Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with retention in care among adults living with HIV and severe mental illness and reasons for loss to follow-up in Uganda: a mixed-methods study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with retention in care and reasons for loss to follow-up (LTFU) among people living with HIV (PLWH) with a known diagnosis of severe mental illness (SMI).

Design: We conducted a parallel convergent mixed-methods study. The quantitative study was used to determine the proportion and factors associated with retention in care among PLWH and SMI.

HIV viral load suppression among people with mental disorders at two urban HIV clinics in Uganda: a parallel convergent mixed methods study using the social ecological model.

Background: Uganda adopted and implemented the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) guidelines in 2017, which require HIV-infected persons to be initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at any CD4 + cell count, and to be routinely monitored for viral load to assess response to ART. However, there is paucity of data on viral load suppression (VLS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) with mental disorders. We conducted a parallel convergent mixed methods study to determine HIV VLS among people with a mental disorder and explored the socio-cultural determinants of VLS at Butabika hospital and Mulago (ISS) HIV Clinics in Uganda.

HIV viral load suppression among people with mental disorders at two urban HIV Clinics in Uganda: a parallel convergent mixed methods study using the Social Ecological Model.

Uganda adopted and implemented the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) guidelines in 2017, which require HIV-infected persons to be initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at any CD4 + cell count, and to be routinely monitored for viral load to assess response to ART. However, there is paucity of data on viral load suppression (VLS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) with mental disorders. We conducted a parallel convergent mixed methods study to determine HIV VLS among people with a mental disorder and explored the socio-cultural determinants of VLS at Butabika hospital and Mulago (ISS) HIV Clinics in Uganda.

Factors associated with isoniazid preventive treatment interruption and completion among PLHIV in Gombe Hospital, Uganda, 2017-2019.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death in persons living with HIV (PLHIV). PLHIV carry a disproportionate burden of TB infection with risks 20-37 times greater than HIV-negative populations. While isoniazid preventive treatment (IPT) is regarded as a crucial component of HIV care to prevent active TB, the uptake among PLHIV remains very poor.

Role and utility of COVID-19 laboratory testing in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol for rapid evidence synthesis.

Introduction: Accurate and affordable laboratory testing is key to timely diagnosis and appropriate management of patients with COVID-19. New laboratory test protocols are released into the market under emergency use authorisation with limited evidence on diagnostic test accuracy. As such, robust evidence on the diagnostic accuracy and the costs of available tests is urgently needed to inform policy and practice especially in resource-limited settings.