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Paula Braitstein

Publications and source records attributed to Paula Braitstein.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Mortality of HIV-1-infected patients in the first year of antiretroviral therapy: comparison between low-income and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is being scaled up in developing countries. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes during the first year of HAART between HIV-1-infected patients in low-income and high-income settings. METHODS: 18 HAART programmes in Africa, Asia, and South America (low-income settings) and 12 HIV cohort studies from Europe and North America (high-income settings) provided data for 4810 and 22,217, respectively, treatment-naïve adult patients starting HAART. All patients from high-income settings and 2725 (57%) patients from low-income settings were actively followed-up and included in survival analyses. FINDINGS: Compared with high-income countries, patients starting HAART in low-income settings had lower CD4 cell counts (median 108 cells per muL vs 234 cells per muL), were more likely to be female (51%vs 25%), and more likely to start treatment with a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) (70%vs 23%). At 6 months, the median number of CD4 cells gained (106 cells per muL vs 103 cells per muL) and the percentage of patients reaching HIV-1 RNA levels lower than 500 copies/mL (76%vs 77%) were similar. Mortality was higher in low-income settings (124 deaths during 2236 person-years of follow-up) than in high-income settings (414 deaths during 20,532 person-years). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of mortality comparing low-income with high-income settings fell from 4.3 (95% CI 1.6-11.8) during the first month to 1.5 (0.7-3.0) during months 7-12. The provision of treatment free of charge in low-income settings was associated with lower mortality (adjusted HR 0.23; 95% CI 0.08-0.61). INTERPRETATION: Patients starting HAART in resource-poor settings have increased mortality rates in the first months on therapy, compared with those in developed countries. Timely diagnosis and assessment of treatment eligibility, coupled with free provision of HAART, might reduce this excess mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Hepatitis C coinfection is independently associated with decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy in a population-based HIV cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the impact of hepatitis C (HCV) serostatus on adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) among HIV-infected adults initiating ART. METHODS: The British Columbia HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program distributes, at no cost, all ART in this Canadian province. Eligible individuals used triple combination ART as their first HIV therapy and had documented HCV serology. Statistical analyses used parametric and non-parametric methods, including multivariate logistic regression. The primary outcome was > or = 95% adherence, defined as receiving > or = 95% of prescription refills during the first year of antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS: There were 1186 patients eligible for analysis, including 606 (51%) positive for HCV antibody and 580 (49%) who were negative. In adjusted analyses, adherence was independently associated with HCV seropositivity [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.23-0.97; P = 0.003], higher plasma albumin levels (AOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.12; P = 0.002) and male gender (AOR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.04-6.15; P = 0.017), but not with injection drug use (IDU), age or other markers of liver injury. There was no evidence of an interaction between HCV and liver injury in adjusted analyses; comparing different strata of HCV and IDU confirmed that HCV was associated with poor adherence independent of IDU. CONCLUSIONS: HCV-coinfected individuals and those with lower albumin are less likely to be adherent to their ART.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Sexual violence among two populations of men at high risk of HIV infection.

This study sought to compare the prevalence of, and relationship between, age at first experience of sexual violence and HIV and other health risk behaviors in two populations of men at high risk of HIV infection. Data were drawn from two cohorts: Vanguard, a prospective study of young men who have sex with men (MSM), and VIDUS, the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study. Controlling for fixed sociodemographics, multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between age at first sexual violence (vs. never experiencing it) and several health risk behaviors. There were 140/498 (28%) MSM from Vanguard and 173/932 (19%) injection drug users (IDU) from VIDUS who reported having experienced sexual violence. Among VIDUS men, 130/852 (15%) IDU-only and 43/80 (54%) who were both IDU and MSM reported a history of sexual violence. The prevalence of child sexual abuse was 13% in Vanguard MSM, and 11% among VIDUS IDU-only, but 26% among VIDUS MSM/IDU. The median age of onset was significantly lower among VIDUS IDU-only compared to the two other groups. Experiencing sexual violence first in childhood was strongly related to ever being in the sex trade in both IDU and MSM. MSM in Vanguard who experienced sexual violence in childhood were more likely to have attempted suicide, and have a diagnosed mood disorder. Non-MSM IDU in VIDUS who experienced sexual violence in childhood were more likely to have a diagnosed mental illness, to binge on alcohol, and to have ever accidentally overdosed. In conclusion, men who have ever had sex with men appear to have a higher lifetime prevalence of sexual violence, compared to non-MSM injection drug users. Sexual violence is differentially associated with different health risk behaviors, depending on the age at first occurrence and the primary HIV risk factor (i.e. MSM vs. IDU).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Risks of non-accidental mortality by baseline CD4+ T-cell strata in hepatitis-C-positive and -negative individuals initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV experience higher mortality rates than patients infected with HIV alone. We designed a study to determine whether risks for later mortality are similar for HCV-positive and HCV-negative individuals when subjects are stratified on the basis of baseline CD4+ T-cell counts. METHODS: Antiretroviral-naive individuals, who initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between 1996 and 2002 were included in the study. HCV-positive and HCV-negative individuals were stratified separately by baseline CD4+ T-cell counts of 50 cell/microl increments. Cox-proportional hazards regression was used to model the effect of these strata with other variables on survival. RESULTS: CD4+ T-cell strata below 200 cells/microl, but not above, imparted an increased relative hazard (RH) of mortality for both HCV-positive and HCV-negative individuals. Among HCV-positive individuals, after adjustment for baseline age, HIV RNA levels, history of injection drug use and adherence to therapy, only CD4+ T-cell strata of <50 cells/microl (RH=4.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.72-7.76) and 50-199 cells/microl (RH=2.49; 95% CI 1.63-3.81) were significantly associated with increased mortality when compared with those initiating therapy at cell counts >500 cells/microl. The same baseline CD4+ T-cell strata were found for HCV-negative individuals. CONCLUSION: In a within-groups analysis, the baseline CD4+ T-cell strata that are associated with increased RHs for mortality are the same for HCV-positive and HCV-negative individuals initiating HAART. However, a between-groups analysis reveals a higher absolute mortality risk for HCV-positive individuals.

Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active↗
PubMed2005

Immunologic response to antiretroviral therapy in hepatitis C virus-coinfected adults in a population-based HIV/AIDS treatment program.

BACKGROUND: We sought to characterize the impact that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has on CD4 cells during the first 48 weeks of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in previously ART-naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. METHODS: The HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Programme at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS distributes all ART in this Canadian province. Eligible individuals were those whose first-ever ART included 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and either a protease inhibitor or a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and who had a documented positive result for HCV antibody testing. Outcomes were binary events (time to an increase of > or = 75 CD4 cells/mm3 or an increase of > or = 10% in the percentage of CD4 cells in the total T cell population [CD4 cell fraction]) and continuous repeated measures. Statistical analyses used parametric and nonparametric methods, including multivariate mixed-effects linear regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS: Of 1186 eligible patients, 606 (51%) were positive and 580 (49%) were negative for HCV antibodies. HCV antibody-positive patients were slower to have an absolute (P<.001) and a fraction (P = .02) CD4 cell event. In adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis (controlling for age, sex, baseline absolute CD4 cell count, baseline pVL, type of ART initiated, AIDS diagnosis at baseline, adherence to ART regimen, and number of CD4 cell measurements), HCV antibody-positive patients were less likely to have an absolute CD4 cell event (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.84 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.98]) and somewhat less likely to have a CD4 cell fraction event (AHR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.70-1.14]) than HCV antibody-negative patients. In multivariate mixed-effects linear regression analysis, HCV antibody-negative patients had increases of an average of 75 cells in the absolute CD4 cell count and 4.4% in the CD4 cell fraction, compared with 20 cells and 1.1% in HCV antibody-positive patients, during the first 48 weeks of ART, after adjustment for time-updated pVL, number of CD4 cell measurements, and other factors. CONCLUSION: HCV antibody-positive HIV-infected patients may have an altered immunologic response to ART.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2005

Discordant immunologic and virologic responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy are associated with increased mortality and poor adherence to therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent association of discordant virologic and immunologic responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with mortality. METHODS: A population-based study of 1527 treatment-naive individuals initiating HAART used Cox proportional hazards modeling to determine the independent association of treatment response at 3 to 9 months with nonaccidental mortality. Logistic regression was used to examine associations with discordant responses. RESULTS: Viral load (VL)/CD4 discordant responses were seen in 235 (15.4%) of subjects, and VL/CD4 responses were seen in 179 (11.7%) of subjects. In adjusted Cox regression models, discordant responses were found to be independently associated with an increased risk of mortality (VL/CD4: relative hazard [RH] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15 to 3.04; VL/CD4: RH = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.54 to 3.95). VL/CD4 discordance was found to be associated with increasing age, baseline HIV RNA load <100,000 copies/mL, baseline CD4 counts <50 cells/muL, the use of lamivudine (3TC)/zidovudine (ZDV), and poor adherence to therapy. VL/CD4 discordance was associated with younger age; injection drug use; baseline HIV RNA load >100,000 copies/mL; the use of 3TC/ZDV, didanosine (ddI)/3TC, or ddI/stavudine; and poor adherence to therapy. CONCLUSION: Discordant responses are independently associated with an increased risk of mortality and are, in turn, associated with poor adherence to therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Effect of serostatus for hepatitis C virus on mortality among antiretrovirally naive HIV-positive patients.

BACKGROUND: We examined the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity on risk of death among people receiving their first antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV infection. METHODS: In British Columbia, the HIV/ AIDS Drug Treatment Program is the only source of free ART. Patients who initiated a triple-drug ART regimen between July 31, 1996, and July 31, 2000, were included if they were ART-naive and had baseline HCV serological data. Outcomes of interest for survival analysis were deaths from natural and HIV-related causes, with a data cutoff of June 30, 2003. RESULTS: Of 1186 eligible subjects, 606 (51%) were HCV positive and 580, negative. Fewer HCV-positive people were male (78% v. 93%, p < 0.001) and had an AIDS diagnosis at baseline (11% v. 15%, p = 0.028). Their CD4 fraction was significantly higher at baseline (19% v. 16% of T lymphocytes, p < 0.001) but their absolute CD4 counts, log HIV viral load and the type of ART initiated were similar to those of HCV negative people. Of 163 deaths (from natural causes only) during the study period, 118 (19%) were in HCV positive and 45 (8%) in HCV negative patients (p < 0.001); of the 114 deaths attributed to HIV infection, these proportions were 79 (13%) versus 35 (6%; p < 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, HCV seropositivity remained predictive of death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50- 3.21, p < 0.001), especially HIV-related death (adjusted HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.13- 2.72, p = 0.012). INTERPRETATION: In this population-based HIV treatment program, we found HCV seropositivity to be an independent predictor of mortality, especially death related to HIV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Food insecurity and hunger are prevalent among HIV-positive individuals in British Columbia, Canada.

Hunger and food insecurity are important factors that may affect an individual's nutritional state and should therefore be assessed in nutrition surveillance activities. The objective of this study was to determine the level of food insecurity and hunger among HIV-positive persons accessing antiretroviral therapy in British Columbia. A cross-sectional study was performed in the BC HIV/AIDS drug treatment program, a province-wide source of free-of-charge antiretroviral medications. In 1998-1999, participants completed a questionnaire focusing on personal information, health, and clinical status. Food and hunger issues were evaluated with the Radimer/Cornell questionnaire. Overall, 1213 responding men and women were classified as food secure (52%), food insecure without hunger (27%), or food insecure with hunger (21%). In both categories of food insecurity, individuals were significantly more likely to be women, aboriginals, living with children, and to have less education, a history of recreational injection drug and/or alcohol abuse, and an unstable housing situation (P < 0.05). In logistic multivariate modeling, income < or = Can$10,000 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 3.78, 95% CI (2.53-5.65)], shared household with children [AOR 3.68, 95% CI (1.98-6.84)] and unemployment [AOR 3.15, 95% CI (1.94-5.13)] were the strongest predictors of hunger. In HIV-positive individuals, the occurrence of food insecurity was nearly 5 times higher than in the general Canadian population. The results should stimulate further research to identify to what extent hunger-associated factors are reversible with interventions built on nutritional and/or social strategies.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Special considerations in the initiation and management of antiretroviral therapy in individuals coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Although hepatitis C (HCV) treatment efficacy has improved in recent years, the majority of HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals may not enjoy the full benefits of these treatments and appropriate HIV management is crucial. Evidence is accumulating regarding the impact of HIV/HCV coinfection on the response to, and safety and tolerability of, antiretroviral therapy (ART) in this population. METHODS: Computerized, English-language literature searches of MEDLINE and PubMed databases (January 1985 to May 2004) for studies of HIV and HCV infection in humans to examine critically (a) the impact of HCV on the HIV virologic and immunologic response to ART; (b) the safety and tolerability of ART in coinfected individuals; and (c) the relationship between immune suppression and immune restoration on hepatic injury. RESULTS: Three key messages emerged regarding the use of ART in HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals: (a) although HCV appeared to have no impact on HIV virologic response, the data are equivocal regarding immunologic response; (b) morbidities associated with HCV infection, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and liver inflammation, are also associated toxicities of ART, and (c) both immune suppression and restoration can contribute to the onset and acceleration of HCV-related liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: The CD4 cell count threshold for initiating ART in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients may be higher because of the impact of immune suppression and restoration on the onset of HCV-associated liver disease and the possibility of a blunted immune response to ART at lower CD4 cell counts. Further, overlapping morbidity between HCV-related mitochondrial and metabolic disease manifestations and ART toxicities warrant careful attention by clinicians.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2004

Impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions: prevalence and associations among persons living with HIV/AIDS in British Columbia.

BACKGROUND: To measure the prevalence of and associations among impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions in persons living with HIV in British Columbia to inform support and care programs, policy and research. METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based sample of persons living with HIV in British Columbia was obtained through an anonymous survey sent to members of the British Columbia Persons With AIDS Society. The survey addressed the experience of physical and mental impairments, and the experience and level of activity limitations and participation restrictions. Associations were measured in three ways: 1) impact of types of impairment on social restriction; 2) impact of specific limitations on social restriction; and 3) independent association of overall impairments and limitations on restriction levels. Logistic regression was used to measure associations with social restriction, while ordinal logistic regression was used to measure associations with a three-category measure of restriction level. RESULTS: The survey was returned by 762 (50.5%) of the BCPWA participants. Over ninety percent of the population experienced one or more impairments, with one-third reporting over ten. Prevalence of activity limitations and participation restrictions was 80.4% and 93.2%, respectively. The presence of social restrictions was most closely associated with mental function impairments (OR: 7.0 for impairment vs. no impairment; 95% CI: 4.7 - 10.4). All limitations were associated with social restriction. Among those with 5 vs. no limitation, 95%CI: 4.9-125.0). Among those with > 200 CD4 cells/mm3, the odds of higher restriction were increased with higher limitation (OR: 2.7 for limitation score of 1-5 vs. no limitation, 95%CI: 1.4-5.1; OR: 8.6 for limitation score > 5 vs. no limitation, 95%CI: 3.9-18.8), as well as by additional number of impairments (OR:1.2 for every additional impairment; 95% CI:1.1-1.3). CONCLUSIONS: This population-based sample of people living with HIV has been experiencing extremely high rates of impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. Furthermore, the complex inter-relationships identified amongst the levels reveal lessons for programming, policy and research in terms of the factors that contribute most to a higher quality of life.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2004

The future face of coinfection: prevalence and incidence of HIV and hepatitis C virus coinfection among young injection drug users.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and incidence of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection among young (aged 29 years or younger) injection drug users (IDUs) and to compare sociodemographic and risk characteristics between (HIV/HCV) coinfected, monoinfected, or HIV- and HCV-negative youth. Data were collected through the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study (VIDUS). To date, more than 1400 IDUs have been enrolled and followed, of whom 479 were aged 29 years or younger. Semiannually, participants have completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire and have undergone serologic testing for HIV and HCV. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to investigate predictors of baseline coinfection. Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates were used to identify predictors of time to secondary infection seroconversion. A Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to determine risk associations across 3 categories: no infection, monoinfection, and coinfection. Of the 479 young injectors, 78 (16%) were coinfected with HIV and HCV at baseline and a further 45 (15%) with follow-up data became coinfected during the study period. Baseline coinfection was independently associated with being female, being aboriginal, older age, greater number of years injecting, and living in the IDU epicenter. Factors independently associated with time to secondary infection seroconversion were borrowing needles and greater than once-daily cocaine injection, and accessing methadone maintenance therapy in the previous 6 months was protective. There were clear trends across the 3 categories for increasing proportions of female subjects, aboriginal subjects, older age, greater number of years injecting, living in the IDU epicenter, and daily cocaine use. There were a shocking number of youth living with coinfection, particularly female and aboriginal youth. The median number of years injecting for youth seroconverting to a secondary infection was 3 years, suggesting that appropriate public health interventions should be implemented immediately.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Interventional cardiovascular procedures among HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy 1995-2000.

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the rate of interventional cardiac procedures (ICP) among HIV-infected individuals ever treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to describe clinical and sociodemographic characteristics associated with ICP. METHODS: Since 1992, ART in British Columbia (BC) has been centrally distributed by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. The BC Cardiac Registry maintains information regarding all cardiac procedures performed in BC. The two databases were linked to determine the number of HIV-positive individuals on ART who underwent ICP. Age-adjusted analyses were conducted using direct standardization, and linear regression to test for trend over time. Logistic regression was used to identify patient and treatment characteristics independently associated with having an interventional cardiac procedure. RESULTS: Of the 5082 individuals who have ever received ART, 63 (< 1%) were captured in the Cardiac Registry. There were 97 events: 70 (72%) since 1999. The age-adjusted event rate per 1000 HIV-positive individuals on ART increased significantly over time (P = 0.015) whereas that for the general BC population did not increase over time (P = 0.191). In multivariate analysis, age at baseline per 10 year increase [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-3.2), and months on ART (AOR 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4) remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of ICP among HIV-positive individuals on ART appears to be increasing; in addition, the duration of time on ART is independently associated with ICP after adjustment for patient demographic characteristics.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Sexual violence among a cohort of injection drug users.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, sexual violence in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, among injection drug using men and women. The Vancouver Injection Drug User Study is a prospective cohort of injection drug users (IDU) begun in 1996. The analysis included all individuals who completed the baseline questionnaire who responded to a question about sexual assault. Multivariate modeling was used to determine and to what extent a history of sexual violence at different ages is predictive of HIV risk and other health risk behaviors. HIV prevalence was calculated as the total current number of HIV-positive individuals in the cohort. Of the 1437 eligible individuals, 36% reported a lifetime history of sexual violence; 68% of women, and 19% of men (p<0.001). After adjusting for fixed sociodemographics, these individuals were more likely to have ever been in the sex trade, to knowingly share needles/rigs with HIV-positive people, to have attempted suicide, to have ever accidentally overdosed, to binge on alcohol, and to have been diagnosed with a mental disorder/disability. The prevalence of child sexual abuse in this cohort is 21%; 33% for women, and 13% for men. The data show a dose-response relationship between age at first sexual violence and most risk behaviors examined. These relationships are further mediated by gender. The prevalence of HIV among individuals who ever experienced sexual violence was 25%, compared to 19% among those who never experienced sexual violence (p=0.006). Sexual violence, and especially child sexual abuse, is highly prevalent among this cohort, particularly among women. Child sexual abuse has worse consequences for both genders than sexual violence later in life. Nevertheless, women and men are affected differently by sexual violence at different ages, and this has significant implications for health promotion programs, and specifically HIV prevention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Age, adherence and injection drug use predict virological suppression among men and women enrolled in a population-based antiretroviral drug treatment programme.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize 1-year virological response to antiretroviral therapy and its determinants by sex. METHODS: This is a population-based analysis of antiretroviral therapy naive HIV-positive adult men and women. Factors associated with sex and with plasma HIV RNA viral load suppression to below 500 copies/ml were examined using non-parametric tests and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 739 subjects (92 women and 647 men) were eligible. Female participants were younger (34 vs 37 years; P < 0.001), less likely to have AIDS (6.5 vs 14.4%; P = 0.039), more frequently injection drug users (44.6 vs 25.2%; P = 0.001) and were less likely to be adherent to therapy (34.8 vs 62.9%; P < 0.001) than male participants. There was no difference in baseline median CD4 count (P = 0.424) or HIV RNA levels (P = 0.140), physician experience (P = 0.057), or with respect to antiretroviral regimens containing protease inhibitors or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (P = 0.911). With treatment, 46.7% (43/92) of women and 64.8% (419/647) of men (P = 0.001) suppressed HIV RNA viral load to below 500 copies/ml at 1 year. In a multivariate analysis, the association of sex with HIV RNA response to antiretroviral therapy fell from statistical significance (odds ratio 1.18; 95% CI: 0.72-1.95) after adjusting for adherence, injection drug use and age. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that in this population-based setting, sex differences in 1-year virological response to antiretroviral therapy are explained by age, adherence and injection drug use.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Prescribing practices in a population-based HIV postexposure prophylaxis program.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize factors associated with being prescribed triple or double postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) against HIV in a population-based program. METHODS: Individuals potentially exposed to HIV received a 5 day starter kit of either double or triple antiretroviral PEP between April 1999 and November 2000 and did/did not receive the remaining 23 days PEP. Data were collected through dispensation of kits. Logistic regression identified characteristics independently associated with being prescribed triple therapy starter kits and with any 23 day follow-up. RESULTS: Of 2064 people receiving 5 day PEP [403 (20%) triple and 1661 (80%) double], 590 (29%) received 23 day follow-up. Independently associated with being prescribed triple therapy starter kits were being male [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-1.74; P = 0.006), occupational mucocutaneous injuries (AOR 1.70; 95% CI, 1.14-2.55; P = 0.010), and community needlesticks (AOR 2.04; 95% CI, 1.54-2.69; P < 0.001). Independently associated with being prescribed the 23 day follow-up were being male (AOR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.00-1.53; P = 0.04), community mucocutaneous incidents (AOR 2.83; 95% CI, 1.41-5.70; P = 0.004), community needlesticks (AOR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.33-2.29; P < 0.001), and having received triple therapy as the starter kit (AOR 2.61; 95% CI, 2.07-3.29; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Being prescribed triple therapy starter PEP was associated with being male and with experiencing an occupational mucocutaneous or community needlestick injury. Receiving the remaining 23 days PEP was associated with being male, experiencing a community mucocutaneous or needlestick injury, and triple therapy as the initial 5 day starter PEP.

Accidents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of activity limitation among persons living with HIV/AIDS in British Columbia.

BACKGROUND: As antiretrovirals increase the life expectancy of persons living with HIV, quality of life issues become more important. Little research has examined the types and levels of activity limitations among HIV-positive populations. The objective of this report is to compare the levels of limitations among HIV-positive persons to the general population. METHODS: The BC Persons With AIDS (BCPWA) Society consists of approximately 3,500 HIV-positive members. A recent survey conducted among BCPWA members included a section assessing activity limitations. Prevalence of limitations in this group was compared to the general population of BC using the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) to calculate standardized prevalence ratios (SPR). RESULTS: Compared to the general BC population, BCPWA members were more likely to be male, aged over 30 years, not to have graduated from high school, unemployed, living alone and having a household income less than $10,000 per year. The SPR for activity limitations among male participants applying the rates of limitation among the general population of BC was 9.4 (8.4-10.6). The SPR for women was 9.9 (7.2-11.1). Using an NPHS rate restricted to individuals who reported a chronic condition, the SPR for males was 6.0 (5.9-6.5) and for females was 7.0 (5.8-8.2). INTERPRETATION: Limitations on activity are prevalent, even when comparing those with high CD4 counts and restricting the standard to those with chronic conditions. These findings suggest that implementation of programs offering support with everyday tasks would be of value in this population.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗