Higher risk of unsafe sex and impaired quality of life among patients not receiving antiretroviral therapy in Cameroon: results from the EVAL survey (ANRS 12-116)
Marcellin, F.; Bonono, C.éc.-R.ée.; Blanche, J.ér.ôm.; Carrieri, M.P.; Spire, B.; Koulla-Shiro, S.; Koulla-Shiro, S.; Ongolo-Zogo, P.; Blanche, J.; Bouhnik, A.-D.; Boyer, S.; Carrieri, M.-P.; Dia, A.; Eboko, F.; Loubière, S.; Marcellin, F.; Moatti, J.-P.; Obadia, Y.; Protopopescu, C.; Spire, B.; Abega, S.-C.; Abé, C.; Bilé, P.C.; Bios, C.; Bonono, R.-C.; Mehe, Y.; Mengue, M.T.; Mimcheu, H.; Mounsade, F.; Ngaba, L.M.; Ngo Mbog, J.; Ngo Yebga, S.; Nkwidjan, H.; Nantchouang, R.
Aids 24(Suppl 1): S17-S25
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1473-5571 PMID: 20023436 DOI: 10.1097/01.aids.0000366079.83568.a2Document Number: 566334
Cameroon has initiated a national programme of HIV care decentralization providing access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for patients with CD4 cell counts less than 200 cells/microl or AIDS stage. Current clinical research suggests these criteria may be too stringent. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of not receiving ART on patients' psychosocial outcomes. The national cross-sectional survey EVAL (ANRS 12-116) collected psychosocial and clinical data for 3151 patients attending HIV services (September 2006 to March 2007). Propensity score matching was used to control for demographic/clinical-immunological differences between patients receiving ART and those who did not. Generalized linear models were used to assess the impact, for different CD4 cell levels, of "not receiving" ART on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) inconsistent condom use with a sexual partner either serodiscordant or of unknown HIV status, self-reported symptoms and disclosure of HIV status to relatives or friends. Seventy-eight per cent of patients included in the survey were receiving ART. Non-treated patient breakdown was as follows: 8% (CD4<200 or AIDS stage), 5% (200