HIV Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

COVID 19 pandemic has brought disruption to the normal health care provision in health facilities, including health care for HIV patients. Unfortunately, studies regarding this issue are still scarce. This study aims to analyse health care provision for people living with HIV during COVID-19 pandemic based on previous studies on this issue. This study used the scoping review method by searching two databases: CINAHL (EBSCO) and MEDLINE (PubMed). The article search was limited to articles written in English that were published during the period of 2019-2021, resulting in fourteen articles that met the inclusion criteria. It is demonstrated that various measures have been implemented to provide HIV care during the COVID 19 pandemic, including 1) modification of health facilities layout, 2) reduction of hospitals visits for check-ups, 3) limited visit time, 4) ensuring the availability of PrEP and PEP services, 5) SARSCOV- 2 and HIV testing, 6) decentralisation, 7) telemedicine;and 8) reward provision. Further studies are required to develop effective interventions in delivering care for people with HIV during COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 UPM Press. All rights reserved.

Culture versus technology: Bridging the gap to improve covid-19 prevention and care based on the COVID-19 task force perspectives

BACKGROUND: The diversity of Indonesians’ cultural backgrounds is a challenge for Indonesia’s coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 Task Force efforts to prevent COVID-19. The “infodemic” or misleading information in the community generates both positive and negative responses toward COVID-19. AIM: The study aims to explore the extent of Indonesia’s COVID-19 prevention and care efforts based on the perspective of the COVID-19 Task Force officers, as the frontline in society. METHODS: This descriptive qualitative study explored the extent of COVID-19 prevention and care based on the perspective of 16 COVID-19 Task Force participants from each region in Sumedang, Indonesia. Data collection was undertaken during the pandemic through semi-structured interviews using telephone (n = 13) and face-to-face (n = 3) approaches. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: community sentiment toward COVID-19, origin of COVID-19 in the region, collective cultural activities in local communities, and the use of information and communication technology related to COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Collaboration with religious leaders and community leaders to integrate the concept of cultural care with the use of technology can be developed to improve COVID-19 prevention and care. © 2021 Raini Diah Susanti, Neti Juniarti, Desy Indra Yani, Nurani Nurhasanah.