Temporal trends in self-reported HIV stigma and association with adherence and viral suppression in the African Cohort Study

Bibliographic Data

ID19441464
AuthorsAllahna Esber (0000-0001-5337-0126, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Nicole Dear (0000-0002-8026-9901, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Domonique Reed (0000-0002-4593-6860, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Emmanuel Bahemana (0000-0001-5347-4558, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), John Owouth (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Jonah Maswai (0000-0002-1882-3297, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Hannah Kibuuka (0000-0002-2293-1944, Makerere University Walter Reed Project, Kampala, Uganda), Michael Iroezindu (0000-0003-2460-109X, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Trevor A Crowell (0000-0001-5947-265X, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Christina S Polyak (0000-0002-9801-2012, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Eniko Akom (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research), Julie A Ake (0000-0003-3831-5828, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research)
Year2022
Volume34
Issue1
Pages78-85
Publication date2022-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2021.1984380
PMID34612100
OpenAlexW3202702901
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited25

HIV stigma is a major barrier to HIV care and treatment among people living with HIV (PLWH). Evidence suggests that expansion in antiretroviral therapy (ART) may reduce stigma. However, there are limited longitudinal studies examining temporal trends in HIV stigma in sub-Saharan Africa in the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) era. We longitudinally assessed temporal trends in self-reported experienced stigma and the association of experienced stigma with ART adherence and viral suppression among PLWH enrolled in the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS). AFRICOS is an ongoing cohort study enrolling PLWH in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. As of 1 March 2020, 2937 PLWH enrolled in AFRICOS and had available data. In 2013, 22% of participants reported stigma at the enrollment visit and by 2018 the prevalence decreased to 1% overall and was below 2% for all countries. However, there was not a statistically significant change in stigma prevalence in our longitudinal models. In adjusted models, experiencing stigma was associated with a 0.67 decreased odds of ART Adherence (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.80) and a 0.64 decreased odds of viral suppression (95% CI: 0.73-0.99). HIV-associated stigma was associated with poor self-reported ART adherence and unsuppressed viral load

Antiretroviral therapy · Cohort · Cohort study · Confidence interval · Logistic regression · Longitudinal study · Odds · Odds ratio · Pathology · Psychiatry · Social stigma · Tanzania · Viral load · Demography · HIV Research and Treatment · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Gerontology · Immunology · Internal Medicine