Socioeconomic situation associated with high viral loads despite treatment for HIV patients in Ethiopia

For those who are experiencing and have started treatment for HIV, it is common practice to monitor viral loads in the blood regularly to assess response to treatment.

A study of people living with HIV in Ethiopia shows that poverty and occupational mobility are associated with high viral loads despite treatment, indicating treatment failure.

The researchers behind the study suggest that more attention should be paid to the socio-economic situation in low-income countries to ensure that HIV treatment can achieve the best results. best to achieve.

Treatment using antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the same worldwide. For people living with HIV in low-income countries, however, it is still difficult to obtain ongoing clinical follow-up after a confirmed diagnosis, given access to laboratory and / or advanced care. often limited.

HIV in Ethiopia is a socio-economic challenge with a number of factors determining how well an individual copes with HIV treatment. Lack of adherence to daily medication and irregular virus screening for those living with HIV poses a risk to individuals and communities, such as drug-resistant viruses, to pass on to others. “

Martin Plymoth, Lead Author and Physician Study

According to the researchers, there is a lack of previous research on how socioeconomic conditions affect antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

“We found that carrying a large amount of viral in the blood during treatment was significantly associated with lower income categories and work capacity, meaning people who have to travel to several different places to work, sometimes far from home In particular, we could identify lorry drivers as belonging to this group, which shows that these types of work can be a risk factor for successful HIV treatment. to the study to determine whether there is a causal or direct correlation, however, “Plymoth added.

A total of 307 people living with HIV participated and were divided into two equal groups in a case-control study; people with high blood viral loads and orally transfused patients (unmeasured virus levels).

The participants were adults aged 15 years or older who were receiving antiretroviral treatment at Ethiopian health centers and whose viral loads were measured within three months prior to the start of the study. The researchers interviewed all participants to gain detailed information about their socioeconomic conditions, medical history, and social behavior.

The inspections were carried out in Adama and in two smaller towns located on the main road from central Ethiopia to the port of Djibouti. More individuals belong to risk groups such as truck drivers and sex workers in this area, and the incidence of HIV is higher than among the general Ethiopian population; it is also one of the main transport routes in the country.

“Most of the participants came from key urban areas, so we can’t say for sure whether people living with HIV in rural areas have the same links,” he explained. Per Björkman, Professor of clinical infectious medicine at Lund University and senior consultant at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, has led the study.

Nevertheless, the researchers believe that the results clearly show the importance of paying attention to the socio-economic situation of people in low-income countries to ensure from well-modified HIV treatment.