Browsing by Author "Mugisha, Kenneth"

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    Hematologic, Immunologic and Outcome Characteristics of Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-COV-2) among People Living with HIV in Eastern Uganda: A Retrospective Study
    (medRxiv, 2025-02-23) Otaala, Timothy; Opito, Ronald; Mugisha, Kenneth; Bakashaba, Baker; Watmon, Benedicto; Etolu, Wilson; Lubaale, Moses Yovani; Olupot-Olupot, Peter
    Globally People Living with HIV (PLWHIV) are prone to severe opportunistic infections with Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) inclusive. Dual infection of HIV and COVID-19 could complicate the clinical outcomes of these patients. This study sought to determine hematologic, immunologic, virologic and outcome characteristics of people with HIV and COVID-19 co-infections in two Mbale and Soroti Regional Referral Hospitals in Eastern Uganda. A retrospective review of medical records of PLHIV and contracted COVID-19 virus was conducted in two large regional referral hospitals in Eastern Uganda using a data abstraction tool. Data was captured using Kobo collect toolbox, downloaded in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA version 15.0. Descriptive statistics was reported as frequencies and proportions, while contingency and comparisons were done at the bivariate level analysis. The penalized logistic regression was conducted at multivariate level to establish the factors associated with COVID-19 severity among PLHIV. A total of 100 patient records had 38%(n=38) of individuals aged 40-50 years and 62%(n=62) females. Most patients (6 in 10) were peasants with 79%(n=79) having low-income levels. Other than HIV, 3 out of 10 patients had comorbidities. Also, 30 had haematological records, of which 9 (30%) had leucocytosis and 3, leucopoenia. Further, 67% had immunologic records, of which 22 (33%) had CD4 counts <200 cells/mm3. Only 22% of patients had viral load results, of which 8 (36) were unsuppressed. Nineteen percent (19/100) patients had severe COVID-19 and 14% (14/100) died. Socio-demographic factors significantly associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes were being male (P=0.026) and having other comorbidities (P<0.001). A significant proportion of PLHIV co-infected with COVID-19 had abnormal hematological and virological status possibly due to varying socio-demographic characteristics. Clinical outcomes of HIV and COVID-19 co-infection may therefore vary depending on an interplay between host factors, viral factors, and comorbidities.
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    Swallowing these drugs every day, you get tired”: a mixed-methods study to identify Barriers and facilitators to retention and HIV Viral Load suppression among the Adolescents living with HIV in TASO Mbale and TASO Soroti centers of excellence
    (Research Square, 2023) Oryokot, Bonniface; Kazibwe, Andrew; Oluka, Abraham Ignatius; Kagimu, David; Bakashaba, Baker; Ssentongo, Saadick; Mafabi, Twaha; Odoi, Charles; Kawuba, Abubaker; Miya, Yunus; Etukoit, Bernard Michael; Mugisha, Kenneth; Mugisha, Kenneth; Mugisha, Kenneth; Namusoke-Magongo, Eleanor
    Background Adolescents aged 10–19, living with HIV (ALHIV) lag behind in attaining optimal viral load suppression (VLS) rates and retention in care, an important impediment to reaching epidemic control. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to both VLS and retention among in the sub-population who seek care from TASO Mbale and TASO Soroti centers of excellence, to facilitate adaptation of the operation triple zero in the setting. Methods We used a mixed methods approach, extracting secondary data on ALHIV who were active in care during April-June 2022 quarter to determine one year retention in care. Analysis was done in STATA Corp, 15.0. We used logistic regression to determine associated factors and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) to report level of predictability, using 95% confidence interval (CI) and P<0.05 for statistical significance. For qualitative component, purposive sampling of 59 respondents was done. Focused group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Thematic content analysis was done using Atlas ti. Results There were 533 ALHIV, with 12-month retention rate of 95.9% and VLS rate of 74.9%. Predictors for good VLS included good adherence [aOR:95%CI 0.066(0.0115, 0.38) P=0.02], being on first line treatment [aOR:95%CI 0.242 (0.0873,0.6724) P=0.006]. For retention, they include being a school going [aOR:95%CI 0.148(0.024,0.9218) P=0.041], multi month dispensing aOR:95%CI 32.6287(5.1446,206.9404) P<0.001, OVC enrolment aOR:95%CI 0.2625(0.083, 0.83) P=0.023]. Meanwhile key barriers included: individual ones such as internal stigma, lack of transport and treatment/drug fatigue; facility-level such as prolonged waiting time and lack of social activities; community level include stigma and discrimination, inadequate social support and food shortage. In terms of facilitators, individual level ones include good adherence and knowledge of one’s HIV status; facility-level such as provision of adolescent friendly services and community-level such as social support and decent nutrition. Conclusions VLS rate was sub-optimal mainly due to poor adherence. HIV programs could utilize the barriers and facilitators identified to improve VLS. Conversely, retention rate at one year was good, likely due to provision of adolescent friendly health services. ALHIV and their caregivers need to be empowered to sustain retention and improve VLS.