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Poster Presentations
PS01 – POSTER VIEWING SESSION – MONDAY
Monday, July 15, 2019 5:45 PM – 7:00 PM
P412 An exploratory analysis of associations between psycho-social factors and systemic inflammation among south african youth
  1. Ashley Henry1,
  2. Daniel Muema2,
  3. Ngomu Akilimali2,
  4. Fatima Laher3,
  5. Manjeetha Jaggernath4,
  6. Stefanie Hornschuh5,
  7. Patricia Smith1,
  8. Laura Cotton1,
  9. Mags Bekinska4,
  10. Jenni Smit6,
  11. Janan Dietrich3,
  12. Glenda Gray3,
  13. Mark Brockman7,
  14. Angela Kaida1,
  15. Thumbi Ndung’U8
  1. 1Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Burnaby, Canada
  2. 2Africa Health Research Institute, HIV Pathogenesis Programme, Durban, South Africa
  3. 3Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  4. 4University of the Witwatersrand, Maternal Adolescent and Child Health Research Unit, Durban, South Africa
  5. 5University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences-perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Johannesburg, South Africa
  6. 6MatCH Research Unit (MRU), Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  7. 7Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Burnaby, Canada
  8. 8University of the KwaZulu Natal, HIV Pathogenesis Programme and Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa

Abstract

Background Psycho-social factors affect biological processes, including inflammation and immune response, yet their contribution to gender and socio-economic disparity of HIV is not well understood. In South Africa, 38% of new HIV infections occur in 15–24 year olds, with 3-times higher incidence among females. In this exploratory study, we examined associations between psycho-social factors and biomarkers of inflammation that may be linked to HIV acquisition in South African youth.

Methods Baseline plasma and linked cross-sectional survey data were obtained from the AYAZAZI study, which enrolled 425 HIV uninfected or HIV status-unknown youth (16–24 years old; 60% female) in Durban and Soweto (2014–2016). Survey data captured social and clinical determinants of health (e.g., gender, income, food insecurity, body mass index [BMI]) and psycho-social characteristics (depression, anxiety, stress, substance use). A random, gender-stratified subset of 39 HIV-negative participants was selected. Luminex® assays were used to analyze 12 plasma biomarkers. Associations between biomarkers and social, clinical, and psycho-social factors were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results Median age was 18 (IQR: 17–20); 19/39 were female. Consistent with prior studies, high depression symptomology scores were associated with elevated pro-inflammatory (IFN-α2, IL-1α, IL-6, IL-12(p40), MIP-1ß) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) cytokines (all p<0.05). Low BMI correlated with elevated pro-inflammatory (IFN-α2, IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-12(p70), IP-10 and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) biomarker levels (all p<0.05). Associations were also observed between some biomarkers and indicators of anxiety, food insecurity, low income, and financial responsibility for dependents, which varied between sites.

Conclusion Results indicate that psycho-social, clinical, and socio-economic challenges are associated with inflammatory biomarker levels in South African youth. This suggests a link between social determinants of health and biological factors that modulate disease risk, possibly including inflammatory conditions associated with increased HIV transmission. Further analysis is required to confirm these results and investigate their implications for HIV prevention.

Disclosure No significant relationships.

  • youth
  • inflammation

https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.499

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