HIV-positive men as a key population for fighting HIVDR in Africa

Abstract

Abstract This article is concerned with transdisciplinarity as a framework for addressing the wicked problem of rising HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) rates in Africa and its implications. According to data published by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), even though the number of AIDS-related deaths has declined by 48% between 2005 and 2016, this significant decrease is now threatened by a rise in resistance of HIV to antiretroviral drugs in several regions, including Africa. Through the application of transdisciplinary research methods, the team identified various factors with an impact on HIVDR, of which they found adherence to be the one most reasonable to address in the context of their research project. Subsequently, the team sought to characterise factors influencing non-adherence among HIV+ individuals. By identifying the current state of the problem, existing gaps in knowledge needed to tackle the issue and stakeholders with a pronounced impact on HIV+ individuals’ adherence and beliefs, non-governmental organisations and community health workers were established as particularly important actors. As a result of discussions with external experts and a review of the literature, the poor health-seeking behaviour of men, who represent a group particularly challenging to engage, became the focal point of the project. Eventually, investigating the possibility of setting up a health helpline providing peer-to-peer support to men living with HIV in South Africa was agreed upon as a concrete objective of the project in collaboration with Dr. Coenie Louw of the Gateway Health Institute. The attributes such a helpline would need to be useful and attractive to its target audience will be explored further in the near future by means of interviews with local community health workers as well as through focus group discussions with male HIV+ individuals in South Africa. A transdisciplinary approach to the problem of HIVDR facilitated the sharing of knowledge across multiple disciplines, which in turn facilitated the exchange of thoughts and ideas between students from different academic backgrounds and various stakeholders with expertise relevant to the project.