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A Case Study Of Ovc Case Management Through The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project—Brief, Population Council
A Case Study Of Ovc Case Management Through The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project—Brief, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The ZAMFAM program aims to improve the care and resilience of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as well as young people living with HIV in Zambia by providing support and protection and by strengthening the capacity of children, families, and the community to better manage the socioeconomic shocks of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A case study approach was employed to understand actors and perceptions, and to document best practices by the program. This brief summarizes the case study findings. The ZAMFAM program utilized several approaches to improving the well-being of OVC. Services or referrals were provided to beneficiaries through home visitation …
A Case-Study Of Ovc Case Management Through The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project, Lyson Phiri, Drosin Mulenga, Nancy Choka, Caila Brander, Nachela Chelwa, Nkomba Kayeyi
A Case-Study Of Ovc Case Management Through The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project, Lyson Phiri, Drosin Mulenga, Nancy Choka, Caila Brander, Nachela Chelwa, Nkomba Kayeyi
HIV and AIDS
Zambia’s HIV prevalence is estimated at 11% among adults aged 15–49 years and 1% among children younger than 15 years. An estimated 10% of Zambia’s population is at high risk of being orphaned or vulnerable due to the HIV epidemic. The Zambia Family (ZAMFAM) project aims to improve the care and resilience of vulnerable populations while supporting HIV epidemic control. ZAMFAM used a case management approach that tracks beneficiaries from identification to graduation. The Population Council conducted a qualitative case study to understand actors and perceptions, and document best practices. Program beneficiaries viewed the ZAMFAM program as having made a …
Support Clubs For Children And Youth In Haiti Living With Hiv: A Case Study, Susan Settergren, Robert Philippe, Joanne St. Louis, Nathaniel Segaren, Sylvie Boisson, Tessa Lewis, Olbeg Désinor, Kesner François
Support Clubs For Children And Youth In Haiti Living With Hiv: A Case Study, Susan Settergren, Robert Philippe, Joanne St. Louis, Nathaniel Segaren, Sylvie Boisson, Tessa Lewis, Olbeg Désinor, Kesner François
HIV and AIDS
In Haiti, where an estimated 3,000 children and youth are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), Caris Foundation, with funding from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provides hospital-linked psychosocial support groups, known as Kids Clubs, for young people ages nine and older. The clubs are intended to help ensure that HIV-positive children and adolescents stay in contact with health services, and serve as a conduit for delivery of other services, including health messages and health products. In 2019, Project SOAR conducted a study to describe the Kids Club …
Evidence Around Engaging Men In Hiv Prevention And Treatment, Julie Pulerwitz, Ann Gottert, Jerry Okal, Sanyukta Mathur
Evidence Around Engaging Men In Hiv Prevention And Treatment, Julie Pulerwitz, Ann Gottert, Jerry Okal, Sanyukta Mathur
HIV and AIDS
No abstract provided.
Evidence To Support Hiv Prevention For Adolescent Girls And Young Women (Agyw) And Their Male Partners: Results From Malawi Dreams Studies With Agyw, Male Partners Of Agyw, Men Living With Hiv, And Program Implementing Partners, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Victor Mwapasa, Effie Chipeta, Wanangwa Chimwaza, Nrupa Jani, Tracy Mcclair, Lyson Tenthani, Sanyukta Mathur
Evidence To Support Hiv Prevention For Adolescent Girls And Young Women (Agyw) And Their Male Partners: Results From Malawi Dreams Studies With Agyw, Male Partners Of Agyw, Men Living With Hiv, And Program Implementing Partners, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Victor Mwapasa, Effie Chipeta, Wanangwa Chimwaza, Nrupa Jani, Tracy Mcclair, Lyson Tenthani, Sanyukta Mathur
HIV and AIDS
Project SOAR, led by the Population Council, in partnership with the Center of Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, conducted a research portfolio to generate evidence to reduce HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their male partners. The objectives of this implementation research were to generate evidence for describing HIV-related risk factors among AGYW; assess the extent to which the overall DREAMS project contributed toward the goal of reducing HIV risk among AGYW; and understand the characteristics of male partners and how to link them to HIV services, as well as retain …
Strengthening Capacity For Assessment Of Hiv-Related Data Needs Among Key Populations To Inform Evidence-Based Responses, Amrita Rao, Nikita Viswasam, Stefan Baral
Strengthening Capacity For Assessment Of Hiv-Related Data Needs Among Key Populations To Inform Evidence-Based Responses, Amrita Rao, Nikita Viswasam, Stefan Baral
HIV and AIDS
Defining the HIV prevention and treatment needs of key populations who have disproportionate HIV acquisition and transmission risks has been particularly difficult in the context of generalized HIV epidemics where less attention has historically been placed on the HIV prevention and treatment needs of these groups. There is a gap in our understanding of the specific needs of—and ultimately the investment case for the added value of supporting—disproportionately burdened key populations in these settings. In response to this gap, Johns Hopkins University under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Project SOAR implemented a project in partnership with collaborators, …
Community-Based Hiv Treatment Service Delivery Model For Female Sex Workers In Tanzania: Evaluation Findings, Lung Vu, Waimar Tun, Louis Apicella, Jeremiah Kidola, Caterina Casalini, Gasper Mbita, Neema Makyao, Todd Koppenhaver, Erick Mlanga
Community-Based Hiv Treatment Service Delivery Model For Female Sex Workers In Tanzania: Evaluation Findings, Lung Vu, Waimar Tun, Louis Apicella, Jeremiah Kidola, Caterina Casalini, Gasper Mbita, Neema Makyao, Todd Koppenhaver, Erick Mlanga
HIV and AIDS
Project SOAR in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Program of the Government of Tanzania, National Institute of Medical Research, and Jhpiego’s Sauti Program, conducted an implementation science study to investigate the delivery of community-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) services to female sex workers (FSWs) in Tanzania. Studies from sub-Saharan Africa have shown improved HIV treatment outcomes, such as uptake of HIV services, retention in care, and increased dignity and quality of life, by using community-based delivery of HIV services. As detailed in this Project SOAR final report, the study assessed the effectiveness of the community-based ART delivery intervention in improving …
Reaching Key Populations With Community-Based Hiv Test And Start Services In Lagos And Benue States In Nigeria: Baseline Findings, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Key populations (KPs), such as men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSWs), and people who inject drugs, remain disproportionately affected by HIV compared to the general population. In Nigeria, HIV prevalence declined among the general population from 2007–18. Among key populations from 2007–14, HIV also decreased among FSWs, but increased among MSM. Evidence-based strategies to sustain the decline among the general population and FSWs, and mitigate the increase among MSM, are needed. Nigeria has adopted the World Health Organization’s “test and start” (TnS) strategy, which recommends initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) by persons living with HIV as …
Women And Hiv: Understanding And Addressing Stigma—Evidence From The Population Council, Population Council
Women And Hiv: Understanding And Addressing Stigma—Evidence From The Population Council, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Over the last 20 years, the Population Council has carried out extensive work examining the intersection of stigma and gender and its impact on HIV-related outcomes. This brief summarizes key Population Council findings from a range of studies which elucidate the experiences of stigma among women and highlights avenues for addressing stigma to mitigate women’s risk and burden of HIV.
Um Só Currículo: Actividades Para Uma Educação Integrada Em Sexualidade, Género, Hiv E Direitos Humanos, International Sexuality And Hiv Curriculum Working Group, Nicole Haberland, Deborah Rogow
Um Só Currículo: Actividades Para Uma Educação Integrada Em Sexualidade, Género, Hiv E Direitos Humanos, International Sexuality And Hiv Curriculum Working Group, Nicole Haberland, Deborah Rogow
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Education on sexuality and HIV can help adolescents develop the capacity for healthy, respectful relationships and protect themselves from unwanted and unsafe sex, unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections. A 2015 Population Council study found that sexuality and HIV education programs that address gender and power in intimate relationships are five times more likely to be effective than programs that do not. However, most curricula still do not address these issues. It’s All One Curriculum provides a rationale, content, and sample activities for placing gender and rights at the center of sexuality and HIV curricula—both as stand-alone modules and integrated …
Associations Between Fgm/C And Hiv In Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, And Sierra Leone: A Limited Analysis Of Demographic And Health Survey Data, Yetunde A. Noah Pinheiro, Zhuzhi Moore, David Gathara
Associations Between Fgm/C And Hiv In Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, And Sierra Leone: A Limited Analysis Of Demographic And Health Survey Data, Yetunde A. Noah Pinheiro, Zhuzhi Moore, David Gathara
Reproductive Health
Studies investigating the association between male circumcision and HIV have demonstrated the protective effect of male circumcision. In some settings, FGM/C and male circumcision are considered “equivalent” procedures. This working paper presents findings of a study that investigates the effect of FGM/C on the likelihood of HIV infection for women in practicing communities in Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.
Female Sex Workers Living With Hiv In Tanzania Have Both A Need For Contraception And A Desire To Have Children In The Future, Project Soar
Female Sex Workers Living With Hiv In Tanzania Have Both A Need For Contraception And A Desire To Have Children In The Future, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
HIV-positive women often have critical family planning (FP) needs in addition to HIV-related care, treatment, and prevention concerns. In sub-Saharan Africa, unintended pregnancy is common among HIV-positive women. At the same time, many women living with HIV want to have children some day, and there are various “safer conception” strategies available to help HIV-affected individuals and couples get pregnant while minimizing the risk of HIV transmission to seronegative partners and the baby. This brief describes the fertility-related needs and desires of female sex workers living with HIV in Tanzania, highlighting results indicating that health services should help women meet both …
Namibia Has A Strong Foundation For Implementing The Treat All Guidelines And Reaching The Unaids 90-90-90 Targets, Project Soar
Namibia Has A Strong Foundation For Implementing The Treat All Guidelines And Reaching The Unaids 90-90-90 Targets, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
In late 2015, the World Health Organization announced new treatment guidelines recommending that anyone who has tested positive for HIV should begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible. In light of this policy, the Government of Namibia included “treat all” in the 2016 National Guidelines for ART, and began nationwide implementation in April 2017. Project SOAR is generating evidence on how the national rollout of the treat all guidelines and decentralization of ART services affect client-level treatment outcomes, quality of ART services, and treatment costs in Namibia. This brief highlights baseline findings that provide a snapshot of ART services …
Strengthening Capacity In Hiv Operations Research: Reflections On A Project Soar Workshop In Johannesburg, South Africa, Project Soar
Strengthening Capacity In Hiv Operations Research: Reflections On A Project Soar Workshop In Johannesburg, South Africa, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Capacity strengthening (CS) to support rigorous scientific research is a globally recognized need and central to Project SOAR. Over a four-day period, SOAR conducted a CS workshop to strengthen individual and institutional capacity in HIV operations research, with a particular emphasis on the research utilization process. This brief summarizes the CS activities conducted, insights from the workshop’s organization, and participants’ views of the workshop.
Assessment Of Comprehensive Hiv-Risk Reduction Programming For Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Kenya, Population Council
Assessment Of Comprehensive Hiv-Risk Reduction Programming For Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Kenya, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation research to build needed evidence to inform decisionmaking around effective implementation of community-based, girl-centered interventions and to assess their effectiveness in reducing HIV vulnerability among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)—a population in which AIDS is the leading cause of death in the region. Learnings from this study in Kenya and similar ones in Zambia and Malawi will be valuable for informing each country and the region how to implement AGYW programming that goes beyond the health sector to reduce AGYW’s vulnerability to HIV.
Evaluation Of The Pepfar/Usaid Asibonisane Community Responses Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Project Soar
Evaluation Of The Pepfar/Usaid Asibonisane Community Responses Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Few programs intended to improve HIV outcomes or modulate gender norms have been rigorously evaluated in South Africa’s informal settlements where nearly 400,000 people live in KwaZulu Natal province alone. There is limited evidence on how to implement large-scale HIV-prevention programming in these contexts. Project SOAR and partners are addressing these knowledge gaps by conducting an evaluation of the PEPFAR/USAID-funded Asibonisane Community Responses Program in South Africa. Specifically, the study will assess the effectiveness of this community-based HIV-prevention program in informal settlements throughout KwaZulu-Natal—one of four provinces where the program is being carried out. This study aims to influence the …
Men's Perceptions Of Prep Use By Their Adolescent And Young Adult Female Partners In Tanzania In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Men's Perceptions Of Prep Use By Their Adolescent And Young Adult Female Partners In Tanzania In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Prevailing gender norms about sexuality and relationship power dynamics have been shown to affect how women make decisions about the use of sexual and reproductive health products, including microbicides, condoms, and other contraceptives. It is therefore important to understand male partners’ views of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to inform how to effectively introduce PrEP among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Tanzania to ensure they use it correctly and consistently. The Population Council, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., conducted implementation science research in Tanzania to identify key considerations for introducing PrEP …
Preventing Pediatric Tuberculosis: A Randomized Trial Of Symptom-Based Screening Of South African Children Exposed To Tuberculosis, Population Council
Preventing Pediatric Tuberculosis: A Randomized Trial Of Symptom-Based Screening Of South African Children Exposed To Tuberculosis, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
In South Africa, a country with one of the highest levels of HIV prevalence, HIV-positive adults are the source case for a large proportion of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) cases. Unfortunately, TB index cases are not consistently asked about their child contacts, not all child contacts present to the clinic for TB screening, and it remains unknown what proportion of child contacts receive isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT)—a highly effective treatment for preventing TB in these children, long recommended by the World Health Organization. Project SOAR is assessing whether a symptom-based screening approach by TB nurses in community health clinics is more …
Providers' Views On Prep For Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Providers' Views On Prep For Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
In collaboration with the Tanzania National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., the Population Council conducted an implementation science research study to identify key considerations among healthcare providers for oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) introduction to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in an urban and a rural setting in Dar Es Salaam and Mbeya districts, respectively. This brief presents results from a survey and in-depth interviews conducted with healthcare providers in each setting, assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about PrEP; willingness to prescribe PrEP to AGYW; and perceived barriers and facilitators to providing PrEP to AGYW. The …
Creating A Culture Of Evidence Use: Using An Innovative Knowledge Translation Platform To Inform Hiv/Aids Programming For Women And Girls, Jill Gay, Melanie Croce-Galis, Karen Hardee, Amelia Peltz
Creating A Culture Of Evidence Use: Using An Innovative Knowledge Translation Platform To Inform Hiv/Aids Programming For Women And Girls, Jill Gay, Melanie Croce-Galis, Karen Hardee, Amelia Peltz
Reproductive Health
Given that moving evidence from a study to policy, programs, and practice can often take a decade or more, what is the best way to get evidence into the hands of those developing policies and programs to speed its use? Enhancing the use of evidence in policies and programs through an innovative web-based knowledge platform, What Works for Women: Evidence for HIV/AIDS Interventions, resulted in major changes in National Strategic HIV Plans plus Concept Notes submitted to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This paper documents how components …
Updating The People Living With Hiv Stigma Index, Project Soar
Updating The People Living With Hiv Stigma Index, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
In October 2015, supported by USAID/PEPFAR, Project SOAR established a small working group (SWG) with representatives from a variety of nongovernmental organizations, and several experts within and external to SOAR. The SWG outlined a process for evaluating and updating the Stigma Index, launched in 2008, that would be transparent and incorporate as many perspectives as possible in the process. The Stigma Index is both a data collection tool and an empowering intervention for the interviewers collecting data and the interviewees who are sharing their experiences of stigma. Since the Stigma Index was launched, there have been shifts in the HIV …
A Systems Approach To Improving Delivery And Update Of Facility-Based Hiv Testing And Linkage To Care In South Africa, Project Soar
A Systems Approach To Improving Delivery And Update Of Facility-Based Hiv Testing And Linkage To Care In South Africa, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Project SOAR is examining the current delivery of HIV testing (HTS) and linkages to care (LTC) services—including barriers, facilitators, and infrastructure—in Ekurhuleni District, South Africa which has the second-highest district-level HIV prevalence in the country. Based on these formative findings, the project will develop and test tailored approaches to increase patients’ uptake of HTS and subsequent LTC, if positive. The project expects to find evidence of HTS coverage outside of antenatal care; document key systems-level barriers to HTS and LTC; assess potentially generalizable clinic-level strategies to increase HTS delivery and assess LTC needs; and identify the added value for implementation …
Are We Meeting The Hiv Service Needs Of People Living In Informal Settlements In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa?, Project Soar
Are We Meeting The Hiv Service Needs Of People Living In Informal Settlements In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa?, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
This brief summarizes the characteristics and circumstances of approximately 1,500 men and women living in 18 informal settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The data come from a baseline survey conducted in mid-2017 as part of an evaluation of the PEPFAR/USAID-funded Asibonisane Community Responses program. Project SOAR/Population Council conducted the evaluation in partnership with the MatCH Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand. The findings presented here highlight the need for HIV treatment services to be more responsive to residents living with HIV in informal settlements. Furthermore, continued efforts are needed to reduce HIV risk and intimate partner violence among young …
Assessment Of The Implementation Of The Treat-All Guidelines (Test And Start) In Namibia, Project Soar
Assessment Of The Implementation Of The Treat-All Guidelines (Test And Start) In Namibia, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
The Government of Namibia has adopted “treat-all” guidelines, commonly referred to as test and start (TnS), as a national policy effective April 2017. These guidelines recommend that anyone who has tested positive for HIV should begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible. This brief describes the proposed research of a study team led by the Population Council to generate evidence on how the national rollout of the TnS guidelines and decentralization of ART services affect client-level treatment outcomes, quality of ART services, and treatment costs in Namibia. The results of this study will inform the implementation and scale-up of …
Considerations For Prep Introduction To Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Tanzania, Population Council
Considerations For Prep Introduction To Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Tanzania, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
In collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., a Tanzania-based research organization, the Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Tanzania to build needed evidence to inform decisionmaking around the introduction of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), ages 15–24. This research will actively engage key stakeholders throughout the study, including gaining their insights on key study questions, interpreting the findings, crafting initial programming recommendations based on findings, and supporting their adoption in Tanzania and beyond. Findings from this study and other observational studies and demonstration trials in progress …
Effect Of A Family-Centered Model Of Hiv Care On Viral Suppression And Care Retention Among Hiv-Positive Children In Swaziland, Project Soar
Effect Of A Family-Centered Model Of Hiv Care On Viral Suppression And Care Retention Among Hiv-Positive Children In Swaziland, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) has been supporting the Kingdom of Swaziland since 2003 to prevent mother-to-child transmission and to provide care and treatment services to HIV-positive children and adults. Project SOAR and the Swaziland Ministry of Health are leveraging EGPAF’s establishment of a family-centered care service delivery program (FAM-CARE) and a national rollout of viral load monitoring to assess their implementation and effect on viral suppression and retention in care among children living with HIV. This implementation science study is important because it will provide critical data to national and global policymakers about the model’s feasibility, acceptability, …
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services: Implementation Science Research In Swaziland, Population Council
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services: Implementation Science Research In Swaziland, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation research in Swaziland, in collaboration with local partner organizations, to learn more about men’s relationships with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and how HIV services can better engage them—two neglected areas of research. Similar studies are being conducted in South Africa, Uganda, and Malawi. Learnings from these studies will be valuable for informing ongoing programming in Swaziland and the region, as well as HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts for AGYW and their male partners globally, particularly in this era of test and start.
Evaluation Of The “One Community” Program In Malawi, Project Soar
Evaluation Of The “One Community” Program In Malawi, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
“One Community” is the United States Agency for International Development’s flagship community-based response to Malawi’s HIV epidemic. The primary objective of One Community is to support the government’s efforts to reduce new infections and to mitigate the impact of HIV among orphans and vulnerable children, out-of-school adolescent girls and young women, and other at-risk populations in eight districts in the southern region of Malawi. Project SOAR is conducting a rigorous evaluation of One Community in five of the eight program districts. The results from this evaluation will be used to inform Malawi’s support strategies for at-risk populations, improve the United …
Introducing Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis To Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Overview Of Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Introducing Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis To Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Overview Of Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council in collaboration with Tanzania’s National AIDS Control Program and CSK Research Solutions Limited conducted implementation science research in one urban district and one rural district in the country, to provide needed evidence for informing decisionmaking on whether and how to introduce oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Tanzania. The aims of the research were to: assess the acceptability of PrEP among AGYW, their male partners, their parents/guardians, healthcare providers, and policymakers; determine the feasibility of and opportunities for providing PrEP to AGYW; and identify key facilitators and barriers to PrEP introduction …
Assessing Hiv-Related Outcomes Among Key Populations Accessing Community-Based Test And Start Services In Nigeria, Project Soar
Assessing Hiv-Related Outcomes Among Key Populations Accessing Community-Based Test And Start Services In Nigeria, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
This activity brief describes a research study Project SOAR is conducting to better understand how to use existing key population community platforms in Nigeria to expand access to HIV treatment, the cost of such care provided outside of clinical health facilities, and the extent to which false positive misclassification may occur in outreach settings. Given the global “treat all” emphasis and the need to effectively scale up test and start services and minimize misclassification rates, these findings will be important in expanding timely antiretroviral treatment coverage in vulnerable communities in Nigeria and elsewhere.