Kirsty Brittain

Biographic Data

ID	3582671
NAME	Kirsty Brittain
GIVEN NAMES	Kirsty
FAMILY NAME	Brittain
SIGNATURE	BRITTAIN K
AFFILIATIONS	University of Cape Town
ORCID	0000-0003-3940-1242
VERIFIED	Yes
TOTAL WORKS	26
TOTAL CITATIONS	6
AUTHOR COUNT	26
EDITOR COUNT	0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR	2015
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR	2023
H-INDEX	2

HIV-related stigma, disclosure and social support
Kirsty Brittain, Yolanda Gomba et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2023
Young pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (WLHIV) are at high risk of poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes, which may be driven partly by HIV-related stigma. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 pregnant and postpartum WLHIV aged 19–24 years to understand how different forms of HIV-related stigma manifest in their lives, as well as their experiences of HIV-status disclosure and social support. Participants described profound l…
Mental health and ART adherence among adolescents living with HIV in Mozambique
Nadia Nguyen, Kathryn L Lovero et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2023
Little is known about the mental health needs of adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) in Mozambique, including the potential relationship between mental health challenges and poor antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence. We examined mental health problems (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms and impairment) and their association with self-reported ART adherence among ALWH ages 15–19 in Nampula, Mozambique. The assoc…
Perinatal alcohol use among young women living with HIV in South Africa
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Jennifer A Pellowski et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2023
Perinatal alcohol use is common in South Africa, including among young women living with HIV (WLHIV), but there are few insights into the drivers of alcohol use in this population. Following the completion of a pilot trial of a peer support intervention for WLHIV aged 16-24 years in Cape Town, we purposively selected participants who had reported perinatal alcohol use at ≥1 study visits to complete a qualitative in-depth interview exploring their…
Why do Integrated Maternal HIV and Infant Healthcare Services work? A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial in South Africa
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Karryn Brown et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2023
In a randomised trial, we found that integrated maternal HIV and infant health services through the end of breastfeeding were significantly associated with the primary outcome of engagement in HIV care and viral suppression at 12 months postpartum, compared to the standard of care. Here, we quantitatively explore potential psychosocial modifiers and mediators of this association. Our findings suggest that the intervention was significantly more e…
Alcohol use and intimate partner violence in HIV-uninfected pregnant women in Cape Town, South Africa
Dvora Joseph Davey, Stanzi M le Roux et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2022
In settings with a high burden of HIV, pregnant women often experience a cluster of risk factors, including alcohol use and intimate partner violence (IPV). These interrelated risks are poorly understood among pregnant women at risk of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We aim to determine cross-sectional associations between pregnant women's alcohol use and victimization due to IPV in the HIV-Unexposed-Uninfected Mother-Infant Cohort Study in Cape Town,…
Contraceptive trajectories postpartum
Open AccessGeorgiana Mctigue, Alison Swartz et al.ARTICLESocial Science & Medicine2022Cited by: 3References: 36
Empowerment in pregnancy
Open AccessKira Diclemente-Bosco, Alison Z Weber et al.ARTICLESocial Science & Medicine2022References: 32
Impact of adverse childhood experiences on women’s psychosocial and HIV-related outcomes and early child development in their offspring
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Allison Zerbe et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2021
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may have a critical influence on adult outcomes and subsequent offspring development, but few data have explored the effects of ACEs in low-resource settings where the burdens of childhood adversity and HIV are high. Among mothers living with HIV in Cape Town, we examined the effects of ACEs on maternal psychosocial and HIV-related outcomes, as well as early child development in their offspring aged 36-60 mont…
The secret life of young adolescents living with HIV in northern Mozambique - a mixed methods study
Open AccessJoana Falcao, Allison Zerbe et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2021
HIV-related secrecy prevails among ALHIV, a situation exacerbated by caregivers and healthcare providers. Caregivers play a major role in supporting adherence among young ALHIV, yet ALHIV could also benefit from adolescent-friendly services, including peer support, sexual and reproductive health services and preparation for independent health management. Integrating such programs into ART services in Mozambique may be critical to promoting ALHIV …
HIV-Related Stigma and Psychological Adjustment Among Perinatally HIV-Infected Youth in Cape Town, South Africa
Open AccessAlexander Pérez, Kirsty Brittain et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2021
“You must leave but I didn’t want to leave”
Jennifer A Pellowski, Alison Z Weber et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2020
Postpartum HIV care retention rates are well below retention rates of the general adult population. The Maternal-Child Health Antiretroviral Therapy (MCH-ART) trial tested the benefit of integrating postpartum maternal ART and pediatric care through the end of breastfeeding compared to the standard of care of immediate postpartum referral of mother and infant to separate services. After the trial, twenty-one participants completed in-depth interv…
Postpartum obesity and weight gain among human immunodeficiency virus‐infected and human immunodeficiency virus‐uninfected women in South Africa
Open AccessAngela M Bengtson, Tamsin K Phillips et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Nutrition2020
In South Africa, up to 40% of pregnant women are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 30-45% are obese. However, little is known about the dual burden of HIV and obesity in the postpartum period. In a cohort of HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected pregnant women initiating antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town, South Africa, we examined maternal anthropometry (weight and body mass index [BMI]) from 6 weeks through 12 months postpartum. Us…
This is My Life We are Talking About”
Open AccessAlison Z Weber, Jennifer A Pellowski et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Health Journal2020
Behavioural health risks during early adolescence among perinatally HIV-infected South African adolescents and same-age, HIV-uninfected peers
Kirsty Brittain, Landon Myers et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2019
Behavioural health risks, including substance use, early sexual debut, bullying and suicidality, are common during adolescence, but may be complicated among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents. However, there are few data exploring these behaviours in sub-Saharan Africa. We compared behavioural health risks (any self-report of substance use, sexual activity, bullying others or suicidality, or a positive urine toxicology screen) among perinatally…
Determinants of suboptimal adherence and elevated HIV viral load in pregnant women already on antiretroviral therapy when entering antenatal care in Cape Town, South Africa
Kirsty Brittain, Robert H Remien et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2018
Across sub-Saharan Africa, prevention of mother-to-child transmission services are encountering increasing numbers of women already established on antiretroviral therapy (ART) when entering antenatal care. However, there are few data examining ART adherence and HIV viral load in this group. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine self-reported suboptimal adherence (defined as missed ART doses on ≥2 days during the preceding 30…
HIV-status disclosure and depression in the context of unintended pregnancy among South African women
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Claude Ann Mellins et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2018
Depressive symptoms are common among pregnant women living with HIV, and an unintended pregnancy may heighten vulnerability. HIV-status disclosure is thought to improve psychological well-being, but few quantitative studies have explored the relationships among disclosure, pregnancy intention and depression. Using multivariable linear regression models, we examined the impact of disclosure on depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Sc…
Experiences of HIV-positive postpartum women and health workers involved with community-based antiretroviral therapy adherence clubs in Cape Town, South Africa
Open AccessZara Trafford, Yolanda Gomba et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2018
Number NCT02417675 clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT02417675 (retrospective reg.)
Patterns and Predictors of HIV-Status Disclosure Among Pregnant Women in South Africa
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Claude Ann Mellins et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2018
Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder and infant developmental outcomes in a South African birth cohort study
Open AccessNastassja Koen, Kirsty Brittain et al.ARTICLEPsychological Trauma Theory…2017
Maternal PTSD may be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Further work in low- and middle-income populations may improve early childhood development in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record
Sensitivity and Specificity of the SRQ-20 and the EPDS in Diagnosing Major Depression Ante- and Postnatally in a South African Birth Cohort Study
Open AccessClaire van der Westhuizen, Kirsty Brittain et al.ARTICLEInternational Journal of Mental…2017
Association of Adolescent- and Caregiver-Reported Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence with HIV Viral Load Among Perinatally-infected South African Adolescents
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Nana Akua Asafu‐Agyei et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2017
Women’s Ideals for Masculinity Across Social Contexts
Open AccessMichael Quayle, Graham Lindegger et al.ARTICLESex Roles2017Cited by: 3References: 12
Infant feeding practices in a South African birth cohort—A longitudinal study
Open AccessShrish Budree, Elizabeth Goddard et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Nutrition2016
Childhood malnutrition is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The choices of complementary foods, which are important in infant nutrition, are poorly described in this setting. We investigated infant feeding practices in a South African birth cohort, the Drakenstein Child Health Study. Longitudinal feeding data were collected from March 2012 to March 2015. Feeding practices at birth, 6-10 and 14 weeks and 6, 9, and 12 months, we…
Social Support, Stigma and Antenatal Depression Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women in South Africa
Open AccessKirsty Brittain, Claude Ann Mellins et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2016
A Self-Reported Adherence Measure to Screen for Elevated HIV Viral Load in Pregnant and Postpartum Women on Antiretroviral Therapy
Open AccessTamsin K Phillips, Tamsin Phillips et al.ARTICLEAIDS and Behavior2016