Background: HIV is one of the primary causes of death in Guatemala, and during the period 2005 to 2013, Guatemala exhibited a 95% increase in such deaths. HIV transmission rates are nearly 3 times higher among the indigenous Mayan population than nonindigenous Guatemalans. Guided by the community-based participatory research approach, this article demonstrates the iterative formative research process necessary to develop a deeper and more informed understanding of HIV prevention attitudes and behaviors in the priority population. This project extends preliminary formative research that demonstrated the applicability of the health belief model (HBM) in examining risk, stigma, and barriers and facilitators to condom use and HIV testing.
Method: Using an integrated mixed-method design, data were collected from heterosexual adults 18- to 25 years old ( N = 250), including 50 in-depth interviews and 200 rapid assessment surveys.
Results: HBM concepts of risk and stigma were confirmed. Data also revealed low rates of condom negotiation and high embarrassment in purchasing and discussing condom use. Furthermore, data yielded very low uptake rates and reduced levels of comfort with getting tested.
Conclusion: This research informs refinement of a culture-specific intervention prioritizing indigenous Mayans. We highlight how community-based research and engagement enhance community health promotion.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1524839918770205 | DOI Listing |
HIV Res Clin Pract
December 2025
Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, USA.
Background: HIV remains a major challenge in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, particularly for young women who face disproportionate risks and barriers to prevention and treatment. Most HIV cure trials, however, occur in high-income countries.
Objective: To examine the perspectives of young women diagnosed with acute HIV in a longitudinal study, focusing on their perceptions on ATI-inclusive HIV cure trials and the barriers and facilitators to participation.
BMC Health Serv Res
January 2025
Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven, 3720 BA, The Netherlands.
HIV self-sampling and -testing (HIVSS/ST) reduces testing barriers and potentially reaches populations who may not test otherwise. In the Netherlands, at-home HIV tests became commercially available around 2016, but data on user experiences are limited. This study aimed to explore characteristics of users and their experiences with HIVSS/ST.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, 66075-110, Brazil.
In Brazil, health policies implemented over the last three decades have enabled rapid testing for HIV to be made available in primary health care services. However, although these policies are national, the implementation of actions is not uniform, as they depend on the local management of local health systems. In this context, the study identified the proportion of women from sexual minorities who had never tested for HIV and the factors associated with access, in a Metropolitan Region of the Brazilian Amazon.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiagn Microbiol Infect Dis
January 2025
Centre for HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Division of National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Background: HIV rapid diagnostic tests are crucial for timely diagnosis, especially in resource-limited settings. The World Health Organization recommends sensitivity ≥99 % and specificity ≥98 %. This study assessed RDT performance across South Africa's provinces using a proficiency testing program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
January 2025
Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead 2145, Australia.
Anogenital inflammation is a critical risk factor for HIV acquisition. The primary preventative HIV intervention, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is ineffective in blocking transmission in anogenital inflammation. Pre-existing sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) and anogenital microbiota dysbiosis are the leading causes of inflammation, where inflammation is extensive and often asymptomatic and undiagnosed.
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