HIV Care Experiences During the COVID‑19 Pandemic: Mixed‑Methods Telephone Interviews with Clinic‑Enrolled HIV‑Infected Adults in Uganda
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AIDS and Behavior
Abstract
COVID-19 measures that restrict movement may negatively impact access to HIV care and treatment. To contribute to the
currently limited evidence, we used telephone interviews with quantitative and qualitative questions to examine how clients
perceived COVID-19 and its effect on their HIV care and ART adherence. One hundred (n = 100) Ugandan adults on ART
from an existing study were randomly selected and enrolled. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using
descriptive statistics and rapid content analyses. 76% of clients indicated that COVID-19 negatively impacted travel to HIV
clinics; 54% perceived that coming to the clinic increased their risk of acquiring COVID-19; and 14% said that COVID-19
had negatively impacted their ART adherence. Qualitative feedback suggests that fear of COVID-19 infection discouraged
clinic attendance while stay-at-home orders helped routinize ART adherence and employ new community-based approaches
for HIV care. Addressing negative unintended consequences of COVID-19 lockdowns on HIV care is urgently needed.
Description
Keywords
Adherence, Uganda, Antiretroviral treatment, ART, COVID-19, Pandemic, Mixed methods, Mobile phone, Survey
Citation
Linnemayr, S., Jennings Mayo-Wilson, L., Saya, U., Wagner, Z., MacCarthy, S., Walukaga, S., ... & Karamagi, Y. (2021). HIV care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: mixed-methods telephone interviews with clinic-enrolled HIV-infected adults in Uganda. AIDS and Behavior, 25(1), 28-39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03032-8