Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Epidemiology Of Hiv Among American Indians And Alaska Natives – United States, 2008-2011, Frances J. Walker, Jane M. Kelly, Mona Doshani, Neeraja Saduvala, Joseph Prejean

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) diagnosed with HIV infection have poorer survivorship and a higher percentage of Stage 3 (AIDS] diagnoses within one year of HIV diagnosis, compared to most race/ethnicity groups. National HIV surveillance data for 2008-2011 were used to determine diagnosis rates of HIV infection, persons living with HIV, and persons with a late diagnosis (Stage 3 within three months of HIV diagnosis) by selected characteristics for AI/AN and a combined other race/ethnicity group. The highest percentages of 862 AI/AN diagnosed with HIV infection were among males (75.7%), AI/AN aged 25-34 years (32.9%), persons living in large metropolitan areas …

Adapting And Piloting An Evidence-~Based Hiv/Aids And Teen Pregnancy Prevention Intervention For Native American Teens, Murlynn Crystal Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Native American youth are at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Native Americans represent about 1.7% of the U.S. population, yet they rank fifth in HIV/AIDS diagnosis nationwide (U.S. Census, 2012; CDCd 2013). Native Americans with HIV/AIDS are more likely to be younger than non-Native Americans with the disease. There are limited evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention interventions that have been developed, adapted, and/or evaluated for Native American teens. The purpose of this study was to adapt an existing evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention intervention into a culturally responsive intervention curriculum for Native teens. Methods: There were three …

Molecular Characterization Of Herc5: A Novel Multifunctional Antiviral Protein, Matthew W. Woods

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Interferon (IFN)-induced proteins serve as one of the first lines of defense against viral pathogens such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1. IFN treatment has been shown to restrict multiple stages of HIV-1 replication. The identities and functions of IFN-induced proteins involved in the inhibition of HIV-1 and other viruses are not fully understood. Homologous to the E6-AP C-terminus (HECT) and regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1)-like domain (RLD) containing protein 5 (HERC5) is strongly upregulated by the Type I IFN response. HERC5, a member of the small HERC family, is composed of an N-terminus RLD domain and a C-terminus HECT …

Understanding The Irony: Canadian Gay Men Living With Hiv/Aids, Their Catholic Devotion, And Greater Well-Being, Renato M. Liboro, Richard T.G. Walsh

Psychology Faculty Research

Nine Canadian Catholic HIV-positive gay men were interviewed to obtain a better understanding of why and how they were able to persevere in their faith despite their religion’s teachings against homosexuality and contributions to the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS. By examining the lived experiences and personal perspectives of the participants, the study aimed to explore and elucidate the significant role of Catholicism and the Catholic Church both as a continued source of marginalization and oppression, as well as strength and support, for Canadian gay men living with HIV/AIDS today.

A Rapid Assessment Of Post-Disclosure Experiences Of Urban Hiv-Positive And Hiv-Negative School-Aged Children In Kenya, Grace Gachanja

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

There has been limited involvement of HIV-negative children in HIV disclosure studies; most studies conducted on the effects of disclosure on children have been with HIV-positive children and HIV-positive mother-child dyads. Seven HIV-positive and five HIV-negative children participated in a larger study conducted to understand the lived experiences of HIV-positive parents and their children during the disclosure process in Kenya. In this study, the experiences of these 12 children after receiving disclosure of their own and their parents’ illnesses respectively are presented. Each child underwent an in-depth qualitative semi-structured digitally recorded interview. The recorded interviews were transcribed and loaded into …

Factors Associated With Belief In Conspiracies About Hiv/Aids Among Hiv-Positive African-American Patients, Andrew A. Zekeri, Youssouf Diabate

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS among HIV-Positive African American patients. Survey data were collected from 256 African American patients living with HIV/AIDS attending two HIV clinics in Montgomery and Dothan, Alabama. The study used multiple regression analysis to examine how sociodemographic factors contribute to belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS. Education and age were significantly related to belief in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS among men and women. Beliefs in conspiracies about HIV/AIDS may be a barrier to HIV prevention among African Americans. Public health officials should work toward obtaining the …

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption And Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (Haart) In Patients Diagnosed With Hiv/Aids, Charmaine M. Lapre'

Honors Theses

According to the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH), alcohol consumption causes more than 2.5 million deaths annually. This organization also attributes more than sixty different diseases in which alcoholism plays a significant role. Such diseases include the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (WHO, 2014). There are over 50,000 new cases of HIV reported each year. In the United States, it is estimated that more than 1.1 million people are infected with HIV, and about one in six people are completely unaware that they are infected (CDC.gov, 2013). A systematic literature review was …

The Influence Of Psychological Predictors And Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management Intervention On Antiretroviral Therapy (Art) Adherence Among Hiv-Positive Female Haitian Alcohol Users, Pascale C. Jean

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Over half the HIV-infected persons in the Caribbean, the second most HIV-impacted region in the world, live in Haiti. Using secondary data from a parent study, this research assessed the effects of psychological and social factors on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among Haitian, HIV-positive, female alcohol users.

Theoretical Foundation and Research Questions: Using the Theory of Planned Behavior/Reasoned Action and the Information, Motivation, Behavior skills model as guiding theoretical frameworks, the study examined the effectiveness of an adapted cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM-A) intervention in improving ART adherence. The effect of psychological factors (depression, anxiety, beliefs about medicine, and …

Alternate Payment Models For Ryan White Hiv/Aids Program Funded Services: Strategies Used By Nine Grantees, Naomi Seiler, Scott Dafflitto, Rosalind Fennell, Julia Hidalgo, Katie Horton, Mary-Beth Malcarney

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) offers Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part A and Part B grantees some flexibility in determining the method used for paying subgrantees for core medical and support services. Many Part A and Part B grantees use a traditional “cost-based reimbursement” approach, in which subgrantees submit budgets that include personnel costs, other direct costs related to the provision of funded services, and capped indirect costs (IDCs). Some grantees, however, have developed alternative reimbursement models for core medical and/or support services. This report summarizes the reimbursement approaches taken by nine RWHAP grantees. …

Common Threads: An Integrated Hiv Prevention And Vocational Development Intervention For African American Women Living With Hiv/Aids, Liza Marie Conyers, Yung-Chen Chiu, Aisha Shamburger-Rousseau, Vanessa Johnson, Mark Misrok

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Current policies and initiatives call for the integration of social determinants of health into HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions. According to the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the worse the health outcomes. One way to alleviate poverty among African American women with HIV/AIDS is to help foster their vocational development and economic empowerment. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy Implementation Plan specifically directs federal agencies to find ways to integrate people living with HIV/AIDS into broader employment initiatives. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine medical, psychosocial, financial/legal and vocational social …

Dramatic Plays As A Tool To Educate Young African-American Females About Hiv/Aids, Jonathan N. Livingston, James Merryweather, Jessica Mohabir, Che' Smith, Nina Smith, Jacqueline Madry, Travis Knight, Dorothy M. Singleton, Seronda A. Robinson, Lisa Cothran, Dwayne Brandon, Alexis L. Slay, Camille Brown

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Rates of HIV/AIDS transmission have increased substantially, particularly among young African American women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV/AIDS is the number one killer for African American women aged 25 to 34. Given that many of these young women are contracting the disease in their late teens and early twenties, there is a need to develop interventions that directly address the needs of this group. The current study sought to assess the effectiveness of theater in increasing knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the likelihood of healthier sexual behavior and choices among 219 young African American women …

Condom Use Among Young African American Men: Implications For Planning Interventions, Adedeji S. Adefuye, Stephen B. Kennedy, Shakirudeen Amuwo, Sherry Nolan, Judith V. Sayad

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Condom Use among Young African American Men: Implications for Planning Interventions

Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, continue to present significant public health problems affecting young people in the United States, especially African Americans. While African Americans make up about 12% of the U.S. population, in 2010 they accounted for 44% of new HIV infections in 2010 and 48% of all persons living with AIDS in 2007. The 2010 data shows that of these new cases, 38% occurred among African American males ages 13-24 years old.

Correct condom use remains a challenge in this population and efforts to increase condom use …

Are There Gender Differences In Perceived Sexual Self-Efficacy Among African-American Adolescents?, Michelle L. Redmond, Rhonda K. Lewis

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: African American adolescents accounted for more than half of all HIV/AIDS cases in 2009. Behavioral Strategies are needed to help lessen the incidence of HIV/AIDS among this population.

Purpose: The aim of his study was to examine sexual self-efficacy practices and beliefs among African American adolescents. We also examined gender differences between African American adolescents to better understand their perceptions of sexual self-efficacy, condom use intention, and other safer sex practices and beliefs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 214 African American adolescents using survey instruments to examine their beliefs, perception and intentions on the use of condoms, …

Expression Of Hiv-1 Gag And Env Genes Using The Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vector System, Justine Baek

2015 Undergraduate Awards

Traditional vaccine methods have long been employed to control widespread infectious diseases, but so far, all commercially available vaccine strategies have been inadequate in efforts to develop an effective therapeutic HIV vaccine. However, recent advancements in immunological research have lead to the generation of novel vaccine strategies, one of which is the recombinant virus vaccine, a method of particular interest that has shown promise in the clearance of HIV infection within HIV-positive patients who have retained immunocompetence. This study examined the stability of the expression of HIV-1 genes, gag and env, through a recombinant virus vector, a recombinant vesicular stomatitis …

Completion Of Preventive Health Care Actions By Older Women With Hiv/Aids, Patricia Kay Correll

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in longer lifespans for HIV seropositive women in the United States, during which preventive health care is recommended. Failing to complete recommended cancer screening tests can result in cancer being diagnosed at a later stage with a poorer prognosis. The purpose of the study, based on the ecosocial theory, was to describe the sociodemographic and clinical variables of HIV seropositive women who failed to complete recommended screening tests for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, and determine if the presence of hypertension, obesity, diabetes, depression, or tobacco use impacted the …

Book Review: Stigma, Discrimination, And Living With Hiv/Aids: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Joyce Addo-Atuah, William Lundmark

Touro College Libraries Publications and Research

The authors present a review of the book Stigma, Discrimination, and Living with HIV/AIDS: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

Saving Our Sisters: Effects Of A Computer-Based Version Of Sista On The Hiv-Related Behaviors Of African American Women, Krystal Frieson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are infectious diseases wreaking irreparable havoc on the lives of millions all around the world. Of those infected and affected by HIV in the United States, African Americans disproportionately bear the burden of this disease, which has resulted in a major crisis within the African American community. In 2010, African Americans accounted for approximately 44% of all new HIV infections among adolescents, 13 years of age and older, and adults [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). These statistics become even more dismal when both race and gender enter the …

Health Literacy And Health Decision Making Attitudes In People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Christine Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy has been recognized as a vital issue in the self-care management of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of functional, communicative, and critical health literacy dimensions on positive and negative attitudes toward health decision making. The transtheoretical model of health behavior change (TTM) provided the theoretical framework to explain this association. A culturally-adapted survey was used in this cross-sectional study to measure health literacy dimensions, positive and negatives attitudes toward health decision making, and other factors in 100 Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS. Demographic factors and clinical and immunological …

Effect Of Social Support And Hiv-Related Stigma On Depression In Hiv/Aids Patients, Chinedu Anthony Umeadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV has remained a public health problem in Nigeria. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the effect of social support and HIV-related stigma on depression in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and to examine the moderating effect of sociodemographic factors, Quality of Life (QOL), and time since HIV diagnosis on this relationship. This study was based on the social cognitive theory. Data were collected from 98 PLWHA attending the antiretroviral clinic of Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Nigeria. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between the variables. Some 24.5% of the study participants were depressed. Significant …

African American Eighth Grade Students' Attitudes Toward Hiv/Aids In The District Of Columbia, Enock Kolawole Adewuyi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The group most affected by HIV/AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is African Americans. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge of HIV/AIDS held by African American children as a first step towards developing prevention strategies for these youths. In order to bridge the knowledge-behavior gap, this study sought to investigate the attitude towards HIV/AIDS of African American 8th grade students. The study involved secondary data from the 2012 District of Columbia (DC) Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, obtained from the District of Columbia Office of Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Guided …

Perspectives On Hiv/Aids: American-Based Nigerian Women Who Experienced Polygamy In Rural Nigeria, Christianah Oluseyi Olorunfemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traditionally, in Nigeria women play a subservient role in relation to men. While a man can practice polygamy by marrying many wives, women cannot marry more than one husband at a time. Although researchers have documented the effects of polygamy on the spread of HIV/AIDS, little is known about the experiences of polygamy by Nigerian women who stopped practicing polygamy by immigrating to the United States without their husbands. It is important to know the experiences of these women as they pertain specifically to the spread of HIV/AIDS so as to develop a preventive intervention for HIV/AIDS among Nigerian women …

Evaluation Of A Mobile Health Intervention To Improve Anti-Retroviral Treatment Retention In South Africa, Ambereen Jaffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

South Africa has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates globally, with nearly 2.5 million people accessing antiretroviral treatment (ART) at the end of 2013. Retaining patients on ART has become a major problem in this country. When patients no longer show up for ART for unknown reasons, they are considered lost to follow-up (LTF). LTF is the highest contributor to ART attrition. This study, guided by the health belief model, evaluated the effectiveness of a technology-based, mobile health (mHealth) appointment reminder intervention on LTF among patients accessing ART services. The study ascertained differences in 6- and 12-month LTF rates …

Contextual Factors And Direct Exposure To Hiv: Influences On Youth Sexual Intention, Hadiza Ladidi Osuji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth are having sexual intercourse at an early age and as such, are engaging in risky behaviors that are associated with adverse health outcomes, including HIV infection. Little research has been undertaken to examine the influence of contextual factors on youth intentions to delay sexual involvement. To address that gap, this study aimed to examine the influence of age, gender, race, immigration status, HIV knowledge, HIV-related stigma, concern about HIV, direct exposure to HIV/AIDS, peer pressure, and religious influence on youth intentions to delay sexual involvement. Delayed sexual involvement was conceptualized as youth attitudes towards abstaining from sex, their knowledge …

Mucocutaneous Manifestations And The Relationship To Cd4 Lymphocyte Counts Among Turkish Hiv/Aids Patients In İstanbul, Turkey, Özlem Altuntaş Aydin, Hayat Kumbasar Karaosmanoğlu, Ramazan Korkusuz, Mehmet Özeren, Özcan Nazlican

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Dermatologic findings differ among countries but no sufficient data about Turkish HIV-infected patients exist in the literature. Therefore, our aim in this study was to document the dermatologic manifestations and their relationships with CD4 cell counts among HIV/AIDS patients visiting our clinic for the first time in İstanbul, Turkey. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 306 HIV/AIDS patients (260 men, mean age: 38.3 years) was done in a tertiary hospital in İstanbul from January 2006 to September 2012. Information on age, sex, transmission routes, socioeconomic and educational status, CD4 counts, and dermatologic findings was collected retrospectively from medical records. …

Mediators Of Behavior Change Resulting From A Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention For Sti Patients, Cape Town, South Africa, Eileen V. Pitpitan, Seth C. Kalichman, Randi L. Garcia, Demetria Cain, Lisa A. Eaton, Leickness C. Simbayi

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Theory-based sexual risk reduction interventions are often demonstrated effective, but few studies have examined the mechanisms that mediate their behavior changes. In addition, critical contextual factors, such as alcohol use, are often not accounted for by social cognitive theories and may add to the explanatory value of intervention effects. The purpose of this study is to examine the underlying mechanisms driving condom use following a brief sexual risk reduction intervention grounded in the information, motivation, behavioral skills (IMB) model of behavior change. We examined IMB theoretical constructs and alcohol-related contextual factors as potential mediators in separate models. Patients (n = …

Hiv Stigma Within Religious Communities In Rural India, Krutarth J. Vyas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of HIV/AIDS-related stigma within religious communities in rural Gujarat, India. This study used the hidden distress model of HIV stigma and the HIV peer education model as conceptual frameworks to examine a rural population sample of 100 participants. Regression analysis was conducted to test if school education had a moderating effect on the relationship between illness as punishment for sin (IPS) and HIV stigma. Religiosity was tested for mediating effects on the relationship between early religious involvement (ERI) and HIV stigma. The results of this study indicated that single unemployed men …

Mining And Hiv/Aids Transmission Among Marampa Mining Communities In Lunsar, Sierra Leone, Alphajoh Cham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was first reported in Sierra Leone in 1987, its prevalence rate has stabilized at 1.5% in the nation's general population. However, concerns exist regarding the potential increase in high-risk populations, particularly among mineworkers and commercial sex workers. The potential spread of HIV/AIDS as a result of labor migration may threaten the mining sector, which has been identified as a critical driver of recent economic growth and development. A gap remains in the literature regarding the contextual factors in mining communities that lead to high rates of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, the purpose of …

Psycho-Social Resilience And Risky Hiv Behaviors Among Black Males Who Have Sex With Males, Wilson Osaro Iyokho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence rate of HIV among Black males having sex with Black males (BMSM) is high compared to that of other racial groups. Researchers have established the association between inappropriate sexual practices, age, income, and environmental determinants and HIV positive status among BMSM. Guided by resilience theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between HIV risk behavior and resiliency with the goal of identifying a new intervention to mitigate the HIV infection rate in the BMSM community. The theoretical framework used for this study was the resilience theory. This theory is concern with the phenomenon of …

Apoe Ε4 Moderates Abnormal Csf-Abeta-42 Levels, While Neurocognitive Impairment Is Associated With Abnormal Csf Tau Levels In Hiv+ Individuals – A Cross-Sectional Observational Study, Lucette A. Cysique, Timothy Hewitt, Juliana Croitoru-Lamoury, Kevin Taddei, Ralph N. Martins, Constance S. Chew, Nicholas N. Davies, Patricia Price, Bruce J. Brew

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers Aβ1-42, t-tau and p-tau have a characteristic pattern in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Their roles in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains unclear.

Methods: Adults with chronic treated HIV disease were recruited (n = 43, aged 56.7 ± 7.9; 32% aged 60+; median HIV duration 20 years, >95% plasma and CSF HIV RNA <50 cp/mL, on cART for a median 24 months). All underwent standard neuropsychological testing (61% had HAND), APOE genotyping (30.9% carried APOE ε4 and 7.1% were ε4 homozygotes) and a lumbar puncture. Concentrations of Aβ1-42, t-tau and p-tau were assessed in the CSF using commercial ELISAs. Current neurocognitive status was defined using the continuous Global Deficit Score, which grades impairment in clinically relevant categories. History of HAND was recorded. Univariate correlations informed multivariate models, which were corrected for nadir CD4-T cell counts and HIV duration.

Results: Carriage of APOE ε4 predicted markedly lower levels of CSF Aβ1-42 in univariate (r = -.50; p = .001) and multivariate analyses (R2 = .25; p < .0003). Greater levels of neurocognitive impairment were associated with higher CSF levels of p-tau in univariate analyses (r = .32; p = .03) and multivariate analyses (R2 = .10; p = .03). AD risk prediction cut-offs incorporating all three CSF biomarkers suggested that 12.5% of participants had a high risk for AD. Having a CSF-AD like profile was more frequent in those with current (p = .05) and past HIV-associated dementia (p = .03).

Conclusions: Similarly to larger studies, APOE ε4 genotype was not directly associated with HAND, but moderated CSF …