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Objective: This study describes adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) and the development of SARS-COV-2 antibodies after Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccination in people with HIV (PWH)., Methods: In total, 595 adult PWH at an HIV center in Argentina from March to December 2021 were enrolled. Analysis included participants who received COVID-19 vaccination with Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm, and did not receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Clinical data, and local or systemic AEFI variables were collected using an online questionnaire after the first dose. Detection of S1-RBD IgG antibodies was performed between days 28 and 60 after the second dose in a subsample (SARS-CoV-2 IgG chemiluminescent immunoassay; Siemens). A multivariable logistic regression and spearman test were used for analyses., Results: Mean age was 46.1 years (SD = 11.8); 70.4% were men; and median CD4 + T cells count was 659 (500-852) cells/μl. AEFIs were reported in 214 (36.0%) participants. More participants reported AEFIs after Sputnik V (29.4%) and AstraZeneca (47.5%) than Sinopharm (13.9%) (χ 2  = 35.85, P  < 0.001). Higher odds of reporting an AEFIs were associated with receiving Sputnik V [aOR = 2.90; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.40-6.04; P  = 0.004] and AstraZeneca (aOR = 5.38; 95% CI = 2.63-11.01; P  < 0.001) compared with Sinopharm. Lower odds were associated with age (aOR = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.95-0.99; P  < 0.001). Overall, 76 (95.0%) individuals assessed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody reached S1-RBD IgG antibody titers at least 1 U/ml; mean titer was 51.3 (SD = 51.07) U/ml. Higher antibody titers correlated with higher CD4 + T cells count (Rho = 0.280; P  = 0.012)., Conclusion: NonmRNA vaccines showed a good safety profile and adequate SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses among PWH suggesting adequate protection to SARS-CoV-2., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Biological and psychological mechanisms may be responsible for menstrual irregularities occurring among women during the COVID-19 pandemic., Study Design: From January 2019 to September 2021, women (18- to 45-years-old and not using hormonal contraception) were recruited in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Cross-sectional, self-report surveys collected data on menstrual irregularities, COVID-19 vaccination, stress, depression, and loneliness. A EUA approved rapid test assay using whole blood measured SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests described menstrual irregularities among women recruited before versus after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and with detectable versus undetectable SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. A logistic regression examined the relationship between the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and menstrual irregularities controlling for age, stress, depression, and loneliness., Results: Among 182 women enrolled, 73 were enrolled after pandemic onset, and 36 provided vaccination data. Having detectable SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was associated with a higher percentage of menstrual irregularities among unvaccinated women (0% vs. 39%, p = .026) and among all women regardless of vaccination status (31% vs. 5%; p = .005). Adjusting for age and psychological variables, the odds of menstrual irregularities were 7.03 times (95% CI [1.39, 35.60]; p = .019) higher among women with detectable antibodies compared to women without detectable antibodies. Neither enrollment date, age, nor psychological factors were associated to menstrual irregularities., Conclusions: Biological mechanisms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection may be responsible for irregular menstruation and should be further examined to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women's health., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objectives: This study of people with HIV (PWH) and those without HIV conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in 2020 examines the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on COVID-19 burden, defined as pandemic-related disruptions., Methods: Data consisted of survey responses on PTSD among participants (N = 2434) enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and the Women's Interagency HIV (WIHS) cohorts. Unadjusted and adjusted regression models were used to examine the association of PTSD with COVID-19 burden (overall and domain-specific burdens). Quasi-Poisson regression models were used to assess associations with the COVID-19 burden score and 2 domain-specific burdens: (1) changes in resources and (2) interruptions in health care. Analyses was adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, HIV serostatus, current smoking status, number of comorbidities, education, and study regions., Results: Study participants were a median age of 58 (interquartile range, 52-65) years. In both bivariate and multivariable models, PTSD severity was associated with greater overall COVID-19 burden. PTSD severity was associated with the number of resource changes and number of interruptions in medical care. These findings were also consistent across cohorts (MACS/WIHS) and across HIV serostatus, suggesting a greater risk for COVID-19 burden with greater PTSD severity, which remained significant after controlling for covariates., Conclusions: This study builds on emerging literature demonstrating the impact of mental health on the burden and disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, providing context specific to PWH. The ongoing pandemic requires structural and social interventions to decrease disruption to resources and health resource needs among these vulnerable populations., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

We evaluated the psychometric properties of a modified version of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) among people with HIV (PWH) for COVID-19 vaccination in a cross-sectional study in the US. Self-report data from an online questionnaire were collected from a sample of N = 175 PWH. Participants were surveyed in English or Spanish regarding attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination using the adapted VHS. Participants were on average 51.55 years of age (SD = 13.90) 55% were women. The reliability of the scale was acceptable (α = 0.72). An exploratory factor analysis showed that "Lack of confidence" and "Risks" explained 45.55% and 12.31% of the variance. Related items showed expected associations with these factors, supporting construct validity. Results illustrate that the modified VHS for COVID-19 vaccination has adequate psychometric properties. We replicated the original factor structure of the VHS and demonstrated adequate internal consistency and construct validity. Validated tools are essential to guide vaccination policy and campaigns towards populations at risk., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a risk to mental health and may disproportionately affect people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined the interaction of social support and resilient coping in predicting depressive symptoms among PLWH. PLWH residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in Miami, Florida (US) were asked to complete an anonymous survey on the impact of COVID-19. Statistical analysis included ordinary least squares regression. A total of 1,554 participants were included. Mean age was 47.30 years; 63.70% were men. A test of three-way interaction of social support × resilient coping × study site indicated differences by site (b = -0.63, p = 0.04, 95%CI [-1.24, -0.02]). In Argentina, higher levels of social support and resilient coping were associated with lower depressive symptoms. Lower levels of social support and resilient coping were associated with higher depressive symptoms. The impact of COVID-19 on mental health illustrates the need for developing innovative strategies to support resilience and to enhance coping with stress and adversity among PLWH.

Background: This study evaluated COVID-19 risk and burden among people with HIV (PWH) in a US city with high rates of HIV and SARS-CoV-2 transmissions and examined the interrelationship between psychosocial factors and COVID-19 risk and burden., Setting: Participants were drawn from an existing consent to contact database of PWH. Database candidates were PWH, adults older than 18 years, people who had received HIV care at the University of Miami HIV clinics, people who spoke English or Spanish, and people who had agreed to be contacted for future research., Methods: An adapted version of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort Study COVID-19 survey was telephonically administered, requiring 15-30 minutes., Results: Psychological stress was a predictor of COVID-19 burden (financial and social burden) and COVID-19 risk (health factors associated with an increased risk of severe health outcomes due to infection with COVID-19). Having a history of traumatic events was associated with increased COVID-19 risk, and stress was associated with increased COVID-19 burden and COVID-19 risk., Conclusions: Overall, results suggest that the intersection of the HIV and COVID-19 pandemics may be most profound among those who have experienced traumatic events; and traumatic events may be associated with heightened vigilance regarding illness and infection., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Little is known about the psychological implications of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on people with HIV. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 among men and women with HIV in Miami, Florida. We hypothesized that the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic will be higher for women, and psychological factors will increase COVID-19 burden among them. People with ( n  = 231) and without HIV ( n  = 42) residing in Miami, Florida completed a survey assessing psychological outcomes such as loneliness, depression, and stress, as well as the burden of COVID-19, on their daily lives. t -Tests and chi-square analyses were used to assess sex differences in study variables. Logistic regression was used to compare the interaction effects predicting stress and loneliness by COVID-19 burden and sex. A total of 273 completed the survey; the outcomes of the study, loneliness, and stress did not differ by HIV status ( p  = .458 and p  = .922). Overall, men and women reported similar prevalence of COVID-19 burden. However, a greater proportion of women reported losing childcare than men (18% vs. 9%, p  = .029, respectively), as well as losing mental health care (15% vs. 7%, p  = .049, respectively). There was a significant interaction between COVID-19 burden and sex for loneliness and stress such that the association between COVID-19 burden and loneliness was greater for women ( p  < .001) than for men ( p  = .353) and the association between COVID-19 burden and stress was greater for women ( p  = .013) than men ( p  = .628). Both men and women with HIV are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but women may experience higher levels of stress and loneliness than men. Sex differences may require tailored interventions to more effectively mitigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health.