Enhancing HIV positivity yield in southern Mozambique: The effect of a Ministry of Health training module in targeted provider-initiated testing and counselling.

In Mozambique, targeted provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) is recommended where universal PITC is not feasible, but its effectiveness depends on healthcare providers' training. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a Ministry of Health training module in targeted PITC on the HIV positivity yield, and identify factors associated with a positive HIV test. We conducted a single-group pre-post study between November 2018 and November 2019 in the triage and emergency departments of four healthcare facilities in Manhiça District, a resource-constrained semi-rural area.

HIV care retention in three multi-month ART dispensing: a retrospective cohort study in Mozambique.

Objective: Evaluate the effect of three multimonth dispensing (3MMD) of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on HIV care retention in southern Mozambique.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: We analyzed routine health data from people with HIV (PWH) aged 10 years old and older who started ART between January 2018 and March 2021.

Uncovering HIV and malaria interactions: the latest evidence and knowledge gaps.

The geographical distribution of malaria and HIV infections widely overlap in sub-Saharan Africa, constituting a complex global health challenge. The interplay between both infections raises concerns about potential immunological, clinical, and therapeutic interactions. Both diseases have been reported to exacerbate the transmission of the other, including the possible vertical transmission of HIV in pregnant individuals with malaria.

Field performance and cost-effectiveness of a point-of-care triage test for HIV virological failure in Southern Africa.

Introduction: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) monitoring using viral load (VL) testing is challenging in high-burden, limited-resources settings. Chemokine IP-10 (interferon gamma-induced protein 10) strongly correlates with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) VL. Its determination could serve to predict virological failure (VF) and to triage patients requiring VL testing.

Reasons for non-disclosure of HIV-Positive status to healthcare providers: a mixed methods study in Mozambique.

Background: Non-disclosure of known HIV status by people living with HIV but undergoing HIV testing leads to waste of HIV testing resources and distortion of estimates of HIV indicators. In Mozambique, an estimated one-third of persons who tested positive already knew their HIV-positive status. To our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the factors that prevent people living with HIV (PLHIV) from disclosing their HIV-positive status to healthcare providers during a provider-initiated counseling and testing (PICT) campaign.

Prompt HIV diagnosis and antiretroviral treatment in postpartum women is crucial for prevention of mother to child transmission during breastfeeding: Survey results in a high HIV prevalence community in southern Mozambique after the implementation of Option B.

Objective: World Health Organization recommends promoting breastfeeding without restricting its duration among HIV-positive women on lifelong antiretroviral treatment (ART). There is little data on breastfeeding duration and mother to child transmission (MTCT) beyond 24 months. We compared the duration of breastfeeding in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed children and we identified factors associated with postpartum-MTCT in a semi-rural population of Mozambique.

COVID-19 among workers of a comprehensive cancer centre between first and second epidemic waves (2020): a seroprevalence study in Catalonia, Spain.

Objectives: Patients with cancer are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 surveillance of workers in oncological centres is crucial to assess infection burden and prevent transmission. We estimate the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among healthcare workers (HCWs) of a comprehensive cancer centre in Catalonia, Spain, and analyse its association with sociodemographic characteristics, exposure factors and behaviours.

The impact of the caregiver mobility on child HIV care in the Manhiça District, Southern Mozambique: A clinical based study.

Introduction: Manhiça District, in Southern Mozambique harbors high HIV prevalence and a long history of migration. To optimize HIV care, we sought to assess how caregiver's mobility impacts children living with HIV (CLHIV)´s continuation in HIV care and to explore the strategies used by caregivers to maintain their CLHIV on antiretroviral treatment (ART).

Methods: A clinic-based cross-sectional survey conducted at the Manhiça District Hospital between December-2017 and February-2018.

[Primary Healthcare management models in Catalonia: May the best win?].

Objective: In Catalonia, the variety of the provision of Primary Healthcare has sparked intense debates over the last 20 years regarding the efficiency of the various management models. Our study analyzed the differences in the three existing management models of primary healthcare in Catalonia (the Catalan Health Institute, public consortiums and associative base entities).

Methods: The primary data were obtained from the reports of the Results Center of The Observatory of the Health System of Catalonia.

Advance directives and real-world end-of-life clinical practice: a case-control study.

Background: Advance directives (ADs) have been legally regulated to promote autonomy over health decisions among patients who later lose decision-making capacity.

Aims And Objectives: To analyse the differences in clinical practice at end of life among people who had completed an AD versus those who had not.

Methods: Retrospective case-control study (1:2), matched by age, sex, year, cause of death and region of residence.

HPV vaccination introduction worldwide and WHO and UNICEF estimates of national HPV immunization coverage 2010-2019.

WHO/UNICEF estimates for HPV vaccination coverage from 2010 to 2019 are analyzed against the backdrop of the 90% coverage target for HPV vaccination by 2030 set in the recently approved global strategy for cervical cancer elimination as a public health problem. As of June 2020, 107 (55%) of the 194 WHO Member States have introduced HPV vaccination. The Americas and Europe are by far the WHO regions with the most introductions, 85% and 77% of their countries having already introduced respectively.

Pediatric HIV Care Cascade in Southern Mozambique: Missed Opportunities for Early ART and Re-engagement in Care.

Background: There are 170,000 children living with HIV in 2017 in Mozambique. Scaling-up HIV care requires effective retention along the cascade. We sought to evaluate the pediatric cascade in HIV care at the Manhiça District Hospital.