African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Harsh realities: Reasons for women's involvement in sex work in India 

Niranjan Saggurti1*, Shagun Sabarwal1, Ravi K. Verma2, Shiva S. Halli3 and Anrudh K. Jain4

¹Population Council, New Delhi, India.

²International Center for Research on Women, New Delhi, India.

³University of Manitoba, Canada.

⁴Population Council, USA.

Accepted 22 November, 2018

Abstract

This study documents the reasons and processes for involvement of women into sex work in India. The study is based on in-depth interviews with a cross-section of commercial sex workers in four Indian states – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It shows that most women enter sex work due to a complex set of reasons as opposed to any one single over-riding reason. While abject poverty was cited as the main cause by almost three-fourths of the women interviewed, lack of education, financial freedom, domestic violence, family responsibility, lack of support by family members and harassment and abuse in society and in the workplace, were other inter-linked factors facilitating involvement into sex work. Some women reported that they were pushed into sex work by deception or force by known or unknown persons. Many women who initiate sex work are not forced physically, but do so because of reasons over which they had little or no control. In this sense, initiation into sex work is far more complicated than a simple distinction of ‘voluntary’ and ‘involuntary’ as explained by other studies in India and around the world.

Key words: Female sex workers, India, involvement in sex work, HIV risk.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Single cohort study of the effect of low dose naltrexone on the evolution of immunological, virological and clinical state of HIV+ adults in Mali

Abdel K. TRAORE^1,2, Oumar THIERO^4,7*, Sounkalo DAO³, Fadia F. C. KOUNDE³, Ousmane FAYE¹, Mamadou CISSE⁶, Jaquelyn B. McCANDLESS⁸*, Jack M. ZIMMERMAN⁸, Karim COULIBALY¹, Ayouba DIARRA⁴, Mamadou S. KEITA¹, Souleymane DIALLO³, Ibrahima G. Traore⁴ and Ousmane KOITA^4,5

¹Centre National d’Appui à la lutte contre la Maladie (CNAM), Mali.

²Hôpital National du Point G  (HNPG), Service de Médecine Interne, Mali.

³Hôpital National du Point G (HNPG), Service de Maladies Infectieuses, Service de Pneumo-phtisiologie, Mali.

⁴Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire Appliquée (LBMA), Mali.

⁵Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (FAST), Université de Bamako, Mali.

⁶Centre de soins, d’animation et de conseil pour les PVVIH (CESAC), Mali.

⁷Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Otondo- Stomatology (FMPOS), Department of Research in Public Health (DER SP), University of Bamako, Mali.

⁸The Ojai Foundation, California, USA.

Accepted 29 August, 2018

Abstract

To implement an immuno-regulatory approach for reducing or preventing the onset of AIDS symptoms in HIV+ individuals a single prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) on HIV infected, asymptomatic, otherwise untreated Mali adults with CD4 levels between 350 and 600 cell/mm³. We measured changes in CD4 count, CD4%, BMI, hemoglobin, viral load, interferon alpha, and standard chemistry panel five times over a nine-month period. Linear regression mixed models were used with maximum likelihood as the estimation method for repeated measures on subjects. Of 55 subjects followed, 71% completed the full program without indications of clinical AIDS symptoms, side effects or enough loss of CD4 count to warrant initiation of ART medication. The decrease of CD4 count was marginally significant over the full testing period (p=.066) and became significant as the cohort aged (37.73 cells/mm³ with p=0.027 and 52.94 cells/mm³ with p=0.003, respectively, at six and nine months). In contrast, the estimated mean CD4% did not show significant decrease over the entire study (p=0.842). No other covariates were associated significantly with the results. These findings support the therapeutic potential of LDN in treating HIV+ in its early stages and suggest further studies are indicated.

Key words: HIV, LDN, CD4+, CD4+%, Immuno-regulatory, ART.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-014, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper 

Analysis of coital activity, number of sexual partners, and non-use of condoms among High School students in Namibia: Implications for the ABC approach

Kazhila C. Chinsembu¹*, Choshi D. Kasanda², Cornelia N. Shimwooshili-Shaimemanya² and Donovan Zealand²

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia, P/B 13301, Windhoek, Namibia.

²Department of Science, Mathematics and Sports Education, Faculty of Education, University of Namibia, P/B 13301, Windhoek, Namibia.

Accepted 09 December, 2018

Abstract

Understanding sexual risk behaviours is important in monitoring the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS preventive interventions such as the ABC (abstinence, be faithful, and use a condom) approach. This study analysed the sexual activity, numbers of sexual partners, and non-use of condoms among Namibian High School students. A randomised cross-sectional survey was carried out in 18 High Schools located in six educational regions (a directorate headed by a director responsible for all schools in the region). Data were collected from 829 students that completed a structured questionnaire. Analysis of data was done using parametric and non-parametric statistics. The results showed that 16.1% of students had their coital debut at 8 years of age. Students that were male, in rural areas, Kavango region and Kavango ethnic group, and in Grade 9 had significantly lower ages of coital debut. Caprivi region had highest significant proportion of students that were sexually active. Male gender, Herero ethnicity, HIV testing, invincibility to HIV infection, and boyfriend-girlfriend relationships were positively associated with increased sexual activity. Students that were male and from the Damara-Nama, Lozi, and Herero ethnic groups had significantly higher mean numbers of sexual partners. The mean number of times that students did not use condoms was significantly higher in urban areas, Caprivi region, and among students from the Herero ethnic group. Determinants of condom use were also revealed. The findings of this study highlight the need for disaggregated data in order to target specific A, B, and C messages to appropriate sub-groups of Namibian High School students who are at a higher risk of HIV/AIDS infection.

Key words: Coitus, sexual partners, condoms, High School students, Namibia, ABC approach.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Case Report

Safe use of Sunitinib in metastatic non-clear cell renal cell cancer in the setting of human immunodeficiency virus

Govender P. S.* and Abdel Goad E. H.

P. O. Box 3019, Sunningdale, Durban, 4019 South Africa.

Accepted 04 July, 2018

Abstract

The introduction of targeted therapies has offered the promise of better survival outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Sunitinib malate, an oral, multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is an important treatment option for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This case study explores the controversial use of sunitinib in a patient with a non-clear cell variant of renal cell carcinoma, also on treatment with combined antiretroviral treatment for a co-existing human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Key words: Sunitinib, non-clear cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma, human immunodeficiency virus and antiretroviral treatment.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of depression and anxiety on HIV/AIDS in-patient

Cláudio Garcia Capitão*, Itor Finotelli Jr. and Cristiane Santos de Macena

Rua Alexandre Rodrigues Barbosa, 45 Itatiba – SP, 13253-231, Brazil.

Accepted 05 September, 2018

Abstract

Since its discovery, the expansion of HIV/AIDS epidemic has been considered an issue of great concern. Even along the advances in treatment and the increase in life expectancy of patients, there are still several implications involved in the infection and its evolutionary process which need deeper studies. One of these implications is the combination between the impact of the disease and the mental disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the levels of depression and anxiety of HIV/AIDS in-patient and also searching a combination of these levels with the degrees of T-CD4 lymphocyte. The sample included 46 HIV/AIDS in-patient admitted to the Hospital of Infectious Diseases (Hospital de Infectologia) in São Paulo. The results have indicated the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms, mainly on women, and the non-combination between the T-CD4 classification and the level of symptomatology, besides the combination between these symptomatologies. For future studies it is suggested to build simplified tracking tools, specifically designed for this population.

Key words: HIV, AIDS, depression, anxiety, T-lymphocyte.