dc.description.abstract |
IMPORTANCE Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is now recommended for all HIV-positive
persons. UNAIDS has set global targets to diagnose 90% of HIV-positive individuals, treat
90% of diagnosed individuals with ART, and suppress viral replication among 90% of treated
individuals, for a population-level target of 73%of all HIV-positive persons with HIV viral
suppression.
OBJECTIVE To describe changes in the proportions of HIV-positive individuals with HIV viral
suppression, HIV-positive individuals who had received a diagnosis, diagnosed individuals
treated with ART, and treated individuals with HIV viral suppression, following
implementation of a community-based testing and treatment program in rural East Africa.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Observational analysis based on interim data from 16
rural Kenyan (n = 6) and Ugandan (n = 10) intervention communities in the SEARCH Study, an
ongoing cluster randomized trial. Community residents who were 15 years or older
(N = 77 774) were followed up for 2 years (2013-2014 to 2015-2016). HIV serostatus and
plasma HIV RNA level were measured annually at multidisease health campaigns followed by
home-based testing for nonattendees. All HIV-positive individuals were offered ART using a
streamlined delivery model designed to reduce structural barriers, improve patient-clinician
relationships, and enhance patient knowledge and attitudes about HIV.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary outcomewas viral suppression (plasma HIV
RNA<500 copies/mL) among all HIV-positive individuals, assessed at baseline and after 1 and
2 years. Secondary outcomes included HIV diagnosis, ART among previously diagnosed
individuals, and viral suppression among those who had initiated ART.
RESULTS Among 77 774 residents (male, 45.3%; age 15-24 years, 35.1%), baseline HIV
prevalence was 10.3%(7108 of 69 283 residents). The proportion of HIV-positive individuals
with HIV viral suppression at baseline was 44.7%(95%CI, 43.5%-45.9%; 3464 of 7745
residents) and after 2 years of intervention was 80.2%(95%CI, 79.1%-81.2%; 5666 of 7068
residents), an increase of 35.5 percentage points (95%CI, 34.4-36.6). After 2 years, 95.9%of
HIV-positive individuals had been previously diagnosed (95%CI, 95.3%-96.5%; 6780 of
7068 residents); 93.4%of those previously diagnosed had received ART (95%CI,
92.8%-94.0%; 6334 of 6780 residents); and 89.5%of those treated had achieved HIV viral
suppression (95%CI, 88.6%-90.3%; 5666 of 6334 residents).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among individuals with HIV in rural Kenya andUganda,
implementation of community-based testing and treatmentwas associated with an increased
proportion of HIV-positive adults who achieved viral suppression, along with increased HIV
diagnosis and initiation of antiretroviral therapy. In these communities, the UNAIDS populationlevel
viral suppression targetwas exceeded within 2 years after programimplementation. |
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