Publications by authors named "Cynthia Sema-Baltazar"

Background: Female sex workers (FSWs) in Mozambique face significant health risks, including high HIV prevalence, combination of factors, including inconsistent condom use, engagement in risky sexual behaviors, and various socio-ecological determinants of health. Understanding the determinants of these practices is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the second round of Biobehavioral Survey (BBS) conducted from 2019 to 2020 in five urban areas to examine determinants of inconsistent condom use and risky sexual behaviors among FSWs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mozambique implemented in 2021 a formative assessment in 22 prisons to identify the operational and logistical needs for the second round of the Biobehavioral Survey (BBS). Barriers and facilitators that could be anticipated in conducting BBS in prisons, in preparation for implementation, was evaluated using semi-structured questionnaires administered to key informants (directors and other kind of managers staff). The data were cleaned and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, and the categorical variables were summarized by means of simple frequencies and percentages.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: HIV remains a critical global public health challenge. In 2022, it was estimated that approximately 39.0 million people worldwide were living with HIV, and of these, around 29.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • HIV is a significant global health issue, particularly in Mozambique, where in 2019 only 95,080 out of an estimated 150,000 infected children received antiretroviral treatment, with only 73% achieving viral suppression.
  • A study analyzed the viral load data of 33,559 children aged 0-14 to identify factors linked to achieving viral suppression, defining it as having less than 1,000 copies/ml of blood.
  • Results indicated that older age groups (5-14 years) and living in Maputo City were positively associated with viral suppression, whereas being male and living in certain provinces like Niassa and Cabo Delgado were linked to lower rates of suppression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: epidemiological estimates from the 2021 Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) emphasize the existing gender disparities, where women face a higher risk of HIV/AIDS exposure. In Mozambique, as of 2021, the HIV prevalence rate among the adult population stood at 12.5%, with an even more concerning rate of 15.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Mozambique is one of the countries in Africa that is continuously at risk of cholera outbreaks due to poor sanitation, hygiene, and limited access to potable water in some districts. The Mozambique Cholera Prevention and Surveillance (MOCA) project was implemented in Cuamba District, Niassa Province to prevent and control cholera outbreaks through a preemptive cholera vaccination, strengthened surveillance system for cholera and diarrheal diseases, and better understanding of cholera-related healthcare seeking behavior of local populations, which may further guide the national cholera control and prevention strategies. This article presents the surveillance component of the MOCA project.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Men who have sex with Men (MSM) are known to contribute to increased HIV prevalence as an integral part of key populations with high vulnerability to HIV/AIDS due to their sexual behaviours. Mozambique conducted two rounds of bio-behavioral surveys (BBS) in this population with the main objective of estimating HIV prevalence and associated risk behaviors among MSM in Mozambique. The present study aims to estimate the trend of HIV prevalence and determine the correlations of HIV infection among MSM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examines hazardous drinking and drug use among female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mozambique, highlighting the links to increased HIV risk.
  • Prevalence rates revealed that 47.1% of FSW and 46.5% of MSM engage in hazardous alcohol consumption, while 13.3% of FSW reported current drug use.
  • Those engaging in hazardous drinking had significantly higher rates of sexual partners, self-reported STIs, and experiences of violence, indicating a strong correlation between substance use and heightened HIV vulnerability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) face significant barriers to healthcare and frequently encounter stigma from healthcare providers, particularly in Mozambique, which has a high general HIV prevalence of 12.5%.
  • The HIV prevalence among PWID in Mozambique is alarmingly high, estimated at nearly 50%, yet less than half are successfully linked to treatment and ongoing care due to fears of mistreatment.
  • To improve health outcomes for HIV-positive PWID, innovative and respectful healthcare approaches are needed to build trust and effectively target interventions for the highest-risk groups as countries work toward controlling the HIV epidemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The use of face masks is one of the preventive measures that Mozambique adopted in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. A study carried out from May 25 to June 6, 2020 found that although many wore masks, incorrect use was observed in 27.5% of the population observed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the past ten years, the prevalence of primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) drug resistance has ranged from zero to 25%, with higher and increasing rates in countries with access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), a specific case in Mozambique. World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that countries implement and routinely evaluate representative HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) research to monitor the emergency and transmission of HIV drug resistance mutations. This study aimed to describe the functioning of the system and also to identify gaps in the sensitivity, representativeness and quality of the data using the WHO methodology for Pre-Treatment and Acquired Approaches.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: the risk of a worker becoming ill due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is related to occupational exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to the need to restore work activities in Mozambique, the study was conducted with the aim of identifying the occupational categories most affected by COVID-19 in the former in the period from March to July 2020.

Methods: this is a cross-sectional descriptive study, in which data from professions of confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 22 March to 29 July 2020 in Mozambique were analyzed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cholera disproportionately affects the most vulnerable segments of the population, particularly those who have low or no access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Despite some improvements in WASH conditions, cholera still represents a persistent challenge in Mozambique, where outbreaks occur almost every year, with high case fatality rates, posing a threat to the country's economic development. The Government of Mozambique has started developing a revised National Cholera Plan (NCP), which aligns with "ending cholera-a global roadmap to 2030" launched by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) in 2017.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Mozambique antiretroviral therapy is a database used to monitor patients receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART). This study's objective was to evaluate the system for the purpose to monitor patients receiving ART.

Methods: data from 287,052 patients who started ART from January to December 2017 were verified, and retention in care was assessed for 2018 in Mozambique.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a public health problem worldwide. In Mozambique, cases of MDR-TB have increased annually. In 2018, 1,206 cases were reported, as compared to 943 cases in 2017.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: contact tracing is an important strategy to interrupt the spread of infectious disease and prevent new cases. After the confirmation of the first positive case of COVID-19 in Mozambique on March 22, 2020, case investigation and contact tracing were immediately initiated, which included clinical and laboratory monitoring of cases and contacts throughout the quarantine period. We aim to describe the methodology and impact of early investigation and contact tracing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Mozambique is a malaria endemic country with an estimated prevalence of malaria in children 6-59 months old that is twice as high in rural areas (46.0%) as in urban areas (18.0%).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The first exposure to high-risk sexual and drug use behaviors often occurs during the period of youth (15-24 years old). These behaviors increase the risk of HIV infection, especially among young key populations (KP)-men how have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and people who inject drugs (PWID). We describe the characteristics of young KP participants in the first Biobehavioral Surveillance (BBS) surveys conducted in Mozambique and examine their risk behaviors compared to adult KP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: migrant mine workers are susceptible to engage in risky sexual behaviour due to their high mobility, putting at risk their families and home communities. Because comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is a key factor in reducing HIV infections, this study aims to understand the current state of knowledge about HIV in these communities, estimate HIV prevalence and evaluate the risk behaviour associated with comprehensive knowledge.

Methods: secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey conducted in two communities of origin of mine workers in Gaza Province, targeting current and former mine workers of the South African mines and their relatives.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Since the announcement of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in January 30 2020, 68 countries reported to the World Health Organization that they were experiencing disruptions in malaria diagnosis and treatment. This situation had the potential to lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, which could result in an increase in severe cases and deaths. This analysis was based on findings from a field visit, carried out between June 30 and July 1, 2020, to a warehouse, to two health facilities, and a meeting with a community health worker, and an descriptive epidemiologic data analysis of health information system (HIS) to evaluate trends of the number of people tested for malaria and number of malaria cases reported, by comparing data from 2018, 2019 and 2020 for the period between January and May.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In mid-June 2019, 3 months after cyclone Idai landfall in Mozambique, health authorities of Nhamatanda district reported an outbreak of Pellagra. Applying a mixed-method protocol, we carried out an investigation to characterize cases of pellagra, identify the associated factors for the outbreak using a case-control study, and explore the perceived impact on food security (availability, access, and usage) before and after Idai. We collected data from 121 cases and 121 controls and conducted in-depth interviews with 69 heads of households.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mozambique has one of the highest burdens of HIV in the world, where the prevalence is estimated at 13.2% among adults aged 15-49 years. Men who pay for sex (MPS) are considered a bridging population for HIV infection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Mozambique has a generalized HIV epidemic, among pregnant women, HIV prevalence is estimated at 15.8% with a vertical transmission rate of 14%, more than double global targets. We evaluate electronic national health information system (SIS-MA) performance to verify if the data flow procedures met its objectives and evaluated the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) surveillance system to access its attributes and usefulness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Mozambique has a generalized HIV epidemic of 13.5% among the general population. Early modeling exercises in Mozambique estimate that key populations (KP), defined as men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and people who inject drugs (PWID), along with their partners account for about one third of all new infections.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF