Social Support and Linkage to HIV Care Following Routine HIV Testing in a Ugandan Refugee Settlement.

Journal: AIDS and behavior

Volume: 26

Issue: 8

Year of Publication: 2022

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. canada@uw.edu. Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Bugema University, Kampala, Uganda. Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Kampala, Uganda. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Medical Teams International, Mbarara, Uganda. Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract summary 

We aimed to identify factors associated with linkage to care for individuals newly diagnosed with HIV in a refugee settlement. This study was conducted from October 2018 through January 2020 in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among individuals accessing routine HIV testing services. The survey included questions on demographic factors, physical and mental health conditions, social support, and HIV-related stigma. We collected GPS coordinates of the homes of individuals newly diagnosed with HIV. Associations with linkage to care were assessed using bivariate and multivariable analyses. Linkage to care was defined as clinic attendance within 90 days of a positive HIV test, not including the day of testing. Network analysis was used to estimate the travel distance between participants' homes and HIV clinic and to spatially characterize participants living with HIV and their levels of social support. Of 219 participants diagnosed with HIV (out of 5,568 participants screened), 74.4% linked to HIV care. Those who reported higher social support had higher odds of linking to care compared with those who reported lower social support. On spatial analysis, lower levels of social support were most prevalent in Nakivale Refugee Settlement itself, with more robust social support southeast and west of the study area. Social support is a salient correlate of linkage to care for individuals living in refugee settlements and could be the focus of an intervention for improving uptake of HIV care services.

Authors & Co-authors:  Parrish Canada C Nelson Erica E Faustin Zikama Z Stern Joshua J Kasozi Julius J Klabbers Robin R Masereka Simon S Tsai Alexander C AC Bassett Ingrid V IV O'Laughlin Kelli N KN

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  World Health Organization. HIV/AIDS. Published 2021. 2021. https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/hivaids. Accessed 14 May.
Authors :  10
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1007/s10461-022-03608-6
SSN : 1573-3254
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Cross-Sectional Studies
Other Terms
HIV;Linkage to care;Refugee;Social support;Spatial analysis;Uganda
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Uganda
Publication Country
United States