Understanding the impact of neighborhood context on viral suppression outcomes may help explain health disparities and identify future interventions. We assessed the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood socioeconomic context, and viral suppression using multilevel logistic regression models. Adults with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 2000 and 2017, who resided in Rio de Janeiro and had an HIV-1 RNA level (viral load) measured 90-270 days after ART initiation were included. Overall, 83.9% achieved viral suppression. Participants who were older, had a higher level of education, and identified as heterosexual cisgender men and cisgender men-who-have-sex-with-men had increased odds of viral suppression. Later calendar year of ART initiation carried the strongest association with viral suppression, reflecting the increased effectiveness and tolerability of ART over time. Neighborhood socioeconomic indicators did not predict viral suppression in unadjusted or adjusted analyses, which may result from the integrated care provided in our health care facility together with Brazil's universal treatment.

Background

Substance use assessment is a challenge in busy clinical settings that may adversely affect HIV-infected persons. This study aimed to evaluate agreement between the medical chart and a standardized substance use screening questionnaire.

Methods

Of adults (n=1050) in HIV care in Rio de Janeiro who completed the World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), we randomly selected 200 participants for medical chart review. Lifetime use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine agreement between the medical record and ASSIST was evaluated using Kappa statistics. Sensitivity and specificity of chart information were also calculated.

Results

The median age was 42.4 years, 60.3% were male and 49.5% were white. Prevalence of lifetime use reported in ASSIST was 55.3% (tobacco), 79.4% (alcohol), 23.1% (marijuana), and 20.7% (cocaine). Any information on lifetime use was found in the medical chart for tobacco (n=180, 90.5%), alcohol (n=183, 92.0%), marijuana (n=143, 71.8%), and cocaine (n=151, 75.9%). The Kappa statistic, sensitivity and specificity of the medical chart accurately identifying lifetime substance users per ASSIST were respectively 0.60, 0.71, and 0.91 for tobacco; 0.22, 0.75, and 0.51 for alcohol; 0.58, 0.51, and 0.98 for marijuana; and 0.73, 0.75, and 0.96 for cocaine.

Conclusion

Considering inaccuracies in the medical chart, the implementation of brief, standardized substance use screening is recommended in HIV care settings.

Self-rated health (SRH) is associated with morbidity and mortality in HIV-uninfected populations but is understudied in HIV. Substance use may affect SRH in addition to its deleterious effect on HIV disease. This analysis aimed to estimate SRH and substance use prevalence and evaluate factors associated with poor SRH among individuals in HIV care in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A convenience sample of HIV-infected adults completed one item of SRH, the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Logistic regression models identified factors associated with poor SRH. Participants' (n = 1029) median age was 42.9 years, 64.2% were male, and 54.5% were nonwhite. Poor SRH was reported by 19.5% and the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and crack/cocaine by 30.1, 19.5, 3.9, and 3.5%, respectively. Less than high school education (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-2.20), lack of sexual activity in previous 12 months (aOR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.01-2.30), crack/cocaine use (aOR 3.82, 95% CI: 1.80-8.09), positive PHQ-2 screen (aOR 3.43, 95% CI: 2.09-5.62), and HIV-1 RNA ≥40 c/ml (aOR 2.51, 95% CI: 1.57-4.02) were significantly associated with poor SRH as identified by logistic regression analyses. Alcohol, marijuana, and sedative use were not significantly associated with poor SRH. These results emphasize the need for substance use and mental health screening and treatment in this population. Further research may elucidate the consequences of poor SRH on treatment adherence, morbidity, and mortality in HIV-infected individuals.

Background

Obesity rates are increasing among HIV-infected individuals, but risk factors for obesity development on ART remain unclear.

Objectives

In a cohort of HIV-infected adults in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we aimed to determine obesity rates before and after ART initiation and to analyse risk factors for obesity on ART.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed data from individuals initiating ART between 2000 and 2015. BMI was calculated at baseline (time of ART initiation). Participants who were non-obese at baseline and had ≥90 days of ART exposure were followed until the development of obesity or the end of follow-up. Obesity incidence rates were estimated using Poisson regression models and risk factors were assessed using Cox regression models.

Results

Of participants analysed at baseline (n = 1794), 61.3% were male, 48.3% were white and 7.9% were obese. Among participants followed longitudinally (n = 1567), 66.2% primarily used an NNRTI, 32.9% a PI and 0.9% an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI); 18.3% developed obesity and obesity incidence was 37.4 per 1000 person-years. In multivariable analysis, the greatest risk factor for developing obesity was the use of an INSTI as the primary ART core drug (adjusted HR 7.12, P < 0.0001); other risk factors included younger age, female sex, higher baseline BMI, lower baseline CD4+ T lymphocyte count, higher baseline HIV-1 RNA, hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions

Obesity following ART initiation is frequent among HIV-infected adults. Key risk factors include female sex, HIV disease severity and INSTI use. Further research regarding the association between INSTIs and the development of obesity is needed.

Syndemic psychosocial and reproductive factors affecting women's retention in HIV care remain understudied. We analyzed correlates of non-retention in a cohort of women with HIV in Brazil from 2000‒2015. Participants self-reported exposure to physical/sexual violence, illicit drug use, adolescent pregnancy, or induced abortion. Lifetime history of these psychosocial stressors were used to create a syndemic score based on the presence or absence of these conditions. All dichotomous variables were summed (range 0 to 4), with greater scores indicating more syndemic factors experienced. Logistic regression models identified predictors of non-retention, defined as < 2 HIV viral load or CD4 results within the first year of enrollment. Of 915 women, non-retention was observed for 18%. Prevalence of syndemic factors was adolescent pregnancy (53.2%), physical/sexual violence (38.3%), induced abortion (27.3%), and illicit drug use (17.2%); 41.2% experienced ≥ 2 syndemic conditions. Syndemic scores of 2 and 3 were associated with non-retention, as well as low education, years with HIV and seroprevalent syphilis. Psychosocial and reproductive syndemics can limit women's retention in HIV care. Syphilis infection predicted non-retention and could be explored as a syndemic factor in future studies.

Retention in early HIV care has been associated with decreased mortality and improved viral suppression, however the consequences of poor retention in early care in Brazil remain unknown. We assessed the effect of poor retention on mortality in a Brazilian HIV-infected clinical cohort. The analysis included ART-naïve, HIV-infected adults linked to care at the Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz between 2000 and 2010, who did not become pregnant nor participate in a clinical trial during the first two years in care (early care). Poor retention in early care was defined as less than 3 out of 4 six-month intervals with a CD4 or HIV-1 RNA laboratory result during early care. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify factors associated with mortality, and Kaplan-Meier plots were used to describe the survival probability for participants with poor retention versus good retention. Among 1054 participants with a median (interquartile range) follow-up time of 4.2 years (2.6, 6.3), 20% had poor retention in early care and 8% died. Poor retention in early care [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 3.09; 95% CI 1.65-5.79], AIDS defining illness (aHR 1.95; 95% CI 1.20-3.18) and lower education (aHR 2.33; 95% CI 1.45-3.75) were associated with increased mortality risk. Our findings highlight the importance of adopting strategies to improve retention in early HIV care.

Retention in early HIV care has been associated with virologic suppression and improved survival, but remains understudied in Brazil. We estimated retention in early HIV care for the period 2000-2013, and identified socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with good retention in an urban cohort from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Antiretroviral therapy-naïve, HIV-infected persons ≥18 years old linked to care between 2000 and 2011 were included. Retention in the first 2 years post-linkage (i.e. early care) was defined by the proportion of 6-month intervals with ≥1 HIV laboratory result. "Good" retention was defined as ≥1 HIV laboratory result recorded in at least three intervals. Overall, 80 % of participants met criteria for good retention and retention significantly improved over the study period. Older age, higher education level and early antiretroviral therapy initiation were associated with good retention. Efforts to improve retention in early care in this population should target younger and less-educated HIV-infected persons.

Comprehensive care for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and social needs for women living with HIV remains limited globally. We aimed to assess trends in baseline sociodemographic, clinical, sexual, and reproductive characteristics among a cohort of HIV-infected women in Rio de Janeiro from 1996 to 2016. Participants were stratified into four time periods based on year of enrollment; we compared cross-sectional data from each period. Of 1361 participants (median age 36), most were black or mixed race (60.1%), unemployed (52.1%), and without secondary education (54%). Adolescent pregnancy was common (51.5%), and 18.3% reported sexual debut at < 15 years old. Nearly half (45.2%) had < 5 lifetime sexual partners, yet prior syphilis and oncogenic human papillomavirus prevalence were 10.9% and 43.1%, respectively. Lifetime prevalence of induced abortion was 30.3%, and 16% used no contraceptive method. Future research should explore interactions between social vulnerability, HIV, and poor SRH outcomes and healthcare models to alleviate these disparities.