Evaluating elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Suriname: a mixed method study
Objectives. To evaluate the cascade of care for the elimination of mother-to-child-transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Suriname and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors preventing transmission to exposed infants. Methods. A mixed-methods study design was used. Antenatal c...
| Published in: | Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English Spanish Portuguese |
| Published: |
Pan American Health Organization
2023
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.159 https://doaj.org/article/5112bef0f1024ff8a1a29b63720ab915 |
| Summary: | Objectives. To evaluate the cascade of care for the elimination of mother-to-child-transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Suriname and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors preventing transmission to exposed infants. Methods. A mixed-methods study design was used. Antenatal care data from the 2018 cross-sectional multiindicator cluster survey on 1 026 women aged 15–49 years who had had a live birth in the previous 2 years were used. Furthermore, national data on a cohort of 279 mothers with HIV and their 317 infants born from 2016 to 2018 were evaluated. Additionally, 13 cases of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV were reviewed. Results. In 89.3% of cases, no mother-to-child HIV transmission occurred. Early cascade steps show that 28.4% of women had unmet family planning needs, 15% had no antenatal visits, 8% delivered outside a health facility, and 71.5% received an HIV test during antenatal care. Of the pregnant women with HIV, 84.2% received antiretroviral therapy, while 95.5% of their infants received HIV prophylactic treatment. Receiving antiretroviral therapy for the mother (odds ratio (OR) 45.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.6–215.3) and the child (OR 145.7, 95% CI 14.4–1477.4) significantly increased the odds of a negative HIV test result in infants. Conversely, living in the interior decreased the odds (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.4–0.7) compared with urban living. Conclusions. HIV medication for mothers with HIV and their infants remains key in the prevention of motherto-child-transmission of HIV. Early prenatal care with follow-up should be strengthened in Suriname. |
|---|