r.w. & ilagan p.r. (2010) HIV disclosure among HIV positive individuals: a concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(9), 2094,2103. Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of HIV disclosure. Background., There is a growing interest among healthcare providers and researchers in HIV disclosure as an effective HIV prevention and early disease management initiative. However, the concept still remains unclear. Conceptual clarity is important for providing an expanded theoretical definition and understanding of attributes of HIV disclosure. This information is useful in constructing better HIV disclosure measures in HIV/AIDS nursing practice and research. Data sources., A computer search of the following databases was conducted to capture the meaning and processes of HIV disclosure among HIV-positive individuals: PubMed, CINAHL and PSYCINFO. Only English language journals were used. Publication dates of the literature review ranged from 1999 to 2009. The following key words were used: HIV disclosure, self-disclosure, disclosure and serostatus disclosure. Methods., The Walker and Avant (2005) concept analysis model (Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing, Pearson Prentice Hall, River, NJ, 2005) was used to guide the analysis process, which was completed in 2009. Results., The concept analysis revealed that HIV disclosure is a complex process characterized by the following attributes: experiencing an event, communicating something, timing, and contextual environment, protecting someone, relationship status and improving something or being therapeutic. In addition, the process of HIV disclosure varies across time. Conclusion., The proposed HIV disclosure attributes provide nursing scholars and researchers with new directions on how to reframe research questions, develop measurement tools to reflect better the diversity and fluidity of the process of HIV disclosure among HIV-positive individuals. Policy implications include the need to develop approaches that protect individual and public rights. [source] Effects of Communicator Credibility and Fear on Adaptive and Maladaptive Coping Reactions to the HIV ThreatJOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005Kanayo Umeh Late diagnosis is currently the principal cause of continued mortality among HIV-infected people. Consequently, medical experts (i.e., GPs) are now required to play a more active role in promoting HIV prevention. Social psychological studies suggest that communicator credibility (CC) affects persuasion. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on HIV/AIDS. We tested propositions that a credible (i.e., "expert") communicator is more persuasive than a noncredible source, and that this effect is moderated by fear. Drive-reduction models (Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953) provided the theoretic framework. One hundred undergraduates were exposed to a communication about HIV/AIDS. CC and fear arousal were manipulated with adaptive coping (intentions to use condoms) and maladaptive coping (rationalizations, denial) treated as outcome variables. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed neither a main effect of CC nor an interaction with fear. However, fear arousal seemed to negate persuasion by increasing maladaptive coping. The partial eta-squared (n,2) value indicated a weak-to-modest effect size. Overall, these findings echo drive-reduction models but raise new questions about relevance of source expertise in health persuasion. [source] HIV prevention for people with serious mental illness: a survey of mental health workers' attitudes, knowledge and practiceJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2009Elizabeth Hughes Aim., The aim of this survey was to investigate the attitudes, knowledge and reported practice (capabilities) of mental health workers concerning humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases in people with serious mental illness. Background., People with serious mental illness are at increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Mental health workers have a key role to play in promoting sexual health in this population, but it is unclear how they perceive their role in this work and whether they have the capabilities to deliver sexual health promotion. Design., Cross sectional survey. Methods., A questionnaire was devised and distributed to 650 mental health workers working in a London (UK) NHS mental health service. Results., A response rate of 44% was achieved. Overall, workers reported positive attitudes to sexual health promotion and were knowledgeable about risk behaviours and risk factors for HIV infection. Adherence to glove wearing was good. However, participants' knowledge about HIV/AIDS in people with schizophrenia was poor and most reported they were not engaged in sexual health promotion activities with people with serious mental illness. Glove wearing was predicted by those who had drug and alcohol training and clinical experience and knowledge of risk factors was predicted by previous health promotion training. No other demographic factors predicted any of the other subscales. Conclusion., Mental health workers require training to provide skills for health promotion regarding sexual health and HIV in people with serious mental health problems. In addition, there needs to be more research on risk behaviours. Relevance to clinical practice., The development of effective interventions to reduce this behaviour. [source] Empowerment to participate: a case study of participation by indian sex workers in HIV preventionJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Flora Cornish Abstract The popularity of ,participation' and ,empowerment' in international development discourse is not matched by sophisticated conceptualisation of these terms. Critics have argued that their vagueness allows ,participation' and ,empowerment' to be used indiscriminately to describe interventions which vary from tokenism to genuine devolving of power to the community. This paper suggests that conceptualising empowerment and participation simply in terms of a scale of ,more or less' participation or ,more or less' empowerment does not capture the qualitatively different forms of empowerment that are necessary for different activities. Instead, the paper conceptualises participation in terms of concrete domains of action in which people may be empowered to take part. An ethnographic case study of a participatory HIV prevention project run by sex workers in Kolkata illustrates the argument. Four domains of activity in which sex workers may participate are distinguished: (1) participating in accessing project services; (2) participating in providing project services; (3) participating in shaping project workers' activity; (4) participating in defining project goals. To be empowered to participate in each domain depends upon a different set of resources. Asking the question ,empowerment to do what?' of health promotion projects is proposed as a way of facilitating appropriate project design. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A review of vaccines for HIV preventionTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 1 2003Matilu Mwau Abstract HIV/AIDS has become the most devastating pandemic in recorded history. It has killed 40 million people in the last 20 years and the World Health Organisation estimated that at least 14 000 new infections occurred daily in 2001. There will be up to 100 million new infections in the next 10 years (for current updates, visit http://www.unaids.org/epidemic_update/). Most HIV infections occur in the developing world, and the adverse social and economic impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, particularly in the developing world, is unprecedented. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has had significant effects on HIV/AIDS in the developed world. The drugs have acted to prolong survival, reduce the viral load, and to alleviate suffering. However, the incidence of side effects and resistance is high and the drugs are unaffordable and unavailable in the developing world. HAART regimens are difficult to comply with. Public health efforts to modify the behaviour, attitude and culture that accelerate the spread of HIV/AIDS have had only modest success. There is urgent need for a prophylactic and/or therapeutic HIV vaccine. This is a review of the obstacles and current trends in HIV vaccine development. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Determinants of adherence to a single-dose nevirapine regimen for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Gert Sibande district in South AfricaACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2010Karl Peltzer Abstract Aim:, To identify factors that influence adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis by HIV positive mothers participating in the HIV prevention of mother to child (PMTCT) programme. Methods:, Post-delivery 815 HIV-infected mothers aged 18 years and above with babies aged 3,6 months were interviewed in Gert Sibande District, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Results:, Eighty five percent of the mothers indicated that they had been provided with nevirapine and 78.4% took it before or at the onset of labour and infant nevirapine intake was 76.9%. In multivariate analysis it was found that women with better PMTCT knowledge had a higher perceived confidentility about HIV status at the health facility. They had a term delivery and those who had told their partner about nevirapine had a higher maternal nevirapine adherence. Women who had also told their partner about nevirapine, whose partner was asked for an HIV test and those who knew the HIV status of their infant had higher infant nevirapine adherence. Conclusion:, Adherence to maternal and infant ARV prophylaxis was found to be sub-optimal. Health services delivery factors, male involvement, communication and social support contribute to adherence to ARV prophylaxis in this largely rural setting in South Africa. [source] |