AIDS Research and Therapy最新文献

{"title":"Risk of uveitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: a cohort study through TriNetX database.","authors":"Bing-Qi Wu, Hou-Ting Kuo, Alan Y Hsu, Yi-Ching Shao, Chun-Ting Lai, Hsin Tseng, Chun-Chi Chiang, Chun-Ju Lin, Ning-Yi Hsia, Huan-Sheng Chen, Yu-Hsun Wang, Yi-Yu Tsai, Min-Yen Hsu, James Cheng-Chung Wei","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00767-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00767-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study using TriNetX database aims to explore the relationship between HIV infection and uveitis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>HIV patients were propensity-matched to individuals from our non-HIV cohort (1:1 ratio) based on variables such as age (every 5 year), sex, ethnicity, race, and relevant comorbidities. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was utilized to assess the impact of variables on uveitis risk, reporting hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of uveitis. Statistical significance was set at a two-sided p-value < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that adult patients with HIV infection had a significantly increased risk of developing uveitis compared to non-HIV counterparts, with an overall HR of 3.02 (95% CI: 2.70 - 3.39). The risk remained elevated across designated follow-up intervals of 1 year (HR = 4.68 [3.69 - 5.92]), 2 years (HR = 4.44 [3.65 - 5.41]), and 3 years (HR = 4.06 [3.42 - 4.81]), with consistent increases noted when dividing into different uveitis types except for anterior uveitis. The risk was higher among patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) compared to asymptomatic HIV (HR = 2.64 [1.30 - 5.35]). Furthermore, HIV patients receiving treatment within three months exhibited a notably increased risk (HR = 2.87 [2.33 - 3.54]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study reveals that individuals with HIV face a significantly heightened risk of developing uveitis. Our findings indicate that this risk is most substantial for intermediate and posterior uveitis, challenging the long-held belief that anterior uveitis is the predominant form in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247217/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144615772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into medication adherence among HIV-positive patients: the integrated change model.","authors":"Mehdi Mirzaei-Alavijeh, Fatemeh Rahimi, Behrooz Hamzeh, Feizollah Mansouri, Nastaran Shoukohi, Farzad Jalilian","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00763-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00763-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>HIV/AIDS continues to pose a significant global public health challenge, with millions affected worldwide. Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), achieving optimal adherence remains critical for improving health outcomes and preventing transmission. This study aims to identify the key determinants influencing medication adherence among HIV-positive patients in western Iran, utilizing the integrated change model as a theoretical framework to inform effective intervention strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study involved 262 HIV-positive individuals from the Behavioral Diseases Counseling Centers (BDCCs) of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2021. Data were collected through structured interviews using a questionnaire based on the I-Change Model, with 255 completed responses analyzed using SPSS-16.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of respondents was 39.04 years, with a majority being male (70.2%). The average medication adherence score was 21.09 [95% CI: 20.68, 21.50], indicating 84.36% adherence. In the adjusted regression model, significant determinants of medication adherence were job status (β = 0.133, P < 0.001) and behavioral skills (β = 0.296, P < 0.001), indicating their positive impact on adherence behavior. Conversely, perceived barriers (β = -0.418, P < 0.001) remained a strong negative correlate, highlighting the detrimental effect of barriers on adherence.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study underscores the critical role of job status, behavioral skills, and perceived barriers in medication adherence. Clinically, healthcare providers must prioritize strategies to mitigate barriers and increasing behavioral skills. From a policy standpoint, expanding employment opportunities for individuals with HIV can support adherence and improve health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12243226/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adverse childhood experiences and disengagement from HIV care: a case-cohort study in Tanzania.","authors":"Sydney Tucker, Solis Winters, Emmanuel Katabaro, Matilda Mlowe, Patrick Bradshaw, Jennifer Ahern, John Colford, Laura Packel, Susan Hillis, Amon Sabasaba, Prosper Njau, Sandra I McCoy","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00760-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00760-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have lasting, detrimental effects throughout the lifespan and may influence engagement in health care. We conducted a case-cohort study in Tanzania to estimate the association between ACEs and disengagement from HIV care 12 months after initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) among 217 adults (26 cases and 191 sub-cohort participants). Experiencing one, two, three, and four additional ACEs was significantly associated with 28% (RR_a= 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.44; p-value < 0.01), 64% (RR_a=1.64; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.20), 110% (RR_a=2.10; 95% CI: 1.35, 3.26), and 168% (RR_a=2.68; 95% CI: 1.49, 4.38) increases in the risk of disengagement from HIV care, respectively. These findings call for integrated trauma-informed mental health services within HIV care to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203731/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144511406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weight loss with real-world doravirine use in the OPERA cohort: a US-based cohort study.","authors":"Karam Mounzer, Laurence Brunet, Michael Sension, Ricky K Hsu, Michael D Osterman, Jennifer S Fusco, Yohance O Whiteside, Gregory P Fusco","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00761-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00761-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Weight gain has been associated with the use of antiretrovirals in people with HIV, especially with integrase inhibitors or tenofovir alafenamide, and among women. In 2018, doravirine became the latest non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor to be approved in the US. We assessed changes in weight over time among virologically suppressed individuals who switched to a regimen containing doravirine (DOR).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From the US-based OPERA cohort, treatment-experienced adults with HIV who switched to a DOR-containing regimen between 30AUG2018-30NOV2022 with a viral load < 50 copies/mL were included (followed through 31MAY2023). The study population was characterized and a linear mixed model was used to estimate rates of weight change on DOR. Results were stratified by sex, by patterns of efavirenz (EFV) and/or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) use before/after switch to DOR, and by integrase inhibitor (INSTI) & tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) use combination (restricted to individuals who maintained the same combination before/after switch).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 388 included individuals, 21% were women, 33% were Black, and 78% were obese or overweight at DOR switch. Overall, people who switched to DOR lost an average of 0.80 kg/year (95% CI: -1.32, -0.28). Both women and men experienced statistically significant weight loss; women (70% Black, 70% aged ≥ 40 years) lost weight at a rate of -1.67 kg/year (95% CI: -3.32, -0.02) and men at a rate of -0.60 kg/year (95% CI: -1.12, -0.08). When EFV and TDF were absent before and after switch to DOR, statistically significant weight loss was observed. Among those who had the same INSTI and TAF combination throughout and had any INSTI or TAF use, a statistically non-significant trend toward weight loss was observed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In one of the first real-world analyses of weight changes among virologically suppressed individuals who switched to a DOR-containing regimen in the US, DOR was associated with statistically significant weight loss. Patterns of use of other antiretrovirals did not fully explain the observed weight loss. These findings are clinically meaningful given that most individuals included were overweight or obese at switch to DOR and that women were predominantly of perimenopausal or menopausal age.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12182698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brief communication: characteristics of primary drug resistance in newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals in Ganzhou, China.","authors":"Dan-Dan Huang, Jun-Jie Liu, Ya-Ting Chen, Rong-Rong Yang, Jun-Zhi Su, Qian Gao, Xin Chen","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00758-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00758-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Primary drug resistance (PDR) is an important cause of antiretroviral therapy (ART) failure. However, the prevalence and characteristics of PDR in Ganzhou remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From July 2018 to August 2021, treatment-naïve, newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals in Ganzhou, China were recruited. Blood samples were collected, and the HIV pol gene was amplified by nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Sequence editing and assembly were performed using DNASTAR Lasergene software, and subsequent analysis for resistance mutations and drug susceptibility profiling was conducted using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 108 successfully amplified samples, seven exhibited low-, intermediate-, or high-level resistance mutations, resulting in a PDR prevalence of 6.5%. Among them, the mutation rate of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) was 4.6%, and the drug resistance mutation rates of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) were both 0.9%. No protease inhibitor resistance was detected. Nine drug resistance mutations were detected, among which six were related to NNRTIs, one was related to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and two were related to INSTIs. The K103N and Y181C mutations conferred intermediate-to-high resistance to NNRTIs, while A98G and V179E caused low-to-intermediate resistance to NNRTIs, and the remaining mutations led to low drug resistance to the respective drugs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Compared to other regions in China, Ganzhou exhibits a relatively low PDR among newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals. However, the emergence of INSTI-resistant strains underscores the need for enhanced resistance surveillance to prevent the spread of drug-resistant strains caused by ART failure.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12172287/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144309419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brief communication: effect of a one-stop-shop intervention on COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people living with HIV in Nairobi and Kajiado counties, Kenya.","authors":"Njoki Njuguna, Peris Gichuhi, Jannis Mutisya, Elizabeth Kubo, Collins Odhiambo, Joanna Michler, Susan Arodi, Reson Marima, Jared Mecha, C F Otieno","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00730-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00730-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at increased risk of COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality. We describe the effect of a 'One-Stop-Shop' intervention on COVID-19 vaccine uptake among PLHIV in Nairobi and Kajiado Counties, Kenya. All PLHIV in selected HIV clinics in Nairobi and Kajiado were included. They received the COVID-19 vaccine alongside other PLHIV services within the HIV clinics. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test and two sample proportion tests were performed. COVID-19 vaccine uptake among PLHIV in both counties increased post-intervention. Nairobi County had 61% COVID-19 vaccine uptake post intervention compared to 38% pre intervention while Kajiado County had 72% uptake, up from 49% pre intervention. Females had the highest post intervention uptake in both counties at 52% (Nairobi) and 54% (Kajiado). In conclusion, COVID-19 vaccine uptake among PLHIV increased after implementation of the One-Stop-Shop intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12166582/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144293165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High prevalence of co-infections with latent tuberculosis, syphilis and hepatitis B and C among people with HIV in Ghana: a call for integrating screening into routine care.","authors":"Helena Lamptey, James Odame Aboagye, Christopher Zaab-Yen Abana, Anthony Twumasi Boateng, Ephraim Mawufemor Kofi Kanda, Dzidzor Aku Attoh, Araba Abaidoo-Myles, Charlotte Borteley Bortey, Jonathan Klutse, Peter Puplampu, Gloria Ansa, Vincent Jessey Ganu, Joseph Oliver-Commey, Evelyn Yayra Bonney, George Boateng Kyei","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00756-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00756-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>People with HIV (PWH) are at risk of co-infections, such as latent tuberculosis (LTBI), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and syphilis; hence, routine screening is critical. However, evaluation of routine screening is not being fully implemented in Ghana. This study assessed the prevalence of these co-infections among PWH in Accra, Ghana.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The HIV Cure Research Infrastructure Study (H-CRIS) followed 390 PWH from three HIV treatment centres in Accra. A cross-sectional study was conducted within this cohort, and participants were screened for LTBI, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis using standardized assays. LTBI was detected using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay. Syphilis testing included treponemal and non-treponemal assays. HBV and HCV were tested using rapid test kits. Data was collected on demographics, viral load, CD4 count, ART regimen, and therapy duration. Descriptive statistics used frequency and proportion, while inferential analysis employed chi-square tests, t-tests, and odds ratios (OR) to assess associations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 390 participants, median age: 45 years (IQR: 39-52 years), 69% (269/390) were virologically suppressed, and 80% (312/390) had CD4 counts above 350 cells/µL. The prevalence of co-infections was 12% (48/390) for HBV, 10.8% (42/390) for LTBI, 12.5% (40/320) for syphilis, and 1% (4/390) for HCV, with 2% (8/390) having more than two co-infections. LTBI was associated with age (> 60 years; OR = 3.5) and years of HIV diagnosis (> 10 years; OR = 2.2).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The significant burden of co-infections among PWH in Ghana highlights the urgent need to integrate routine screening into HIV care.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12150508/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144265073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acceptance and associated factors of HIV self-test using oral fluid among targeted adult clients at public health facilities in Sheger City, Ethiopia, 2023.","authors":"Ayele Erena, Tsegaye Benti, Lemi Abebe, Berhanu Bulto Geleta","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00737-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00737-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) using oral fluid is the best way to receive preventive and treatment services, which helps lower morbidity and mortality related to the problem.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To assess the acceptance and associated factors of human immunodeficiency virus self-testing using oral fluid among targeted adult clients at public health facilities in Sheger City, Ethiopia in 2023.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1 to 30, 2023 among clients visiting health facilities for Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), Provider-initiated counseling and testing (PICT), and Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services. A total of 317 study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the clients through interviews. Clients were asked to use HIVST using oral fluid when they came for HIV testing at the VCT, PICT, and PMTCT services, and those responded 'yes' to the question \"will you accept HIVST using oral fluid today?\", were considered as acceptors. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression. Variables with a p-value of < 0.25 in bivariate analysis, were candidates for multivariable analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to identify the presence and strength of association.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 314 study participants were involved making a response rate of 99.1%. The overall acceptance of human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) among targeted adult clients attending public health facilities in the study area was 169 (53.8%) (95%CI: 48.1%, 59.2%). Being married (AOR = 3.97; 95%CI: 1.74, 9.05), having fear of being stigmatized (AOR = 3.75; 95%CI: 1.64, 8.61), obtaining counseling during HIV testing (AOR = 3.33; 95%CI: 1.28, 8.64) and not sure about confidential information related to HIV testing (AOR = 2.49; 95%CI: 1.13, 5.46) were factors that were significantly associated with acceptance of HIVST using oral fluid.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study found that acceptance of HIVST among targeted adults in public health facilities was consistent with global findings. Factors such as being married, fear of stigma, receiving counseling, and concerns about confidentiality were significantly associated with HIVST acceptance. Addressing these factors can help increase HIVST acceptance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12150461/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144257099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical application of the urinary lipoarabinomannan (AIMLAM) test in PLHIV with TB.","authors":"Jie Lu, Xia Li, Hengli Liu, Xinqi Dong, Shuangmei Zhang, Xingqian Wu, Feiyu Yan, Yanyun Zhang, Xi Wang, Ai Gao, Jiachen Dou","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00754-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00754-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12145645/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144245770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What do women want in pharmacy-based HIV prevention services during pregnancy? Developing attributes and levels for a discrete choice experiment in Western Kenya.","authors":"Melissa Latigo Mugambi, Annabell Dollah, Rosebel Ouda, Nancy Oyugi, Ben O Odhiambo, Mary M Marwa, Judith Nyakina, John Kinuthia, Bryan J Weiner, Grace John-Stewart, Ruanne Vanessa Barnabas, Brett Hauber","doi":"10.1186/s12981-025-00752-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12981-025-00752-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The delivery of HIV prevention services (e.g., HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation and refills, and STI testing) in community pharmacies could address clinic barriers faced by pregnant women such as extended travel and wait times. We conducted a qualitative study in Western Kenya to select and prioritize attributes and levels for a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to design pharmacy-based HIV prevention services for pregnant women.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We began by identifying a comprehensive list of attributes and levels relevant to women considering HIV prevention during pregnancy. This list was informed by recommended HIV prevention interventions for pregnant women, our objective to design services for pharmacy settings, and attributes identified in the literature as important for other populations when choosing HIV and pharmacy-based services. From March to November 2022, we recruited participants using stratified purposeful sampling and collected qualitative data through seven focus group discussions with women, four with health providers, and eight individual interviews with technical experts. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated, transcribed, and summarized in debrief reports. We conducted debriefing meetings and analyzed these reports to identify and refine the essential attributes that would influence decisions to access HIV prevention services from a pharmacy during pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We initially identified twelve potential attributes that were evaluated during the focus groups. Five attributes were eliminated based on ranking exercises with women and health providers. Additional attributes suggested during the focus groups were ranked low by participants or not mentioned frequently enough and, therefore, not included. We finalized and refined levels for each attribute using insights from the literature, participant feedback, and design considerations. The study identified seven attributes: service location, type of HIV test, STI testing availability, partner HIV testing availability, PrEP availability, service access methods (e.g., appointment versus walk-ins), and service fee.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study was the first step in data collection toward defining attributes and levels for a DCE survey and successfully identified seven preliminary attributes and levels. Pre-testing and pilot testing activities further explored the feasibility and understanding of the attributes and levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":7503,"journal":{"name":"AIDS Research and Therapy","volume":"22 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12139256/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}