The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on HIV treatment gap lengths and viremia among people living with HIV British Columbia, Canada, during the Covid-19 pandemic

Are we ready for the next pandemic

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4595157
AutoresLalani L Munasinghe (0000-0001-5859-9579, AIDS Vancouver), Weijia Yin (0009-0000-1934-5090, AIDS Vancouver), Hasan Nathani (AIDS Vancouver), Junine Toy (0000-0001-8803-3744, AIDS Vancouver), Paul Sereda (0000-0002-6411-8089, AIDS Vancouver), R Barrios (0000-0003-3642-5986, AIDS Vancouver), Julio S G Montaner, Joan Montaner (0000-0003-4845-2279, AIDS Vancouver), Valentina Dorea Lima (0000-0003-4943-091X, AIDS Vancouver, autor de correspondencia)
Año2024
Volumen350
Páginas116920
Fecha de publicación2024-06-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSocial Science & Medicine (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0277-9536 • E-ISSN: 1873-5347
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116920
PMID38703468
OpenAlexW4396217972
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas42

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the care of people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aims to characterize the impact of the pandemic on the length of HIV treatment gap lengths and viral loads among people living with HIV (PLWH) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, with a focus on Downtown Eastside (DTES), which is one of the most impoverished neighbourhoods in Canada. We analyzed data from the HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program from January 2019 to February 2022. The study had three phases: Pre-COVID, Early-COVID, and Late-COVID. We compared results for individuals residing in DTES, those not residing in DTES, and those with no fixed address. Treatment gap lengths and viral loads were analyzed using a zero-inflated negative binomial model and a two-part model, respectively, adjusting for demographic factors. Among the 8982 individuals, 93% were non-DTES residents, 6% were DTES residents, and 1% had no fixed address during each phase. DTES residents were more likely to be female, with Indigenous Ancestry, and have a history of injection drug use. Initially, the mean number of viral load measurements decreased for all PLWH during the Early-COVID, then remained constant. Treatment gap lengths increased for all three groups during Early-COVID. However, by Late-COVID, those with no fixed address approached pre-COVID levels, while the other two groups did not reach Early-COVID levels. Viral loads improved across each phase from Pre- to Early- to Late-COVID among people residing and not residing in DTES, while those with no fixed address experienced consistently worsening levels. Despite pandemic disruptions, both DTES and non-DTES areas enhanced HIV control, whereas individuals with no fixed address encountered challenges. This study offers insights into healthcare system preparedness for delivering HIV care during future pandemics, emphasizing community-driven interventions with a particular consideration of housing stability

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Geography · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Pandemic · Sociology · Viral load · Viremia · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Gerontology · Internal Medicine · Virology