Browsing by Author "Turan JM"

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Alcohol reduction outcomes following brief counseling among adults with HIV in Zambia: A sequential mixed methods study.
(2022) Asombang M; Helova A; Chipungu J; Sharma A; Wandeler G; Kane JC; Turan JM; Smith H; Vinikoor MJ; Department of Infectious Diseases and Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, NY, United States of America.; School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America.; Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford, United Kingdom.; School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
Data from sub-Saharan Africa on the impact of alcohol on the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. In this region, it is not well understood how people with HIV (PLWHA) respond to alcohol reduction counseling while they are linked to HIV clinical care. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study to understand patterns of alcohol use among adults (18+ years) within a prospective HIV cohort at two urban public-sector clinics in Zambia. At antiretroviral therapy (ART) start and one year later, we measured alcohol use with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) and those reporting any alcohol use were provided brief counseling. We conducted focus groups at 1 year with participants who had any alcohol use and 20 in-depth interviews among the subgroup with unhealthy use pre-ART and who either reduced or did not reduce their use by 1 year to moderate levels or abstinence. Focus group Discussions (FGDs) (n = 2) were also held with HIV clinic staff. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The data obtained from 693 participants was analyzed (median age 34 years, 45% men), it revealed that unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT-C >3 for men; >2 for women) was reported among 280 (40.4%) at baseline and 205 (29.6%) at 1 year on ART. Reduction from unhealthy to moderate use or abstinence was more common with older age, female, non-smoking, and at Clinic B (all P<0.05). Qualitative data revealed ineffective alcohol support at clinics, social pressures in the community to consume alcohol, and unaddressed drivers of alcohol use including poverty, poor health status, depression, and HIV stigma. Healthcare workers reported a lack of training in alcohol screening and treatment, which led to mixed messages provided to patients ('reduce to safe levels' versus 'abstain'). In summary, interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use are needed within HIV clinics in Zambia as a substantial population have persistent unhealthy use despite current HIV clinical care. A better understanding is needed regarding the implementation challenges related to screening for unhealthy alcohol use integrated with HIV services.
Care Continuum and Postdischarge Outcomes Among HIV-Infected Adults Admitted to the Hospital in Zambia.
(2019-Oct) Haachambwa L; Kandiwo N; Zulu PM; Rutagwera D; Geng E; Holmes CB; Sinkala E; Claassen CW; Mugavero MJ; Wa Mwanza M; Turan JM; Vinikoor MJ; Zambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, Zambia.; Center for Global Health and Quality, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; University Teaching Hospital HIV AIDS Programme, Lusaka, Zambia.; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.; School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
BACKGROUND: We characterized the extent of antiretroviral therapy (ART) experience and postdischarge mortality among hospitalized HIV-infected adults in Zambia. METHODS: At a central hospital with an opt-out HIV testing program, we enrolled HIV-infected adults (18+ years) admitted to internal medicine using a population-based sampling frame. Critically ill patients were excluded. Participants underwent a questionnaire regarding their HIV care history and CD4 count and viral load (VL) testing. We followed participants to 3 months after discharge. We analyzed prior awareness of HIV-positive status, antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, and VL suppression (VS; <1000 copies/mL). Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we assessed risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: Among 1283 adults, HIV status was available for 1132 (88.2%), and 762 (67.3%) were HIV-positive. In the 239 who enrolled, the median age was 36 years, 59.7% were women, and the median CD4 count was 183 cells/mm CONCLUSIONS: Most HIV-related hospitalizations and deaths may now occur among ART-experienced vs -naïve individuals in Zambia. Development and evaluation of inpatient interventions are needed to mitigate the high risk of death in the postdischarge period.
Global health reciprocal innovation to address mental health and well-being: strategies used and lessons learnt.
(2023-Nov) Turan JM; Vinikoor MJ; Su AY; Rangel-Gomez M; Sweetland A; Verhey R; Chibanda D; Paulino-Ramírez R; Best C; Masquillier C; van Olmen J; Gaist P; Kohrt BA; Research Department, Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.; Behavioral Science & Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.; Sparkman Center for Global Health and Department of Health Policy and Organization, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Birmingham, Alabama, USA jmturan@uab.edu.; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.; Instituto de Medicina Tropical and Salud Global, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.; Center for Global Mental Health Equity, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.; Research Support Centre, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Office of AIDS Research, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Family and Population and Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.; Centre for Global Mental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
Over the past two decades there have been major advances in the development of interventions promoting mental health and well-being in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), including delivery of care by non-specialist providers, incorporation of mobile technologies and development of multilevel community-based interventions. Growing inequities in mental health have led to calls to adopt similar strategies in high-income countries (HIC), learning from LMIC. To overcome shared challenges, it is crucial for projects implementing these strategies in different global settings to learn from one another. Our objective was to examine cases in which mental health and well-being interventions originating in or conceived for LMIC were implemented in the USA. The cases included delivery of psychological interventions by non-specialists, HIV-related stigma reduction programmes, substance use mitigation strategies and interventions to promote parenting skills and family functioning. We summarise commonly used strategies, barriers, benefits and lessons learnt for the transfer of these innovative practices among LMIC and HIC. Common strategies included intervention delivery by non-specialists and use of digital modalities to facilitate training and increase reach. Common barriers included lack of reimbursement mechanisms for care delivered by non-specialists and resistance from professional societies. Despite US investigators' involvement in most of the original research in LMIC, only a few cases directly involved LMIC researchers in US implementation. In order to achieve greater equity in global mental health and well-being, more efforts and targeted funding are needed to develop best practices for global health reciprocal innovation and iterative learning in HIC and LMIC.