Victoria Simms
Biographic Data
| ID | 215338 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Victoria Simms |
| GIVEN NAMES | Victoria |
| FAMILY NAME | Simms |
| SIGNATURE | SIMMS V |
| AFFILIATIONS | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5664-6810 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 47 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 17 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 47 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Evaluation of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery in Adolescents with HIV Infection in Zimbabwe
Electronic assessments of cognition in low-resource settings have the potential to widen access to cognitive appraisal in at-risk populations. We evaluated the performance of the shorter, tablet-based NIH cognition battery (NIH-CB) against the validated paper-based Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children 2nd Edition (KABC-II) in assessment of neurocognitive function in adolescents living with HIV (ALWH). Adolescents aged 11–19 years living with H…
I can get all the services I want, without fear of being judged ’
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services often do not appeal to youth, leading to limited engagement and poor outcomes. We co-designed a community-based integrated HIV and SRH service with and for youth (16-24 years) in Zimbabwe (CHIEDZA) and investigated its acceptability. Qualitative data from observations of CHIEDZA services ( n = 58), and in-depth interviews with healthcare providers ( n = 51), mobilisers ( n = 23), and clients ( n = 63)…
Acceptability and effectiveness of a study information video in improving the research consent process for youth
INTRODUCTION: Obtaining informed consent for research includes the use of information sheets, which are often long and may be difficult for participants to understand. We conducted a trial to investigate whether consent procedures using a study information video coupled with electronic consent were non-inferior to standard consent procedures using participant information sheets (PIS) among youth aged 18-24 years in Zimbabwe. METHODS: The trial wa…
Integrating point-of-care screening for curable sexually transmitted infections with HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B screening in antenatal care services in Zimbabwe
Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnancy are associated with adverse birth outcomes. We investigated the uptake and yield of point-of-care screening for Chlamydia trachomatis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis , integrated with HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening in antenatal care (ANC) in Zimbabwe, and conducted a mixed-methods process evaluation of the strategy. Methods A prospective interv…
Is there an association between frequency of home mathematical activities (HMA) and children’s mathematical outcomes? Data harmonization and secondary analyses of U.K.-based data sets
Early mathematical skills lay an important foundation for later academic success. Substantial variation in mathematical skills can be observed in young children, and these differences have been related to family socioeconomic circumstances (SEC). The type and frequency with which parents engage in home mathematical activities (HMAs) with their children have been suggested as a key mechanism explaining inequalities in early mathematical skills; th…
Barriers to and facilitators of linkage to care following hypertension and diabetes screening among health workers in Zimbabwe
The benefits of screening for any condition are only realised if individuals who screen positive link to care services. We investigated linkage to hypertension and diabetes care by healthcare workers accessing a comprehensive health check service. We also explored facilitators and barriers to linkage to care. Between July 2020 and June 2022, a health check with referral and follow-up was offered to healthcare workers (clients) in Zimbabwe. We aim…
Evaluation of a novel point-of-care lateral flow assay screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection among pregnant women in Zimbabwe
Affordable, easy-to-use and rapid diagnostics may support a move away from syndromic management for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in resource-constrained settings. A lateral flow assay for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG-LFA) has shown high sensitivity and specificity (>90%) in symptomatic individuals. We investigated the performance and acceptability of this assay as a screening tool for NG among pregnant women. This evaluation was embedded w…
Mental health and other clinical and social characteristics of young mothers living with HIV in Zimbabwe
Young women living with HIV (YWLHIV) experience numerous stressors including treatment management and poor parent modelling. We investigated YWLHIV’s mental health and other clinical and social characteristics to inform tailored support. YWLHIV (15–24 years old) participating in a peer-support model tailored for young mothers (Young Mentor Mum intervention) completed a self-administered interview and had clinical and psychological assessments in …
Meta-Analyses and Narrative Review of Home-Based Interventions to Improve Literacy and Mathematics Outcomes for Children Between the Ages of 3 and 5 Years Old
The purpose of these meta-analyses was to examine the effectiveness of home-based interventions aimed at improving literacy and mathematics outcomes for preschool-age children (mean age = 4.29 years; range = 3.07–5.32 years) and to develop an understanding of what home-based interventions work in different contexts. A total of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria for these meta-analyses; 30 studies included sufficient data for inclusion in the m…
Effect of a brief psychological intervention for common mental disorders on HIV viral suppression
Background For people living with co-morbid HIV and common mental disorders (CMD), it is not known whether a brief psychological intervention for CMD can improve HIV viral suppression. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study in eight primary care clinics in Harare, Zimbabwe, enrolling adults with co-morbid HIV and CMD. Six clinics provided the Friendship Bench (FB), a brief psychological intervention for CMD based on problem-solving thera…
A conceptualization and psychometric evaluation of positive psychological outcome measures used in adolescents and young adults living with HIV
Introduction Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of HIV, with comorbid mental conditions highly prevalent in people living with HIV. It is important to evaluate the mental health of adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYALHIV) comprehensively by measuring both negative and positive psychological constructs. There has been a proliferation of interest in positive psychological outcome measures, but the evidence of their psychomet…
Methods for measuring body composition in Zambian adolescents living with HIV
Assessment of body composition can be useful in managing many clinical or public health conditions, including HIV. Most people living with HIV infection are in Africa where clinics may lack equipment, utilities or staff time for optimal body composition assessment. Thus, it is important to determine whether less expensive and more available and scalable methods can provide adequate information. We estimated body composition of 420 perinatally HIV…
Evaluation of a comprehensive health check offered to frontline health workers in Zimbabwe
Health workers are essential for a functioning healthcare system, and their own health is often not addressed. During the COVID-19 pandemic health workers were at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection whilst coping with increased healthcare demand. Here we report the development, implementation, and uptake of an integrated health check combining SARS-CoV-2 testing with screening for other communicable and non-communicable diseases for health workers …
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted with Covid-19 at a public-sector hospital over the first two waves of Sars-CoV-2 infection in Harare, Zimbabwe
Background We investigated the clinical profile, complications, and outcomes of inpatients with COVID-19 at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, across the first two waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and factors associated with mortality. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study on all patients admitted to the COVID-19 unit. Data were extracted from medical records and negative binomial regression with robust standard errors was used to assess the …
Prevalence of chronic conditions and multimorbidity among healthcare workers in Zimbabwe
The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in southern Africa is expanding and is superimposed on high HIV prevalence. Healthcare workers are a scarce resource; yet are vital to health systems. There are very limited studies on the burden of chronic conditions among healthcare workers in Africa, and none exploring multimorbidity (≥2 chronic conditions). We describe the epidemiology of infectious (HIV) and non-communicable chronic conditions, …
Differentiated care for youth in Zimbabwe
Youth living with HIV are at higher risk than adults of disengaging from HIV care. Differentiated models of care such as community delivery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may improve treatment outcomes. We investigated outcomes across the HIV cascade among youth accessing HIV services in a community-based setting. This study was nested in a cluster-randomised controlled trial (CHIEDZA: Clinicaltrials.gov, Registration Number: NCT03719521) conduc…
Measuring the acuity of the approximate number system in young children
The approximate number system (ANS) is a hypothesized mechanism responsible for the representation and processing of numerical information in an imprecise fashion. According to the predominant theory, the ANS is essential in solving simple numerical tasks such as comparing which of two quantities is numerically larger, and some research has indicated that individual differences in its acuity influence higher-level mathematical performance. Becaus…
Addressing sociodemographic disparities in Covid-19 vaccine uptake among youth in Zimbabwe
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance research has mostly originated from high-income countries and reasons why youth may not get vaccinated may differ in low-income settings. Understanding vaccination coverage across different population groups and the sociocultural influences in healthcare delivery is important to inform targeted vaccination campaigns. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted in 24 communities across three provinces…
International comparisons of the home mathematics environment and relations with children's mathematical achievement
BackgroundHome mathematics environment (HME) research has focused on parent-child interactions surrounding numerical activities as measured by the frequency of engaging in such activities. However, HME survey questions have been developed from limited perspectives (e.g., Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27, 2012, 231; Journal of Social Issues, 64, 2008, 95; Early childhood mathematics education research: Learning trajectories for young childre…
Relations between the Home Learning Environment and the Literacy and Mathematics Skills of Eight-Year-Old Canadian Children
The home learning environment includes parental activities, attitudes, affect, knowledge, and resources devoted to supporting children’s development, including literacy and mathematics skills. These factors are related to the academic performance of preschool children (aged 3 to 6 years), before formal schooling and possibly beyond. In the present research, we examined the home learning environment of Canadian families as reported by either the m…
The role of mathematical language skills in arithmetic fluency and word-problem solving for first- and second-language learners
Language skills play an important role in mathematics development. Students (7 to 10 years of age) learning school mathematics either in the same language used at home (first-language learners; n = 103) or in a different language (second-language learners; n = 57) participated in the study. Relations among cognitive skills (i.e., receptive vocabulary, working memory, quantitative skills), domain-specific language skills (i.e., mathematical vocabu…
Pathways to learning mathematics for students in French-immersion and English-instruction programs
Canadian students enrolled in either French-immersion or English-instruction programs were followed from Grades 2 to 3 (Mage = 7.8 years to 8.9 years; N = 244; 55% girls). In each grade, students completed two mathematical tasks that required oral language processing (i.e., word-problem solving and number transcoding from dictation) and two that did not (i.e., arithmetic fluency and number line estimation). Students in both English-instruction (n…
Working out the best deal
Purpose Price promotions are a common tool used by retailers to increase sales. This study aims to investigate the effect of consumer's numerical skills and other demographic characteristics on their ability to determine the best deal when conducting a grocery shop (referred to as deal competency). Design/methodology/approach A consumer survey ( n = 308) was conducted online, collecting information about respondent's demographics and grocery shop…
Understanding home education in the context of Covid-19 lockdown
The COVID-19 lockdown has impacted many aspects of our lives. In particular, children have experienced a rapid change in the way in which education has been delivered. In this study we aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on educational delivery from the perspective of parents. As seen within the emerging literature in relation to COVID-19 and education from across the globe, this study indicates the variability of experience acros…
Individual differences in the development of children’s arithmetic fluency from grades 2 to 3
In the present research, we provide empirical evidence for the process of symbolic integration of number associations, focusing on the development of simple addition (e.g., 5 + 3 = 8), subtraction (e.g., 5 - 3 = 2), and multiplication (e.g., 5 × 3 = 15). Canadian children were assessed twice, in Grade 2 and Grade 3 (N = 244; 55% girls). All families were English-speaking, and parent education levels ranged from high school to postgraduate, with a…
Research priorities for the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents the greatest international biopsychosocial emergency the world has faced for a century, and psychological science has an integral role to offer in helping societies recover. The aim of this paper is to set out the shorter- and longer-term priorities for research in psychological science that will (a) frame t…
Can Sport Build Peace After Conflict? Public Attitudes in Transitional Northern Ireland
The growth of the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) movement has provoked considerable scholarly interrogation of the claimed social benefits of sport. However, little is known of public attitudes to the topic. This article reports research carried out in Northern Ireland regarding sport as a means of bringing divided communities together. Respondents viewed sport as effective in breaking down barriers, yet the demographic reach in terms of t…
Individual differences in the development of children’s arithmetic fluency from grades 2 to 3
In the present research, we provide empirical evidence for the process of symbolic integration of number associations, focusing on the development of simple addition (e.g., 5 + 3 = 8), subtraction (e.g., 5 - 3 = 2), and multiplication (e.g., 5 × 3 = 15). Canadian children were assessed twice, in Grade 2 and Grade 3 (N = 244; 55% girls). All families were English-speaking, and parent education levels ranged from high school to postgraduate, with a…
Cross-Cultural Comparisons of 5-Year-Olds' Estimating and Mathematical Ability
Recent research suggests that both the accuracy and linearity of number estimations are a source of difficulty in mathematical learning. There is also a range of evidence to suggest that children in East Asia are typically mathematically precocious compared to Western peers. Bringing these strands of work together, we discuss number line estimations involving an ability match study of children growing up in the United Kingdom and China. This arti…
The role of community health workers in improving HIV treatment outcomes in children
Reliance on community health workers (CHWs) for HIV care continues to increase, particularly in resource-limited settings. CHWs can improve HIV service use and adherence to treatment, but effectiveness of these programmes relies on providing an enabling work environment for CHWs, including reasonable workload, supportive supervision and adequate training and supplies. Although criteria for effective CHW programmes have been identified, these have…
A longitudinal analysis of estimation, counting skills, and mathematical ability across the first school year
In response to claims that the quality (and in particular linearity) of children's mental representation of number acts as a constraint on number development, we carried out a longitudinal assessment of the relationships between number line estimation, counting, and mathematical abilities. Ninety-nine 5-year-olds were tested on 4 occasions at 3 monthly intervals. Correlations between the 3 types of ability were evident, but while the quality of c…
Multi-centred mixed-methods Pepfar HIV care & support public health evaluation
This novel mixed methods protocol will permit transparent presentation of subsequent dataset results publication, and offers a substantive model of protocol design to measure and integrate key activities and outcomes that underpin a public health approach to disease management in a low-income setting
Cross-Cultural Comparisons of 5-Year-Olds' Estimating and Mathematical Ability
Recent research suggests that both the accuracy and linearity of number estimations are a source of difficulty in mathematical learning. There is also a range of evidence to suggest that children in East Asia are typically mathematically precocious compared to Western peers. Bringing these strands of work together, we discuss number line estimations involving an ability match study of children growing up in the United Kingdom and China. This arti…
Can palliative care integrated within HIV outpatient settings improve pain and symptom control in a low-income country? A prospective, longitudinal, controlled intervention evaluation
A high burden of pain, symptoms and other multidimensional problems persist alongside HIV treatment. WHO policy indicates palliative care as essential throughout the disease course. This study aimed to determine whether palliative care delivered from within an existing HIV outpatient setting improves control of pain and symptoms compared to standard care. A prospective, longitudinal controlled design compared patient outcomes at an outpatient fac…
A longitudinal analysis of estimation, counting skills, and mathematical ability across the first school year
In response to claims that the quality (and in particular linearity) of children's mental representation of number acts as a constraint on number development, we carried out a longitudinal assessment of the relationships between number line estimation, counting, and mathematical abilities. Ninety-nine 5-year-olds were tested on 4 occasions at 3 monthly intervals. Correlations between the 3 types of ability were evident, but while the quality of c…
The HIV basic care package
An evidence-based basic care package (BCP) of seven interventions (Family testing, Cotrimoxazole, Condoms, Multivitamins, Access to safe water treatment, Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), and Insecticide-treated bednet) has been advocated to prevent infections among people with HIV in low-income settings. We examined the availability and receipt of the BCP in HIV outpatient clinics in Kenya and Uganda. A survey of 120 PEPFAR-funded facilities d…
The presence of CD4 counts for the management of HIV patients in East Africa
New WHO guidance stipulates six-monthly CD4 testing and treatment initiation at CD4 less than 350. This study aimed to determine the presence of CD4 results in patient records across five care facilities in Kenya, and to identify factors associated with the presence of CD4 count. This is a cross-sectional study of consecutive outpatients. Participants completed self-reported outcomes of demographics, and both physical and mental health dimensions…
Effect of a Primary Care–Based Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Zimbabwe
Importance: Depression and anxiety are common mental disorders globally but are rarely recognized or treated in low-income settings. Task-shifting of mental health care to lay health workers (LHWs) might decrease the treatment gap. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally adapted psychological intervention for common mental disorders delivered by LHWs in primary care. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cluster randomized clinical …
Conducting experimental research in marginalised populations
Experimental studies to test interventions for people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries are essential to ensure appropriate and effective clinical care. The implications of study participation on outcome data in such populations have been discussed theoretically, but rarely empirically examined. We aimed to explore the effects of participating in a randomised controlled trial conducted in an HIV clinic in Mombasa, Kenya. We repo…
Parents' views and experiences of the informal and formal home numeracy environment
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Task-Shifted Intervention to Enhance Adherence to HIV Medication and Improve Depression in People Living with HIV in Zimbabwe, a Low Income Country in Sub-Saharan Af…
Using a pilot trial design in an HIV care clinic in Zimbabwe, we randomised 32 adults with poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy and at least mild depression to either six sessions of Problem-Solving Therapy for adherence and depression (PST-AD) delivered by an adherence counsellor, or to Enhanced Usual Care (Control). Acceptability of PST-AD was high, as indicated by frequency of session attendance and through qualitative analyses of exit int…
Effect of participation in a randomised controlled trial of an integrated palliative care intervention on HIV-associated stigma
We conducted in Kenya a mixed-methods randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a nurse-led palliative care intervention integrated with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) provision for the management of HIV. Here we report qualitative findings showing increased resistance to HIV-associated stigma among trial participants. A mixed method design was chosen to enable identification of the active ingredients of the intervention and exploration of participants…
Postpartum maternal mental health is associated with cognitive development of HIV-exposed infants in Zimbabwe
This study examines the cognitive profiles of infants born to HIV positive mothers in Zimbabwe. Caregivers with HIV exposed infants delivered in 30 clinics in two areas of Zimbabwe were recruited to the study. Of the 574 study participants, 562 caregiver-infant dyads with a biological HIV +ve mother and infant aged 0-24 months were interviewed. All infants were tested by a trained administrator for cognitive development on the Mullen Scales of Ea…
“It is not possible to go inside and have a discussion”
Caregivers mediate children's access to HIV care and their adherence to treatment. Support for caregivers may improve health outcomes in children, but fear of HIV stigma and discrimination can affect both uptake and delivery of support services. Within a trial evaluating community-based support for caregivers of newly HIV diagnosed children in Harare, Zimbabwe, we conducted a longitudinal qualitative study to explore how stigma affected delivery …
Familial silence surrounding HIV and non-disclosure of HIV status to older children and adolescents
Increasing numbers of children with HIV are surviving to adolescence and beyond, many of whom are orphaned. Disclosure of childrens' and adolescents' HIV status has been shown to improve adherence and retention in HIV treatment programmes. We investigated caregiving arrangements and intra-familial experience of HIV and its relationship to HIV disclosure to older children and adolescents. Children aged 6-15 years, newly diagnosed with HIV infectio…
Trained lay health workers reduce common mental disorder symptoms of adults with suicidal ideation in Zimbabwe
pactr.org ldentifier: PACTR201410000876178
The role of community health workers in improving HIV treatment outcomes in children
Reliance on community health workers (CHWs) for HIV care continues to increase, particularly in resource-limited settings. CHWs can improve HIV service use and adherence to treatment, but effectiveness of these programmes relies on providing an enabling work environment for CHWs, including reasonable workload, supportive supervision and adequate training and supplies. Although criteria for effective CHW programmes have been identified, these have…
A mixed-method pilot study to improve patient satisfaction in rural Uganda
This article reports on a mixed-method longitudinal field study that was conducted using a tablet-based app capturing data on patients’ satisfaction with an outpatient clinic in Kalungu District, Uganda. The app was developed, piloted, and refined using clinician and patient feedback. Findings were reported and discussed in staff meetings, with change in reported levels of satisfaction assessed using descriptive statistical analysis and Chi2 test…
The impact of common mental disorders among caregivers living with HIV on child cognitive development in Zimbabwe
This paper aimed to assess the impact of maternal common mental disorders (CMD) among caregivers living with HIV on the cognitive functioning of their child. Data were collected at baseline and 12 months follow-up from mother–child dyads recruited as part of an ongoing trial in Zimbabwe. Symptoms of CMD were assessed using the Shona Symptom Questionnaire. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to assess child cognitive scores at follow-up (usin…
Effectiveness of a peer-led adolescent mental health intervention on HIV virological suppression and mental health in Zimbabwe
This trial evaluates the effectiveness of peer-delivery of mental health care on mental health and HIV viral load among ALHIV. If effective this intervention has the potential to be scaled-up to improve these outcomes.Trial registration: PACTR201810756862405. 08 October 2018
Effects of Maternal Suicidal Ideation on Child Cognitive Development
This study aimed to assess the association between suicidal ideation among mothers living with HIV in Zimbabwe and the cognitive development of their children. Participants were mother-child dyads recruited from two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Data were collected at baseline and 12 months follow-up. Suicidal ideation was assessed using item-10 from the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to assess the a…
Research priorities for the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents the greatest international biopsychosocial emergency the world has faced for a century, and psychological science has an integral role to offer in helping societies recover. The aim of this paper is to set out the shorter- and longer-term priorities for research in psychological science that will (a) frame t…
Understanding home education in the context of Covid-19 lockdown
The COVID-19 lockdown has impacted many aspects of our lives. In particular, children have experienced a rapid change in the way in which education has been delivered. In this study we aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on educational delivery from the perspective of parents. As seen within the emerging literature in relation to COVID-19 and education from across the globe, this study indicates the variability of experience acros…
Individual differences in the development of children’s arithmetic fluency from grades 2 to 3
In the present research, we provide empirical evidence for the process of symbolic integration of number associations, focusing on the development of simple addition (e.g., 5 + 3 = 8), subtraction (e.g., 5 - 3 = 2), and multiplication (e.g., 5 × 3 = 15). Canadian children were assessed twice, in Grade 2 and Grade 3 (N = 244; 55% girls). All families were English-speaking, and parent education levels ranged from high school to postgraduate, with a…
Can Sport Build Peace After Conflict? Public Attitudes in Transitional Northern Ireland
The growth of the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) movement has provoked considerable scholarly interrogation of the claimed social benefits of sport. However, little is known of public attitudes to the topic. This article reports research carried out in Northern Ireland regarding sport as a means of bringing divided communities together. Respondents viewed sport as effective in breaking down barriers, yet the demographic reach in terms of t…
Relations between the Home Learning Environment and the Literacy and Mathematics Skills of Eight-Year-Old Canadian Children
The home learning environment includes parental activities, attitudes, affect, knowledge, and resources devoted to supporting children’s development, including literacy and mathematics skills. These factors are related to the academic performance of preschool children (aged 3 to 6 years), before formal schooling and possibly beyond. In the present research, we examined the home learning environment of Canadian families as reported by either the m…
Medicine (31 works) · Psychology (20 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (18 works) · Family medicine (17 works) · Psychiatry (16 works) · Internal Medicine (14 works) · Nursing (12 works) · Environmental health (11 works) · Mental health (11 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (8 works)