Understanding Oral Prep Interest Among South African Adolescents: The Role of Perceived Parental Support and PrEP Stigma.

We examined oral PrEP interest among adolescents and its association with perceived parental support and PrEP stigma. Cross-sectional data were collected during baseline procedures of the "Our Family Our Future" intervention trial in South Africa. Adolescents (14-16 years) at elevated risk for acquiring HIV and their parents or caregivers were dyadically enrolled from 2018 to 2021. There were 879 complete adolescent-parent dyads. Among adolescents, 27% had heard about PrEP, 67% reported they would want to use PrEP, and 58% thought their parent would want them to use PrEP. Among parents, 33% had heard about PrEP and 85% reported they would want their adolescent to use PrEP. Adolescents who thought their parent would want them to use PrEP were more likely to be interested in PrEP than adolescents who thought their parent would not want them to use PrEP (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 2.11, 95% CI 1.82, 2.44). Further, adolescents with higher average PrEP stigma scores above the adolescent sample median were less likely to be interested in PrEP than adolescents with lower average PrEP stigma scores (aPR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.72, 0.91). In conclusion, parents were more supportive of their adolescent taking PrEP than adolescents perceived they would be, and perceptions of low parental support and greater PrEP stigma were associated with reduced PrEP interest among adolescents. Interventions should aim to improve adolescent-parent communication around sexual health and effective HIV prevention tools.

'Sometimes, we don't know if we're getting abused': discussions of intimate partner violence and HIV risk among transgender women.

Transgender women are among the populations at highest risk for HIV in the USA and have elevated risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). There is an urgent need for integrated HIV-IPV prevention interventions for transgender women. Using qualitative methods, we explored transgender women's lived experiences of IPV and the relationship between IPV and HIV risk. Using thematic analysis, we identified four key concepts that warrant inclusion in the development of models for IPV and HIV interventions: (1) considering the boundaries of IPV; (2) normalising expectations of chronic violence; (3) relationship safety; (4) calls for trans-affirming and empowering services.

Unique and Shared Correlates of Sexual Violence Perpetration and Sexual Risk Behavior Among South African Adolescent Boys.

Associations between sexual risk behavior (SRB) and sexual violence perpetration (SVP) contribute to the intersecting HIV and sexual violence epidemics in South Africa. We examined SVP and SRB, and their potential correlates among South African boys (N = 80; ages 15-17). Fifty-one percent endorsed SVP in the past year; 61% engaged in past-3-month SRB. Whereas most unique correlates were socio-structural, family, or community factors, correlates shared across behaviors were behavior-specific social norm perceptions and cognitive factors. In final multivariate models, food insecurity and positive attitudes toward delaying sex were associated with SVP (odds ratios [ORs] = 3.05 and 0.37, respectively), and community violence exposure, gender equitable social norm perceptions, positive attitudes toward delaying sex, and intentions to obtain sexual consent were associated with SRBs (ORs = 1.56-1.57, 0.90-0.38, 0.58-0.60, respectively). Interventions to address HIV/sexual violence risk among adolescents in South Africa should be integrated and multilevel.

Advancing a cascading train-the-trainer model of frontline HIV service providers in South Africa: protocol of an implementation trial.

BACKGROUND: South Africa is marked by high rates of both HIV and alcohol use, and there is a detrimental synergistic relationship between these two epidemics. The Institute of Medicine recommends integrated care for alcohol use treatment and HIV, but implementation of integrated services remains a challenge in South Africa. This protocol describes a study designed to evaluate trainer, provider-, and patient encounter-level outcomes relating to the national rollout of a cascade train-the-trainer model of task-sharing to build capacity of the HIV workforce to deliver Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) to address risky alcohol use. METHODS: This 5 year protocol consists of two phases. First, we will finalize development of a robust SBIRT train-the-trainer model, which will include an SBIRT Trainer Manual, Provider Resource Guide, fidelity observational coding system, case vignettes, and a curriculum for ongoing consultation sessions. Materials will be designed to build the capacity of novice trainers to train lay workers to deliver SBIRT with fidelity. Second, we will recruit 24-36 trainers and 900 providers in order to evaluate the effects of the SBIRT train-the-trainer model on trainer- (e.g., fidelity, knowledge), provider- (e.g., SBIRT attitudes, confidence, acceptability), and patient encounter- (e.g., proportion receiving screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment) level variables. Data on patient encounters will be tracked by providers on programmed tablets or scannable paper forms in real-time. Providers will report on SBIRT delivery on an ongoing basis over a 6-months period. Additionally, we will test the hypothesis that trainer-level factors will account for a substantial proportion of variability in provider-level factors which will, in turn, account for a substantial proportion of variability in patient encounter-level outcomes. DISCUSSION: This protocol will allow us to take advantage of a unique national training initiative to gather comprehensive data on multi-level factors associated with the implementation of SBIRT in HIV service settings. In the long-term, this research can help to advance the implementation of integrated alcohol-HIV services, providing lessons that can extend to other low-and-middle income countries confronting dual epidemics.

Evaluation of an advanced practice provider emergency department critical care step-down unit.

OBJECTIVE: In response to concerns about patient care and safety, our urban, tertiary care, Level 1 trauma center adult emergency department (ED) created an advanced practice provider-staffed critical care step-down unit (CCSU). We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the CCSU's impact on patient care, safety, and ED operations. METHODS: We compared ED length of stay, return visits to the ED within 72 hours, billing code assignments (current procedural terminology evaluation and management [CPT E&M] codes), and quality of electronic health record documentation per QNOTE for the 2 years after the CCSU was initiated (CCSU period) versus before its initiation (pre-CCSU period). RESULTS: There were 31,418 critical care ED patient visits in the pre-CCSU period and 33,396 in the CCSU period. Median ED length of stay did not change overall between the CCSU versus pre-CCSU period (∆1 [95% confidence interval (CI) = -2.4, 4.4] minutes), but decreased for patients who remained in the critical care suites (∆-4 [95% CI = -7.8, -0.2] minutes). 72-hour return ED visits also did not change overall (∆0% [95% CI = -0.1, 0]), but decreased for patients who remained in the critical care suites (∆0.4% [95% CI = -0.05, -0.4]). CPT E&M billing increased for highest-level visits (99,291: ∆1.3% [95% CI= 0.5, 2.0]). Quality of electronic health record documentation as measured by QNOTE also improved (∆11.5% [95% CI = 4.9, 18.1]). CONCLUSION: This ED's CCSU performance metrics indicate at least moderate improvement in ED length of stay, 72-hour return visits, critical care patient billing, and electronic health record documentation. EDs elsewhere can consider implementation of this advanced practice provider-staffed solution to improvement in critical care in ED.

Resilience is associated with importance of quitting in homeless adult smokers.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of cigarette smoking in homeless populations is disproportionately high with rates between 57 and 80%. Resilience may affect a smoker's ability to successfully quit smoking. This cross-sectional study examined the association between resilience levels and smoking behaviors in homeless adults. METHOD: Fifty-nine homeless adults were recruited from a large multi-service homelessness agency in the northeast United States. Surveys were administered to measure smoking behaviors and resilience. RESULTS: Most participants were current smokers (83.1%), with more than half (67.1%) identifying as "moderate smokers" (smoking 10-20 cigarettes per day). Of the current smokers, 93.9% reported smoking daily and 71.4% had tried to quit at least once in their lifetime. The number of quit attempts was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with one's contemplation of quitting (r = 0.29) and how one viewed importance of quitting (r = 0.33). Resilience levels were significantly associated with how participants ranked importance of quitting (r = 0.37). Smokers reported a high desire to quit smoking, but level of confidence in their ability to quit was low. Difficulty in finding stable housing and social support were reported as barriers to quitting. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates an association between importance of quitting and resilience levels in homeless adult smokers. Future work is needed to examine whether resilience is related to successful smoking cessation in homeless adults, and whether resilience levels can be increased with targeted interventions.