AI Article Synopsis
- Late presentation to HIV care (CD4 < 200 cells/mL) is linked to higher mortality, yet a significant number of individuals in Uganda still show up late for treatment.
- A study compared late-presenting individuals (CD4 < 200) to early presenters (CD4 > 350), revealing that late-presenting men faced greater externalized stigma and overall depression rates were high, with 36% affected.
- Interestingly, late presenters had slightly stronger social support, which was inversely related to depression, suggesting that bolstering clinic privacy, reducing stigma, and improving social support could encourage earlier HIV care engagement.
Article Abstract
Late presentation to HIV care, i.e., presenting with < 200 CD4 cells/mL, is associated with higher mortality and worse outcomes. Despite that, a quarter of people living with HIV in Uganda still present late to care. We surveyed Ugandans living with HIV who enrolled in clinic ≤ 90 days prior. We compared groups who presented 'late' with CD4 < 200 and 'early' with CD4 > 350, stratifying by sex. We found men who presented late had higher externalized stigma than early presenters. Thirty-six percent of the entire cohort were depressed. Social support was stronger in late presenters versus early, although weak overall. Social support was inversely correlated with depression, with social support dropping as depression increased. Interventions to improve clinic privacy, reduce stigma, improve social support, and help women disclose their HIV status to male partners are needed to reduce late presentation to HIV care.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9343575 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-022-03764-9 | DOI Listing |
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