A mixed methods evaluation of a differentiated care model piloted for TB care in south India.

Background: India's National TB Elimination Program emphasizes patient-centered care to improve TB treatment outcomes. We describe the lessons learned from the implementation of a differentiated care model for TB care among individuals diagnosed with active TB.

Design And Methods: Used mixed methods to pilot the Differentiated Care Model.

Tuberculosis treatment outcomes and patient support groups, southern India.

Objective: To assess treatment outcomes in tuberculosis patients participating in support group meetings in five districts of Karnataka and Telangana states in southern India.

Methods: Tuberculosis patients from five selected districts who began treatment in 2019 were offered regular monthly support group meetings, with a focus on patients in urban slum areas with risk factors for adverse outcomes. We tracked the patients' participation in these meetings and extracted treatment outcomes from the Nikshay national tuberculosis database for the same patients in 2021.

Estimating the burden of pediatric HIV in an 'A' category district in India: an epidemiological study.

Background: India lacks epidemiological information on the disease burden of pediatric HIV. The National AIDS Control Program (NACP) estimates the numbers of HIV-positive children as a proportion of adult persons living with HIV. A third of HIV-positive children die before their first birthday and a half before they reach their second birthday.

Community health workers augment the cascade of TB detection to care in urban slums of two metro cities in India.

Background: Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative (THALI) funded by USAID is a person-centered initiative, supporting vulnerable urban populations to gain access to TB services. THALI trained and placed 112 Community health workers (CHWs) to detect and support individuals with TB symptoms or disease within urban slums in two cities, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, covering a population of about 3 million.

Methods: CHWs visited the slums once in a fortnight.

Modified Integrated Algorithm for Detection of HIV Among Sick Children Aged 0-14 Year Seeking Care at Healthcare Facilities in India.

Objective: To test the ability and to identify unique criteria in a Modified Integrated Algorithm developed by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to detect HIV infection among sick children 0 to 14 years, seeking care in a health care facility.

Design: Facility based cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Four talukas of Belgaum District, Karnataka, India during 2013-2014.

Incidence, prevalence and associated factors of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, among children exposed to maternal HIV, in Belgaum district, Karnataka, India.

Background: India lacks data on the incidence of Paediatric HIV. In 2010, the Indian Council of Medical Research commissioned a task force study to estimate the paediatric HIV burden in Belgaum district, Karnataka, India. We estimated the HIV incidence, prevalence and associated risk factors of mother to child transmission of HIV among children exposed to maternal HIV by age 24 months.

Influence of integrated community- and facility-based interventions on select maternal and neonatal outcomes in Northern Karnataka, India: Lessons for implementation and measurement.

Background: Sukshema project provided technical assistance to National Health Mission of government of Karnataka to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes in eight districts of Karnataka between 2009 and 2015. The project designed tools, processes and provided mentoring to frontline workers, community structures, and facilities to improve demand generation and quality of MNCH services.

Objectives: To assess over time changes in selected MNCH care indicators among women who had delivered in the past 2 months in Bagalkot and Koppal districts.

Variations in basic demographics consequential to population size of governorate in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, divided into 5 planning regions, 13 administrative regions and further to 118 governorates (administrative units), has diverse demographic characteristics from one region to another and from one governorate to another. Rural to urban migration and an exodus of immigrants characterize the Kingdom, where development planning depend largely upon local level requirements based on economic activities. An attempt was made to analyze the population characteristics, such as population size, sex ratio, native to foreigner ratio, and households and persons per households by keeping governorate as unit of analysis.

Association between treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia and lower condom use in a cross-sectional study of female sex workers in southern India.

Objectives: To assess whether having received grey packets containing treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia was associated with condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in 5 districts of southern India covered by the Avahan programme where both periodic presumptive treatment (PPT) and syndromic management were used to control these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among FSWs.

Setting: Cross-sectional study of FSWs recruited in the field in 5 districts of southern India (Bangalore, Belgaum, Bellary, Guntur and Mumbai) in 2006-2007.

Participants: 1378 self-identified FSWs out of 1442 were approached to participate in the study (participation rate: 95.

Increased HIV prevention program coverage and decline in HIV prevalence among female sex workers in south India.

Background: As one way of assessing the impact of Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we examined the association between HIV prevention program indicators and changes in HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs) between 2005 and 2009.

Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis from 2 large cross-sectional surveys (2005-2006 and 2008-2009) across 24 districts in south India (n = 11,000 per round). A random-effect multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed using HIV as the outcome, with individual independent variables (from both surveys) at level 1 and district-level FSW-specific program indicators and contextual variables at level 2.

Two cross-sectional studies in south India assessing the effect of an HIV prevention programme for female sex workers on reducing syphilis among their clients.

Objective: To assess the impact of the Avahan HIV prevention programme for female sex workers (FSWs) in south India on reducing syphilis prevalence among their clients, by comparing rates of syphilis over time as reported in two large-scale surveys of FSWs' clients.

Methods: A random-effect multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed using syphilis as the dependent variable, with individual independent variables (from the two survey rounds) at level 1 and the district-level programme (from the Avahan computerised monitoring and information system) and contextual variables (from Indian government datasets) at level 2. Programme variables included their 2006 value and their difference in value between 2008 and 2006, as well as the interaction between the latter and the study round.

Heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic in the general population of Karnataka state, south India.

Background: In the context of AVAHAN, the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, general population surveys (GPS) were carried out between 2006 and 2008 in Belgaum (northern), Bellary (mid-state) and Mysore (southern) districts of Karnataka state, south India. Data from these three surveys were analysed to understand heterogeneity in HIV risk.

Methods: Outcome variables were the prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).