Lesotho's progress towards UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets from 2016 to 2020: comparison of Population-based HIV Impact Assessments.

Background: Lesotho has made substantial efforts to control its HIV epidemic. We aimed to assess progress towards UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in Lesotho by comparing data from the Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessments conducted in 2016-17 (LePHIA 2016) and 2019-20 (LePHIA 2020).

Methods: The LePHIA surveys used a cross-sectional, two-stage, stratified cluster sampling design to obtain a nationally representative sample of adults aged 15-59 years (LePHIA 2016) or aged 15 years and older (LePHIA 2020) from all ten districts of Lesotho.

COVID-19 Knowledge Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in New York City.

This study describes sources of COVID-19 vaccine information and COVID-19 knowledge among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults in New York City (NYC). A sample of 986 SGM adults in NYC completed an online survey between June 25 and December 1, 2021. Participants indicated their top three sources of COVID-19 vaccine information from a list of 10 options.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Point-of-Care Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Outpatient Clinics Offering Integrated Services in Eswatini.

Background: Lack of point-of-care testing (POCT) for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a continuing missed opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of STI POCT in Eswatini.

Methods: Sexually transmitted infection POCT for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) was piloted among sexually active adults 18 to 45 years old attending 2 urban outpatient clinics offering integrated services.

Epigenetic aging in older people living with HIV in Eswatini: a pilot study of HIV and lifestyle factors and epigenetic aging.

Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) on effective antiretroviral therapy are living near-normal lives. Although they are less susceptible to AIDS-related complications, they remain highly vulnerable to non-communicable diseases. In this exploratory study of older PLHIV (OPLHIV) in Eswatini, we investigated whether epigenetic aging (i.

Cancer genetic mutation prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of existing data.

Background: Cancer represents a leading cause of death worldwide. Germline mutations in several genes increase the risk of developing several cancers, including cancers of the breast, ovary, pancreas, colorectum, and melanoma. An understanding of the population prevalence of pathogenic germline variants can be helpful in the design of public health interventions, such as genetic testing, which has downstream implications for cancer screening, prevention, and treatment.

Global fight against HIV is at risk.

Will the United States remain committed to a landmark health program it started 20 years ago that saved more than 25 million lives around the world? For a younger generation of physicians, nurses, and researchers today, the depth of despair wrought by the HIV/AIDS epidemic at that time is almost unimaginable. Even more profoundly, for countries in Africa, the epidemic presented an existential threat. Without access to antiretroviral therapy or efficacious prevention tools, new infections continued unfettered, and people with HIV/ AIDS faced near-certain death.

Epigenetic aging in older people living with HIV in Eswatini: a pilot study of HIV and lifestyle factors and epigenetic aging.

Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) are living near-normal lives. Although they are less susceptible to AIDS-related complications, they remain highly vulnerable to non-communicable diseases (NCD). In this exploratory study of older PLHIV (OPLHIV) in Eswatini, we investigated whether biological aging (, the difference between epigenetic age and chronological age, termed 'epigenetic age acceleration [EAA]') was associated with HIV-related parameters, and whether lifestyle factors modified these relationships.

Ending AIDS deaths requires improvements in clinical care for people with advanced HIV disease who are seriously ill.

Over 4 million adults are living with advanced HIV disease with approximately 650 000 fatalities from HIV reported in 2021. People with advanced HIV disease have low immunity and can present to health services in two ways: those who are well but at high risk of developing severe disease, and those who are severely ill. These two groups require specific management approaches that place different demands on the health system.

Implications from COVID-19 for future pandemic global health governance.

Background: Limitations of current global health governance revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic can inform the ongoing deliberations of an international treaty on pandemics.

Objectives: To report on WHO definitions for governance and the enforcement of treaties in the context of a proposed international treaty on pandemics.

Sources: This narrative review was based on keyword searches related to public health, global health governance, and enforcement in PubMed/Medline and Google Scholar.

Innovations, adaptations, and accelerations in the delivery of HIV services during COVID-19.

During 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of HIV prevention and treatment services globally. To mitigate the negative consequences of the pandemic, service providers and communities adapted and accelerated an array of HIV interventions to meet the needs of people living with HIV and people at risk of acquiring HIV in diverse geographical and epidemiological settings. As a result of these adaptations, services such as HIV treatment showed programmatic resilience and remained relatively stable in 2020 and into the first half of 2021.

MPrEP+ study protocol: a prospective cohort study assessing the feasibility and acceptability of an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) strategy for male clients of female sex workers in Kisumu, Kenya.

Introduction: Male clients (MCs) are integral to sex work-driven HIV transmission dynamics as sexual partners of female sex worker (FSW). MCs contribute disproportionately to incident HIV globally and in sub-Saharan Africa, with 27% of new infections attributed to MCs of FSW and other partners of key populations. Gaps in coverage of HIV testing and prevention services for men, including MCs, are well-documented, yet research and innovative interventions to improve MC uptake of effective prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), are scarce.

Progress towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets among persons aged 50 and older living with HIV in 13 African countries.

Introduction: Achieving optimal HIV outcomes, as measured by global 90-90-90 targets, that is awareness of HIV-positive status, receipt of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy among aware and viral load (VL) suppression among those on ARVs, respectively, is critical. However, few data from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are available on older people (50+) living with HIV (OPLWH). We examined 90-90-90 progress by age, 15-49 (as a comparison) and 50+ years, with further analyses among 50+ (55-59, 60-64, 65+ vs.

Healthcare system responses to non-communicable diseases' needs of Syrian refugees: The cases of Jordan and Lebanon.

Introduction: Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Jordan and Lebanon have hosted large refugee populations, with a high pre-conflict burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We aimed to explore NCD service provision to Syrian refugees in these two host countries and to identify lessons learned that may inform the global response to the changing health needs of refugees.

Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, we conducted 36 in-depth interviews with stakeholders from Jordan and Lebanon, as well as global stakeholders, to understand the context, the achievements, gaps and priorities in the provision and uptake of NCD prevention, testing and treatment services to Syrian refugees.

Achieving the 95 95 95 targets for all: A pathway to ending AIDS.

In December 2020, UNAIDS released a new set of ambitious targets calling for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression by 2025. Adopted by United Nations Member states in June 2021 as part of the new Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, these targets, combined with ambitious primary prevention targets and focused attention to supporting enablers, aim to bridge inequalities in treatment coverage and outcomes and accelerate HIV incidence reductions by focusing on progress in all sub-populations, age groups and geographic settings. Here we summarise the evidence and decisions underpinning the new global targets.

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Factors Associated With Being Unvaccinated Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Other Sexual Identities (LGBTQ+) New Yorkers.

Routine data on vaccine uptake are not disaggregated by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual identities (LGBTQ+) populations, despite higher risk of infection and severe disease. We found comparable vaccination uptake patterns among 1032 LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and the general population. We identified critical socioeconomic factors that were associated with vaccine hesitancy in this economically vulnerable population.