Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies and the Impact of COVID-19 on the HIV Care Continuum, Economic Security, Risky Health Behaviors, and Mental Health Among HIV-Infected Individuals in Vietnam

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated social responses may uniquely affect people living with HIV (PLHIV). SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing and a cross-sectional survey on COVID-19’s socio-behavioral impacts were conducted among a large PLHIV cohort in Hanoi, Vietnam. We examined anonymous antibody test results for 1243 PLHIV (99.8%) from whom plasma was obtained and completed surveys were collected in June/July 2020, just after the end of the first COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown. Three participants (0.2%) tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. HIV treatment was generally maintained without antiretroviral therapy interruption, but COVID-19 had substantial impacts on economic security and risky health behaviors among PLHIV, which may have amplified psychological stress. These findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring of COVID-19’s impacts on PLHIV and for efforts to mitigate these impacts.

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on mental health, associated factors and coping strategies in people living with HIV: a scoping review

“…Of those, 283 were removed after initial screening due to duplication, and 727 articles were excluded based on screening titles and abstracts. The remaining 78 full‐text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 45 studies met the inclusion criteria and were, therefore, included in the final review and data extraction [19–63]. See Figure 1 for the PRISMA flowchart of the study selection and rationales for the exclusion of full‐text articles.…”

“…Twenty‐six (57.8%) studies assessed depression or depressive symptoms (Table 2) [19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 29, 31, 32, 34–36, 38, 40–42, 44, 45, 48–51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 62]. While most of the studies assessed depression or depressive symptoms cross‐sectionally in a specific recall period, a few studies asked if the participants were experiencing more severe symptoms than usual and assessed the longitudinal changes.…”

“…found that 71.8% of the participants reported feeling more depressed than usual [48]. In a study in which researchers conducted a month‐12 follow‐up assessment, the rates of depression symptoms nearly tripled from month 12 to the post‐lockdown assessment [57] Similarly, 21 studies (46.7%) assessed anxiety [19, 22, 25, 26, 31–33, 35, 36, 38–41, 43, 48, 50, 51, 54, 56, 59, 62] and 11 studies assessed loneliness [21, 23, 26, 27, 31, 32, 37, 42, 44, 46, 62]. The stress of dealing with the pandemic was assessed in eight studies [21, 23, 32, 37, 42, 44, 46, 62], and other mental health outcomes examined in these studies include schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, intellectual delay, insomnia, bipolar disorder, panic disorder and PTSD [20, 22, 28, 30, 33, 37, 38, 40, 55, 60, 61, 64].…”

“…Multiple studies also illustrated the positive relationships between substance use and mental health outcomes, including binge drinking, marijuana and cocaine use, and substance misuse [24,31,33]. In addition, one study also suggested that those who had more frequent condom use during sex and had either increased or decreased numbers of sexual partners experienced more general distress after the COVID-19 outbreak [44].…”

“…from month 12 to the post-lockdown assessment[57] Similarly, 21 studies (46.7%) assessed anxiety[19, 22, 25, 26, 31-33, 35, 36, 38-41, 43, 48, 50, 51, 54, 56, 59, 62] and 11 studies assessed loneliness[21,23,26,27,31,32,37,42,44,46,62]. The stress of dealing with the pandemic was assessed in eight studies[21,23,32,37,42,44,46,62],…”