Conference abstract
Determinants of HIV seropositivity among frequent testing key populations within the framework of the CHAMP project in Cameroon
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:17(43).04
Jun 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.17.43.1783
Archived on: 04 Jun 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: HIV seropositivity, frequent testing, key populations, Cameroon
Oral presentation
Determinants of HIV seropositivity among frequent testing key populations within the framework of the CHAMP project in Cameroon
Junior Jackson Nforbewing Ndenkeh1, Oscar Leuyou Gayou1,&, Romeo Folem Dongfack1, Florent Ngueguim1, William Philbrick2, Zack Zeh Akiy2, Valery Nzima3, Anne Bowring4, Gilbert Adrianandrasana5, on behalf of the CHAMP team
1CARE International, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2CARE International, Atlanta, United States, United States Agency for International, 3Center for International Health, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, 4Development (USAID), Yaoundé, Cameroon, 5Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
&Corresponding author
Introduction: HIV testing and counseling are very important in HIV management among high-risk populations through early linkage to treatment. Similarly, the prevention of HIV through subsequent viral suppression and influencing sexual behavior is just as important. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of HIV seropositivity among frequently tested female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cameroon.
Methods: this study was conducted in three major Cameroonian cities of Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda. This secondary analysis was conducted on existing routine data collected from March 2018 through June 2020. The FSW and MSM included in this study were considered frequent testers if they showed up for testing and counseling at least twice within the same annual fiscal period of the project. Using logistic regression, covariates of HIV seropositivity were identified all of which were adjusted for each other’s effect in a multivariate model with significance set at 5%.
Results: a total of 1,762 beneficiaries were included in this study aged between 15-72 years with a mean age 28 years (±8years) and 1,033 (58.6%) FSW. More than half of the beneficiaries (53.7%) came from Douala with an overall HIV-positive yield of 8.2% (144/1,762). When adjusted for other covariates, it was observed that beneficiaries of older age (i.e. 50 years and above) were 4.1 times more likely to test HIV positive than younger beneficiaries (p-value = 0.023), beneficiaries with risk behavior from stable partners were 2.8 times more likely to test HIV positive than those without partner risk behavior (p-value = 0.01) and testing within 2019 and 2020 calendar years reduced the chances of testing HIV positive by factors of 0.4 and 0.3 respectively when compared to 2018 (13.4% to 5.8% to 3.9%; p-value = 0.002).
Conclusion: the incidence of HIV among frequent testing key populations has significantly dropped over the years despite associations between older ages and partner risk behaviors to seropositivity. There is thus the need to improve sexual behavior, especially through sensitization campaigns targeting the older age group. Also, include stable partners of the above frequent testing key populations in the sex behavioral change process.
Determinants of HIV seropositivity among frequent testing key populations within the framework of the CHAMP project in Cameroon
Junior Jackson Nforbewing Ndenkeh1, Oscar Leuyou Gayou1,&, Romeo Folem Dongfack1, Florent Ngueguim1, William Philbrick2, Zack Zeh Akiy2, Valery Nzima3, Anne Bowring4, Gilbert Adrianandrasana5, on behalf of the CHAMP team
1CARE International, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2CARE International, Atlanta, United States, United States Agency for International, 3Center for International Health, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany, 4Development (USAID), Yaoundé, Cameroon, 5Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
&Corresponding author
Introduction: HIV testing and counseling are very important in HIV management among high-risk populations through early linkage to treatment. Similarly, the prevention of HIV through subsequent viral suppression and influencing sexual behavior is just as important. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of HIV seropositivity among frequently tested female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cameroon.
Methods: this study was conducted in three major Cameroonian cities of Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda. This secondary analysis was conducted on existing routine data collected from March 2018 through June 2020. The FSW and MSM included in this study were considered frequent testers if they showed up for testing and counseling at least twice within the same annual fiscal period of the project. Using logistic regression, covariates of HIV seropositivity were identified all of which were adjusted for each other’s effect in a multivariate model with significance set at 5%.
Results: a total of 1,762 beneficiaries were included in this study aged between 15-72 years with a mean age 28 years (±8years) and 1,033 (58.6%) FSW. More than half of the beneficiaries (53.7%) came from Douala with an overall HIV-positive yield of 8.2% (144/1,762). When adjusted for other covariates, it was observed that beneficiaries of older age (i.e. 50 years and above) were 4.1 times more likely to test HIV positive than younger beneficiaries (p-value = 0.023), beneficiaries with risk behavior from stable partners were 2.8 times more likely to test HIV positive than those without partner risk behavior (p-value = 0.01) and testing within 2019 and 2020 calendar years reduced the chances of testing HIV positive by factors of 0.4 and 0.3 respectively when compared to 2018 (13.4% to 5.8% to 3.9%; p-value = 0.002).
Conclusion: the incidence of HIV among frequent testing key populations has significantly dropped over the years despite associations between older ages and partner risk behaviors to seropositivity. There is thus the need to improve sexual behavior, especially through sensitization campaigns targeting the older age group. Also, include stable partners of the above frequent testing key populations in the sex behavioral change process.
