Sexual assault victims are at major risk of being infected by sexually transmitted infections (STI). This article aims to examine and compare the prevalence of eight STIs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, human papillomavirus) among victims and non-victims of sexual abuse. A national cross-sectional study was conducted in Haiti, using a multistage sampling frame, stratified by geographical department, urban or rural setting, gender, and age groups (15-19 and 20-24 years). The final sample included 3586 household participants (47.6% female). A weighted sample of 3945 individuals was obtained and used in the following analyses. Overall, 21.75% (95% CI 19.91-23.59) of participants reported having been diagnosed with at least one STI in their lifetime, with a higher prevalence among men (25.70%; 95% CI 22.89-28.52), compared to women (18.11%; 95% CI 15.73-20.49), χ2 = 16.43; p < 0.001). Sexual abuse victims were more likely to report STIs (31.27%; 95% CI 29.21-33.34), compared to non-victims (18.40%; 95% CI 16.68-20.13), χ2 = 27.89; p < .001. Sexual abuse was associated to an increased risk of contracting at least one STI (OR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.35, 2.24). The results demonstrate that sexual abuse is associated with a general increase of reporting STIs. They indicate the need for national sexual abuse prevention programs at early ages. These programs should be implemented in schools and churches, focusing on the role of families in sexuality education. Finally, programs must be developed to eradicate community violence-especially in the cities-as increased political and social violence has always been associated with increased sexual abuse in Haiti.

UNASSIGNED: Unmet needs for ancillary services are substantial among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH), and provider type could influence the prevalence of unmet needs for these services.
UNASSIGNED: Data from a national probability sample of PWH were analyzed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\'s Medical Monitoring Project. We analyzed 2019 data on people who had ≥1 encounter with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care provider (N = 3413) and their care facilities. We assessed the proportion of needs that were unmet for individual ancillary services, overall and by HIV care provider type, including infectious disease (ID) physicians, non-ID physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. We calculated prevalence differences (PDs) with predicted marginal means to assess differences between groups.
UNASSIGNED: An estimated 98.2% of patients reported ≥1 need for an ancillary service, and of those 46% had ≥1 unmet need. Compared with patients of ID physicians, needs for many ancillary services were higher among patients of other provider types. However, even after adjustment, patients of non-ID physicians had lower unmet needs for dental care (adjusted PD, -5.6 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -9.9 to -1.3]), and patients of nurse practitioners had lower unmet needs for HIV case management services (adjusted PD, -5.4 [95% CI, -9.4 to -1.4]), compared with patients of ID physicians.
UNASSIGNED: Although needs were greater among patients of providers other than ID physicians, many of these needs may be met by existing support systems at HIV care facilities. However, additional resources may be needed to address unmet needs for dental care and HIV case management among patients of ID physicians.

UNASSIGNED: Women living with HIV/AIDS possess fertility desires similar to their uninfected counterparts, and with advances in health therapies, these women can realistically have and raise uninfected children. Preconception care (PC) is a specialized form of intervention aimed at the prevention, identification, treatment, and management of biomedical, behavioural, and social conditions that militate against safe motherhood and the delivery of healthy offspring.
UNASSIGNED: The study aimed to assess preconception and contraceptive care among women living with HIV and attending Antiretroviral Therapy Clinics in Alimosho, Lagos State, Nigeria.
UNASSIGNED: This was a descriptive facility-based cross-sectional study of 383 women of reproductive age living with HIV/AIDS and attending ART clinics in the study area. Probability sampling methods were used in the selection procedures. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and univariate logistic regression at a 5% level of significance. Stratified and simple random sampling were used in the selection process.
UNASSIGNED: Only 37.4% of respondents received optimal PC services. Being 20-29 years old [OR =1.716 (95% CI: 1.664, 1.769), p = 0.020], being 30-39 years [OR =1.514 (95% CI: 0.598, 3.831), p = 0.005], tertiary education [OR =8.43. (95% CI: 1.41, 18.5), p = 0.020], and being single [OR =2.00 (95% CI: 1.928-2.072), p = 0.002] were significantly related to the utilization of contraceptives.
UNASSIGNED: There is a need to provide structure and guidelines for optimal streamlined PC and contraceptive services for women living with HIV/AIDS.

UNASSIGNED: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a major global public health issue, affecting millions of people annually. University students are among the risk groups in the community because of their high-risk behaviors. Few studies have been conducted on HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors and associated factors among university students. Therefore, focusing on these target populations is crucial because it will help university managers and different stakeholders be informed about the burden of the problem and take different measures to halt the distribution of the infection.
UNASSIGNED: To assess the predictors of HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors among undergraduate Health Science University students in Northwest Ethiopia in 2022.
UNASSIGNED: This study used an institution-based cross-sectional design with a single-population proportion formula, and participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were entered into Epi Data version 4.6.0.2 and exported to SPSS version 26 for cleaning and analysis, and the results were presented using text, graphs, pie charts, percentages, and frequencies. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used, and variables with a p-value of ≤0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered into the multivariable analysis. A p-value of less than or equal to 0.05 in the multivariable analysis was considered statistically significant.
UNASSIGNED: Out of 287 study participants, 284 of them responded completely, with a response rate of 99.0 %. Among the total respondents, 42.3 % (95 % CI: 37.7, 47.8) of the participants had poor HIV/AIDS preventive behavior. Younger age (AOR: 3.05; 95 % CI (1.243, 7.496)), low perceived susceptibility (AOR: 2.12; 95 % CI (1.179, 3.809), low perceived severity (AOR: 3.00; 95 % CI (1.636, 5.509)), high perceived barriers (AOR: 2.78; 95 % CI (1.487, 5.202)), and having poor HIV/AIDS preventive knowledge (AOR: 3.87; 95 % CI (2.170, 6.919)) were significantly associated with poor HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors.
UNASSIGNED: The HIV/AIDS preventive behavior of participants in this study was poor. Young age, low perceived susceptibility, low perceived severity, high perceived barriers, and poor HIV/AIDS preventive knowledge were predictors of poor HIV/AIDS preventive behavior. It is better to design strategies and programs by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, university top managers, and other stakeholders to provide appropriate information and focus on behavioral changes in vulnerable population groups.

People with HIV smoke cigarettes at a high prevalence, and it is important to identify modifiable variables related to smoking in this population. Race/ethnicity-based discrimination is common among people with HIV from minoritized racial and ethnic groups and results in significant adverse effects. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity-based discrimination, depression, and smoking-related variables among people with HIV who smoke. This was a secondary analysis of data from a prospective, randomized controlled smoking cessation trial for people with HIV. Participants were recruited from three HIV clinical care sites and randomly assigned to an HIV-tailored group therapy intervention or a control condition. Participants completed measures of demographics, smoking-related variables, race/ethnicity-based discrimination, and depressive symptoms at baseline and were followed up 3- and 6-months after study completion. Depressive symptoms had an indirect effect on the relationship between race/ethnicity-based discrimination and self-efficacy to quit smoking at 3-month follow-up. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between race/ethnicity-based discrimination and both nicotine dependence and self-efficacy to quit smoking at 6-month follow-up. Findings highlight the importance of considering race/ethnicity-based discrimination and depressive symptoms in the development and implementation of smoking cessation treatment interventions for people with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis is challenging due to unspecific clinical manifestations, particularly in immunocompromised patients with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis infections.
METHODS: An Indonesian man, 26-years-old, complained of mid-abdominal colic and constipation. The patient\'s present state exhibited symptoms of weakness and paleness, oral candidiasis, a bloated abdomen, palpable discomfort, and shifting dullness. The ascitic fluid analysis showed increased ADA (709 U/L), and detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis using GeneXpert MTB/RIF. Radiographic examination from abdominal x-ray and CT scan revealed a small bowel obstruction. He received intestinal decompression, pain control, intravenous fluid resuscitation, and correction of electrolyte imbalance for small bowel obstruction without any indication for surgical intervention. He also receive first-line ATD for 2 months during intensive phase and 4 months for continuous phase. After a period of 2 weeks following the ATD administration, the patient began taking ARV medication on a daily basis. He showed a good prognosis 6 months following.
CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis is challenging due to its unspecific manifestation and some cases are identified when complications such as small bowel obstruction appear. The ADA test and GenExpert MTB/RIF are useful instruments for promptly diagnosing tuberculosis. It is suggested to use ARV treatment in individuals with HIV/AIDS who have peritoneal tuberculosis, starting 2 weeks following ATD treatments.
CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal tuberculosis with small bowel obstruction and HIV/AIDS infection is a rare case in which early diagnosis and monitoring play an important role in successful treatment.

We tested HIV-infected people with HBV serological markers of Ningxia. Of 1008 HIV-positive individuals, 70 (6.9 %) tested positive for HBsAg, 570 (56.5 %) tested positive for anti-HBs, and 483 (47.9 %) tested positive for anti-HBc. Of 70 HBV-positive individuals, 13 (18.5 %) tested positive for HBeAg, 31 (44.3 %) tested positive for anti-HBe, 3 (4.2 %) exhibited acute infection.

UNASSIGNED: COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world. In March 2020, shortly after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ethiopia in March 2020, the government of Ethiopia took several measures.
UNASSIGNED: This study aims to explore how stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic hinder engagement with HIV/AIDS care in public hospitals in Southwest Ethiopia. Additionally, we aim to explore the psychosocial challenges faced in accessing services during stay-at-home orders.
UNASSIGNED: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted from 20 May to 3 June 2020, using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. In total, 27 study participants were recruited from purposively selected people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who had experienced delays, declines, or discontinuation of care after COVID-19 was confirmed in Ethiopia on 13 March 2020. The participants were interviewed over the phone and their responses were audio-recorded. Data were transcribed verbatim, translated, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis in the Atlas ti.7.1 software package.
UNASSIGNED: The main themes and sub-themes that emerged were psychosocial issues (such as depression, hopelessness, and fear), risk perception (including high risk, susceptibility, and severity), forceful enforcement of stay-at-home orders (such as police beatings, community leaders disgracing, and influence of families and relatives), socioeconomic factors (such as stigma, religion, and transportation costs), misinformation about COVID-19 (such as lockdowns and ART stock-outs), and healthcare factors (such as inadequate health information and long distances to healthcare facilities).
UNASSIGNED: Overall, these findings were similar to the challenges experienced by PLWHA in adhering to the recommended continuum of care. However, there are additional factors due to COVID-19, such as misinformation and the forceful implementation of the stay-at-home-orders, that impede the continuum of care. Therefore, it is important to strengthen information, education, and communication.

UNASSIGNED: Zimbabwe antenatal HIV prevalence rate is 16.1%. HIV-positive pregnant adolescent girls and young women (AYW) are at high risk to experience perinatal mental health challenges, attributed to a combination of factors including HIV status, stigma and perinatal depression. Perinatal depression and stigma among AYW is understudied in Zimbabwe and may affect short- and long-term health of HIV positive mothers and their children, and can impact treatment adherence.
UNASSIGNED: Qualitative data was gathered from four focus group discussions with (2 urban and 2 rural) PMTCT providers (N = 17). Focus group discussions were also conducted among AYW clients (N = 20) from two clinics in Mashonaland East.
UNASSIGNED: Qualitative analyses identified patterns related to: (1) drop out and loss to follow up, (2) retention and adherence, (3) recurring feelings of internalized stigma; and (4) acceptability of potential MH interventions. MH services are not available and AYW have limited access to adherence counseling (1-2 times at onset). Psychological support was not available at either clinic, despite both providers and clients perceiving high rates of stigma, discrimination, and challenges with disclosure. Challenges related to long waits for ART distribution and gaps in disclosure support emerged as barriers. Providers noted that AYW present as anxious (non-diagnosed), and attribute depression to those clients who are lost to follow up, stating lack of time to screen for MH related issues or actively refer them for services. Challenges related to the ability to provide strong advice and support for disclosure also emerged among providers.
UNASSIGNED: This study can contribute to policy and practice recommendations to better integrate MH into HIV services and develop person-centered service models for HIV positive AYW. HIGHLIGHTSPerinatal adolescents and young women (AYW) living with HIV have gaps in retention and care in the current Zimbabwe PMTCT service model.Mental health stigma must be addressed to integrate mental health into HIV services.HIV providers are aware of the need to provide mental health support to reduce loss to follow-up.Mental health screening and referrals for services are not part of standard care for perinatal HIV positive AYW in Zimbabwe.Linkages between disclosure and AYW mental health was identified as a challenge by HIV providers.Context responsive interventions can support integration of mental health screening, services, and referrals.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the self-management and care of people living with HIV, requiring adaptations in the way health services are provided. However, it is unclear how these changes impacted HIV care in low-income countries.
METHODS: A systematic review including the current evidence related to changes in HIV care continuum during COVID-19 was conducted through a systematic search in the online databases including CINAHL, OVID-Medline, CAB Direct, and OVID-Embase. A two-step screening process was carried out to include eligible papers and reports according to inclusion criteria.
RESULTS: From the searches we identified 21 total studies published between 2021 and 2024, the studies revealed mostly negative impacts on all stages of the HIV care continuum in low-income countries. There were impacts related to the blocking measures due to COVID-19, fear of contracting the disease, difficulties in providing resources such as income, food and transports, reductions in the provision of care from prevention to viral suppression.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, researchers identified several negative impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on HIV care continuum during pandemic; however, some observations indicated indirect positive impacts on some aspects of HIV care. Decline in HIV care practices during pandemic compared to before pandemic were observed including using preventative methods, counseling and testing, receiving HIV healthcare services, HIV medical appointments, antiretroviral adherence, engagement with treatment, and poor viral suppression. However, in some evidence improvement in ART adherence and PrEP use were observed.