Healthcare providers' understanding of HIV serodiscordance in South Africa and Uganda: implications for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa.

HIV transmission within stable heterosexual HIV serodiscordant couples accounts for almost half the new incident infections in South Africa and Uganda. Advances in HIV prevention provide opportunities to reduce transmission risk within serodiscordant partnerships (e.g., antiretroviral treatment (ART), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medical male circumcision, and couples-based HIV counselling and testing). These interventions require a clinical encounter with a provider who recognises prevention opportunities within these partnerships. We explored healthcare provider understanding of HIV serodiscordance in a reproductive counselling study with providers in eThekwini district, South Africa, and Mbarara district, Uganda. In eThekwini, in-depth interviews (29) and focus group discussions (2) were conducted with 42 providers (counsellors, nurses and doctors) from public sector clinics. In Mbarara, in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 providers (medical officers, clinical officers, nurses, peer counsellors and village health workers). Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software. In eThekwini, many providers assumed HIV seroconcordance among client partners and had difficulty articulating how serodiscordance occurs. Mbarara providers had a better understanding of HIV serodiscordance. In the two countries, providers who understood HIV serodiscordance were better able to describe useful HIV-prevention strategies. Healthcare providers require training and support to better understand the prevalence and mechanisms of HIV serodiscordance to implement HIV-prevention strategies for HIV serodiscordant couples.

Sexual and reproductive health risk behaviours among South African university students: results from a representative campus-wide survey.

Among South African university students, HIV prevalence is lower than in age-peers, but at 3.8% it is not negligible. We examined prevalence of factors potentially associated with HIV risk, focusing on partnership characteristics and consistent condom use. We hypothesised that contraceptive-related factors, for example, desire to prevent pregnancy and not using hormonal contraceptives, would be positively associated with consistent condom use. Data were drawn from a representative interviewer-administered survey of 2nd to 4th year students conducted during registration at a university campus in KwaZulu-Natal. Of 576 students, 218 (83 women, 135 men) reported vaginal intercourse in the past 2 months. Of these, 7% of women and 43% of men reported past-year concurrent partnerships, and 24% knew/ suspected partner non-monogamy. Although reported condom use at last intercourse was 90%, 2-month consistent use was 53% (women) and 73% (men). Reported hormonal contraception use was low (women: 36.8%; men: 16.7%), and 68% used condoms for dual protection. In gender-stratified multivariable analyses, consistent condom use was higher for men who reported their partner did not use (vs. used) hormonal contraception (aOR = 5.84; 95%CI = 2.71, 12.57; p < 0.001) and who reported using condoms for dual protection (vs. single protection) (aOR = 2.46; 95%CI = 1.43, 4.25; p = 0.001). No contraception-related factors were associated with consistent condom use among women. Sexual partnership characteristics potentially place sexually active university students at high HIV risk and should be investigated further. Among men, but not women, contraceptive concerns were associated with consistent condom use. Promoting condoms for dual protection may resonate with students and should be continued.

A randomized noninferiority crossover controlled trial of the functional performance and safety of new female condoms: an evaluation of the Velvet, Cupid2, and FC2.

OBJECTIVES: New designs of female condoms have been developed to lower cost and/or improve acceptability. To secure regulatory approvals, clinical studies are required to verify performance. We aimed to assess the functional performance and safety of two new female condom types - Velvet and Cupid2 female condom - against the existing FC2 female condom. STUDY DESIGN: This was a three-period crossover, randomized noninferiority clinical trial with 300 women randomized to condom-type order in one South African site. Primary end points were total clinical failure and total female condom failure. Noninferiority of component modes, clinical breakage, nonclinical breakage, slippage, misdirection and invagination were also determined. Safety data were also assessed for each female condom. Participants were asked to use five of each female condom type and to collect information on use in a condom diary at home and were interviewed after use of each type. Frequencies and percentages were calculated by condom type for each failure mode, and differences in performance of the three female condoms using FC2 as reference, with 95% confidence intervals, were estimated using generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS: A total of 282 (94%) participants completed follow-up, using at least one condom of each type. Total clinical failure (clinical breakage, invagination, misdirection, slippage) was <5% for all female condoms: FC2 (4.50%), Cupid2 (4.79%) and Velvet (3.93%). Noninferiority was demonstrated for all condom failure modes for the two new female condoms with respect to FC2, within the margin of 3% difference in mean failure, at the 5% significance level. CONCLUSION: Noninferiority for the two new female condoms was demonstrated with respect to the marketed FC2. These data are used to support manufacturer dossiers for World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) prequalification. IMPLICATIONS: Data from this study have been submitted to WHO/UNFPA and will contribute to the prequalification submission requirements for the Cupid2 and Velvet female condoms.