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Poster Presentations
PS01 – POSTER VIEWING SESSION – MONDAY
Monday, July 15, 2019 5:45 PM – 7:00 PM
P176 HIV acquisition and antiretroviral therapy initiation in a youth cohort in soweto and durban, south africa
Free
  1. Stefanie Hornschuh1,
  2. Fatima Laher1,
  3. Kennedy Otwombe1,
  4. Patricia Smith2,
  5. Mags Beksinska3,
  6. Glenda Gray4,
  7. Mark Brockman2,
  8. Jenni Smit3,
  9. Angela Kaida2,
  10. Janan Dietrich1
  1. 1Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  2. 2Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
  3. 3MatCH Research Unit (MRU), Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  4. 4South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Background South African young women and other key populations have amongst the highest HIV incidence globally, and antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation remains challenging. We measured HIV incidence, ART initiation, adherence, status disclosure and related support within 3 months from HIV diagnosis for youth who acquired HIV during follow-up study visits.

Methods The AYAZAZI cohort study enrolled 425 self-reported HIV-negative or status-unknown 16–24 year olds from Soweto and Durban, South Africa (2014–2016). Participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires (assessing socio-demographics, sexual behaviour and history, HIV-related service utilization, ART adherence, HIV disclosure and support) and underwent HIV rapid testing at enrolment and every 6 months for 4 visits.

Results 13/425(3.1%) enrollees were HIV-infected at enrolment. 12/412(2.8%; n=5 Durban, n=7 Soweto) with median age of 19 (IQR17–21) years, acquired HIV during their first year of follow-up (IR=2.54[95%CI:1.5–4.4] per 100 person-years); 6/12 were females, 5/12(42%) identified as LGBTQ, 10/12(83%) were sexually active and 5/10(50%) used a condom at last sex.Three months after HIV diagnosis, 10/12(83%) reported they were medically advised to initiate ART, and 8/12(67%) had initiated ART. Fear of provider judgement was the most common reason for ART non-initiation (3/4;75%). A third (4/12) had not accessed any HIV-related medical or support services since diagnosis, commonly because of a disbelief of HIV test results (4/4; 100%). Of those who initiated ART, 5/8(63%) said they forgot a dose once or more per week. Eighty-three percent (10/12) had disclosed their HIV status to someone. The most common source of support related to HIV was from friends (7/12; 58%). 2/12(17%) rated that taking ART makes the risk of HIV infection a lot lower.

Conclusion HIV incidence was 2.5 per 100 person-years amongst our youth cohort; immediate ART uptake and adherence was sub-optimal; awareness of HIV prevention benefits of ART was low. Biomedical technologies and improved support systems for HIV-infected youth are needed.

Disclosure No significant relationships.

  • HIV

https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.333

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