Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on HIV Testing and Assisted Partner Notification Services, Western Kenya

Lagat, Harison; Sharma, Monisha; Kariithi, Edward; Otieno, George; Katz, David A.; Masyuko, Sarah; Mugambi, Mary; Wamuti, Beatrice; Weiner, Bryan J.; Farquhar, Carey

doi:10.1007/s10461-020-02938-7

Cited by 79 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…At times, particularly via survey approaches, a subjective decrease in service availability or accessibility was discussed, typically by either healthcare providers or service users. 10–15 However, these patterns in service delivery were generally not rigorously quantified.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the indirect effects of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery, utilization and health outcomes: a scoping review

Roy

Bollman

Carson

et al. 2021

European Journal of Public Health

144

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic and global efforts to contain its spread, such as stay-at-home orders and transportation shutdowns, have created new barriers to accessing healthcare, resulting in changes in service delivery and utilization globally. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the literature published thus far on the indirect health effects of COVID-19 and to explore the data sources and methodologies being used to assess indirect health effects. Methods A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature using three search engines was performed. Results One hundred and seventy studies were included in the final analysis. Nearly half (46.5%) of included studies focused on cardiovascular health outcomes. The main methodologies used were observational analytic and surveys. Data was drawn from individual health facilities, multicentre networks, regional registries, and national health information systems. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries with only 35.4% of studies representing low- and middle-income countries. Conclusion Healthcare utilization for non-COVID-19 conditions has decreased almost universally, across both high- and lower-income countries. The pandemic’s impact on non-COVID-19 health outcomes, particularly for chronic diseases, may take years to fully manifest and should be a topic of ongoing study. Future research should be tied to system improvement and the promotion of health equity, with researchers identifying potentially actionable findings for national, regional, and local health leadership. Public health professionals must also seek to address the disparity in published data from LMICs as compared to high-income countries.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the indirect effects of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery, utilization and health outcomes: a scoping review

Roy

Bollman

Carson

et al. 2021

European Journal of Public Health

144

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although, in terms of documented infections and mortalities, Kenya has been less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to other countries, our report of three CBOs struggling and persevering in their attempts to offer HIV services to highly stigmatized communities of MSM helps to illustrate the profound disruptions taking place in HIV program delivery [also see 14 ] in a part of the world where HIV continues to pose a major population health burden and challenge to the effective operation of health systems 15 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

HIV testing amid COVID-19: community efforts to reach men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties

Odinga¹,

Kuria

Muindi³

et al. 2020

Gates Open Res

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In comparison to European and American countries, Kenya has been less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reported cases and mortalities. However, everyday life has been dramatically affected by highly restrictive government-imposed measures such as stay-at-home curfews, prohibitions on mobility across national and county boundaries, and strict policing, especially of the urban poor, which has culminated in violence. This open letter highlights the effects of these measures on how three community-based organizations (CBOs) deliver HIV programs and services to highly stigmatized communities of men who have sex with men living in the counties of Kisumu, Kiambu and Mombasa. In particular, emphasis is placed on how HIV testing programs, which are supported by systematic peer outreach, are being disrupted at a time when global policymakers call for expanded HIV testing and treatment targets among key populations. While government measures have greatly undermined local efforts to deliver health services to members and strengthen existing HIV testing programs, each of the three CBOs has taken innovative steps to adapt to the government restrictions and to the COVID-19 pandemic itself. Although HIV testing in clinical spaces among those who were once regular and occasional program attendees dropped off noticeably in the early months of the COVID-19 lockdown, the program eventually began to rebound as outreach approaches shifted to virtual platforms and strategies. Importantly and unexpectedly, HIV self-testing kits proved to fill a major gap in clinic-based HIV testing at a time of crisis.

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“…This would be expected to impact negatively the delivery of care for other illnesses. With specific reference to HIV infection, this could result in disruption of the broad spectrum of care including the initiation and maintenance of ART [ 137 , 138 , 139 ]. In the broader perspective, the UNAIDS’ first 90-90-90 target for 2020 will be challenged [ 140 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 in People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Lee

Yap

Ngeow

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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COVID-19 is a global health emergency. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) have concerns about whether they have a higher risk of getting the infection and suffer worse COVID-19 outcomes. Findings from studies on these questions have largely been inconsistent. We aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics, clinical signs and symptoms, blood parameters, and clinical outcomes among PLHIV who contracted COVID-19. Relevant studies were identified through Medline, Cinahl, and PubMed databases. A random-effects model was used in meta-analyses with a 95% confidence interval. Eighty-two studies were included in the systematic review and sixty-seven studies for the meta-analysis. The pooled incidence proportion of COVID-19 among PLHIV was 0.9% (95% CI 0.6%, 1.1%) based on the data from seven cohort studies. Overall, 28.4% were hospitalised, of whom, 2.5% was severe-critical cases and 3.5% needed intensive care. The overall mortality rate was 5.3%. Hypertension was the most commonly reported comorbidity (24.0%). Fever (71.1%) was the most common symptom. Chest imaging demonstrated a wide range of abnormal findings encompassing common changes such as ground glass opacities and consolidation as well as a spectrum of less common abnormalities. Laboratory testing of inflammation markers showed that C-reactive protein, ferritin, and interleukin-6 were frequently elevated, albeit to different extents. Clinical features as well as the results of chest imaging and laboratory testing were similar in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated and non-treated patients. PLHIV were not found to be at higher risk for adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Hence, in COVID-19 management, it appears that they can be treated the same way as HIV negative individuals. Nevertheless, as the pandemic situation is rapidly evolving, more evidence may be needed to arrive at definitive recommendations.

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on HIV Testing and Assisted Partner Notification Services, Western Kenya

Cited by 79 publications

References 11 publications

Assessing the indirect effects of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery, utilization and health outcomes: a scoping review

Assessing the indirect effects of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery, utilization and health outcomes: a scoping review

HIV testing amid COVID-19: community efforts to reach men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties

COVID-19 in People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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