Publications by authors named "Kinuthia J"

Background: Historically, children who are HIV-exposed, uninfected (CHEU) have been found to have greater morbidity and mortality than children who are HIV-unexposed, uninfected (CHUU). To assess whether this difference persists in the era of universal antiretroviral therapy (ART), we conducted a cohort study to compare the risk of acute diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections (RTI), malaria, hospitalisation, and all-cause mortality between Kenyan CHEU and CHUU from birth to 2 years.

Methods: From December 2018 to March 2020 at Mathare North Health Centre in Nairobi, we recruited pregnant women living with HIV on ART for ≥6 months and pregnant women without HIV from the same community.

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Introduction: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Kenya have low pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation rates in part due to stigmatizing interactions with health care providers. Our recent randomized clinical trial of a standardized patient actor (SP) training intervention for providers found higher quality PrEP delivery at intervention sites, however it was unclear whether improved service quality improved PrEP initiation.

Methods: This analysis used routine records from facilities participating in the randomized trial which aimed to improve provider communication and adherence to Kenyan guidelines when offering PrEP to AGYW.

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Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a leading cause of neonatal mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where 40% of global neonatal deaths occur. We identified and combined demographic, clinical, and psychosocial correlates of PTB among Kenyan women to develop a risk score.

Methods: We used data from a prospective study enrolling HIV-negative women from 20 antenatal clinics in Western Kenya (NCT03070600).

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The availability of quality and timely data for routine monitoring of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders is a challenge, particularly in Africa. We assessed the feasibility of using an open-source data science technology (R Shiny) to improve health data reporting in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Based on a previously used manual tool, in June 2022, we developed a digital online data capture and reporting tool using the open-source Kobo toolbox.

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In Kenya, persons insufficiently engaged in HIV Testing Services (HTS) are often treated in emergency departments (ED). There are limited data from healthcare workers on ED-HTS. A qualitative study was completed to understand challenges and facilitators for ED-HTS and HIV self-testing (HIVST).

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Background: Provision of essential newborn care at home, rapid identification of illness, and care-seeking by caregivers can prevent neonatal mortality. Mobile technology can connect caregivers with information and healthcare worker advice more rapidly and frequently than healthcare visits. Community health workers (CHWs) are well-suited to deliver such interventions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on the HEATED program implemented in the emergency department at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, aimed at improving HIV testing services among high-risk populations.
  • It utilized a multi-faceted approach involving training, reorganization of resources, and advocacy to enhance HIV care integration in emergency settings.
  • Preliminary results showed an increase in HIV testing rates among emergency department patients, rising from 16.7% before implementation to a higher percentage post-implementation.
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Microbiome perturbations can have long-term effects on health. The dynamics of the gut microbiome and virome in women living with HIV (WLHIV) and their newborn infants is poorly understood. Here, we performed metagenomic sequencing analyses on longitudinal stool samples including 23 mothers (13 WLHIV, 10 HIV-negative) and 12 infants that experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild disease, as well as 40 mothers (18 WLHIV, 22 HIV-negative) and 60 infants that remained SARS-CoV-2 seronegative throughout the study follow-up.

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Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is being scaled up to prevent HIV acquisition among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Eastern and Southern Africa. In a prior study more than one-third of AGYW 'mystery shoppers' stated they would not return to care based on interactions with health providers. We examined the experiences of AGYW in this study to identify main barriers to effective PrEP services.

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Background: Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) decreases risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease; impact on long-term infant growth is unknown. In a recent randomized trial (RCT), we assessed IPT effects on infant growth without known TB exposure.

Methods: The infant TB Infection Prevention Study (iTIPS) trial was a non-blinded RCT among HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants in Kenya.

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Objective: To compare preferences, uptake, and cofactors for unassisted home-based oral self-testing (HB-HIVST) versus clinic-based rapid diagnostic blood tests (CB-RDT) for maternal HIV retesting.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Methods: Between November 2017 and June 2019, HIV-negative pregnant Kenyan women receiving antenatal care were enrolled and given a choice to retest with HB-HIVST or CB-RDT.

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Background: Clinical risk score tools require validation in diverse settings and populations before they are widely implemented. We aimed to externally validate an HIV risk assessment tool for predicting HIV acquisition among pregnant and postpartum women. In the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs, risk score tools could be used to prioritize retesting efforts and delivery of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to pregnant and postpartum women most at risk for HIV acquisition while minimizing unnecessary perinatal exposure.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and distribution of epilepsy in two urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, recognizing a lack of data in urban areas compared to rural studies in Africa.
  • Researchers conducted a two-stage screening process with over 56,000 residents, where a validated questionnaire identified potential epilepsy cases which were then clinically assessed by neurologists.
  • The findings revealed an adjusted prevalence of 11.9 cases per 1000 people for all types of epilepsy, with 528 confirmed cases in the study population, highlighting a significant public health issue in these urban settings.
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Introduction: Pharmacy-delivered HIV prevention services might create more options for pregnant women to use HIV prevention tools earlier and more consistently during pregnancy. We quantified preferences for attributes of potential HIV prevention services among women of childbearing age in Western Kenya.

Methods: From June to November 2023, we administered a face-to-face discrete choice experiment survey to women aged 15-44 in Kenya's Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya counties.

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Background: Studies evaluating the association between the vaginal microbiota and miscarriage have produced variable results.

Objective: This study evaluated the association between periconceptual and first-trimester vaginal microbiota and women's risk for miscarriage.

Methods: At monthly preconception visits and at 9-12 weeks gestation, women collected vaginal swabs for molecular characterisation of the vaginal microbiota.

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Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in the first six months remains low globally, despite known benefits of lower morbidity and mortality among breastfed infants. It is important to understand factors associated with breastfeeding to support optimal breastfeeding practices, particularly in settings with a high burden of HIV.

Methods: We analyzed data from a population-level survey of mother-infant pairs attending 6-week or 9-month immunizations at 141 clinics across Kenya.

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We examined the association between serum aflatoxin B1-lysine adduct (AFB1-lys) levels in pregnant women and adverse pregnancy outcomes (low birthweight, miscarriage and stillbirth) through a nested matched case-control study of pregnant women enroled at ≤28 weeks' gestation in Mombasa, Kenya, from 2017 to 2019. Cases comprised women with an adverse birth outcome, defined as either delivery of a singleton infant weighing <2500 g, or a miscarriage, or a stillbirth, while controls were women who delivered a singleton live infant with a birthweight of ≥2500 g. Cases were matched to controls at a ratio of 1:2 based on maternal age at enrolment, gestational age at enrolment and study site.

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Objective: To evaluate effectiveness of a standardized patient actor (SP) training intervention to improve quality of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Kenya.

Design: Cluster randomized trial and mystery shopper evaluation.

Methods: Twelve of 24 maternal child health and family planning facilities were randomized to SP training.

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Background: In 2020, healthcare providers were expected to provide care to individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), putting them at risk of acquiring COVID-19. The possibility of acquiring poorly understood infectious diseases while providing care may have an impact on the mental health of providers. We conducted a study to explore the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare providers.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study measured tenofovir (TFV) concentrations in hair as a way to track adherence to HIV preexposure prophylaxis during pregnancy and after childbirth.
  • - Researchers collected hair samples from 102 women and compared them with dried blood spots (DBSs) to evaluate the effectiveness of this method.
  • - Results showed that having an HIV-positive partner increased hair TFV levels significantly, and there was a strong correlation between hair TFV concentrations and DBS TFV-diphosphate levels, suggesting hair analysis is a reliable adherence indicator.
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The nasopharynx and its microbiota are implicated in respiratory health and disease. The interplay between viral infection and the nasopharyngeal microbiome is an area of increased interest and of clinical relevance. The impact of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, on the nasopharyngeal microbiome, particularly among individuals living with HIV, is not fully characterized.

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Microbiome perturbations can have long-term effects on health. The dynamics of the gut microbiome and virome in women living with HIV (WLHIV) and their newborn infants is poorly understood. Here, we performed metagenomic sequencing analyses on longitudinal stool samples including 23 mothers (13 WLHIV, 10 HIV-negative) and 12 infants that experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild disease, as well as 40 mothers (18 WLHIV, 22 HIV-negative) and 60 infants that remained SARS-CoV-2 seronegative throughout the study follow-up.

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This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing recycled plastic waste as a partial substitute for sand in concrete production. Reprocessing used plastic items or materials involves collecting, cleaning, shredding, and melting, resulting in reprocessed plastic particles. Incorporating these recycled plastic particles into concrete addresses environmental concerns related to plastic disposal and the growing scarcity and increasing cost of natural sand.

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