This case–control study conducted in Brazil strived to identify the factors linked to antiretroviral therapy abandonment among adolescents and young individuals living with HIV/AIDS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In late 2019, the city of Wuhan, China, witnessed the initial transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, leading to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 2, now commonly known as COVID-19. By March 2020, the situation had escalated into a global pandemic.
Individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease, obesity, chronic lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and those who are immunocompromised, including those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), were strongly advised to take additional precautions. The HIV group is particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 complications and faces an increased risk of mortality.
Despite over three decades since the emergence of HIV, the virus causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), it remains a major public health concern worldwide. As of 2020, nearly 37.7 million people were living with HIV, out of which only 28.2 million had access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Approximately 5 million of these cases involved young individuals aged between 15 and 24 years.
In this comprehensive study conducted between 2020 and 2021, researchers investigated the factors contributing to antiretroviral therapy (ART) abandonment among adolescents and young people (aged 10 to 24 years) diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study, published in the journal Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, utilized a case–control approach, where the cases included individuals who abandoned their HIV/AIDS treatment, and the control group consisted of individuals with similar sociodemographic characteristics but no history of treatment abandonment.
Study Parameters
The research instrument encompassed sociodemographic variables, clinical characteristics, and other relevant factors. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the associations between these variables and treatment abandonment.
The study included 27 cases and 109 controls. Each case was paired with four controls based on convenience. The research revealed that individuals close to the age of 22.8 years old had an increased likelihood of treatment abandonment (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj]: 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-2.13; p=0.024). However, sporadic condom use (ORadj: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.07-0.59; p=0.003) and the presence of opportunistic infections (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.10-0.90; p=0.030) emerged as protective factors against treatment abandonment.
Conclusion
The study found that individuals around the age of 23 years were more likely to abandon antiretroviral therapy. Also, sporadic condom use and the presence of opportunistic infections were identified as factors promoting treatment adherence during the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights can inform targeted interventions to enhance treatment continuity for young people living with HIV/AIDS in similar situations.
Source:
Piran, C. M. G., Cargnin, A. V. E., Shibukawa, B. M. C., De Oliveira, N. N., Da Silva, M., & Furtado, M. D. (2023). Antiretroviral therapy abandonment among adolescents and young people with HIV/AIDS during COVID-19: A case-control study. Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 31. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.6497.3948
