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Purpose The absence of routine health check-ups during adolescence in low- and middle-income countries is a missed opportunity for prevention, early identification, and treatment of health issues, and health promotion. We aimed to codesign the content and delivery for routine adolescent health checkups in Zimbabwe, with adolescents and key adults in their lives. Methods We held participatory workshops with adolescents (16 workshops; 96 adolescents) and parents (8 workshops; 95 parents), and in-depth interviews with key informants including policymakers, programmers, and healthcare workers (n = 25). Analysis was iterative and the design of the checkups was refined based on participant preferences, document review of burden of disease data, and feasibility considerations. Results Participants overwhelmingly supported the introduction of routine health checkups. Reported facilitators to attendance included free cost and desire to know one’s health status. Barriers included tendencies for health service seeking only when ill, fear of diagnosis and judgment, and religious beliefs. Delivery preferences were by nonjudgmental medical professionals, in a youth friendly environment, and accompanied by youth engagement activities. Preferred location was schools for younger adolescents (10–14 years), and community settings for older adolescents (15–19 years). Prioritized content included sexual health, oral health, mental health, hearing, eyesight, growth and nutrition, anemia, immunization, and deworming, based on health burden and participant preferences. Discussion This study resulted in an outline design of two routine health checkups with stakeholders in Zimbabwe, in schools for young adolescents, and in community settings for older adolescents. Evidence of feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of such checkups is required.

Background Psychosocial interventions for adolescent mental health problems are effective, but evidence on their longer-term outcomes is scarce, especially in low-resource settings. We report on the 12-month sustained effectiveness and costs of scaling up a lay counselor–delivered, transdiagnostic problem-solving intervention for common adolescent mental health problems in low-income schools in New Delhi, India. Methods and findings Participants in the original trial were 250 school-going adolescents (mean [M] age = 15.61 years, standard deviation [SD] = 1.68), including 174 (69.6%) who identified as male. Participants were recruited from 6 government schools over a period of 4 months (August 20 to December 14, 2018) and were selected on the basis of elevated mental health symptoms and distress/functional impairment. A 2-arm, randomized controlled trial design was used to examine the effectiveness of a lay counselor–delivered, problem-solving intervention (4 to 5 sessions over 3 weeks) with supporting printed booklets (intervention arm) in comparison with problem solving delivered via printed booklets alone (control arm), at the original endpoints of 6 and 12 weeks. The protocol was modified, as per the recommendation of the Trial Steering Committee, to include a post hoc extension of the follow-up period to 12 months. Primary outcomes were adolescent-reported psychosocial problems (Youth Top Problems [YTP]) and mental health symptoms (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] Total Difficulties scale). Other self-reported outcomes included SDQ subscales, perceived stress, well-being, and remission. The sustained effects of the intervention were estimated at the 12-month endpoint and over 12 months (the latter assumed a constant effect across 3 follow-up points) using a linear mixed model for repeated measures and involving complete case analysis. Sensitivity analyses examined the effect of missing data using multiple imputations. Costs were estimated for delivering the intervention during the trial and from modeling a scale-up scenario, using a retrospective ingredients approach. Out of the 250 original trial participants, 176 (70.4%) adolescents participated in the 12-month follow-up assessment. One adverse event was identified during follow-up and deemed unrelated to the intervention. Evidence was found for intervention effects on both SDQ Total Difficulties and YTP at 12 months (YTP: adjusted mean difference [AMD] = −0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −1.47, −0.03, p = 0.04; SDQ Total Difficulties: AMD = −1.73, 95% CI = −3.47, 0.02, p = 0.05), with stronger effects over 12 months (YTP: AMD = −0.98, 95% CI = −1.51, −0.45, p < 0.001; SDQ Total Difficulties: AMD = −1.23, 95% CI = −2.37, −0.09; p = 0.03). There was also evidence for intervention effects on internalizing symptoms, impairment, perceived stress, and well-being over 12 months. The intervention effect was stable for most outcomes on sensitivity analyses adjusting for missing data; however, for SDQ Total Difficulties and impairment, the effect was slightly attenuated. The per-student cost of delivering the intervention during the trial was $3 United States dollars (USD; or $158 USD per case) and for scaling up the intervention in the modeled scenario was $4 USD (or $23 USD per case). The scaling up cost accounted for 0.4% of the per-student school budget in New Delhi. The main limitations of the study’s methodology were the lack of sample size calculations powered for 12-month follow-up and the absence of cost-effectiveness analyses using the primary outcomes. Conclusions In this study, we observed that a lay counselor–delivered, brief transdiagnostic problem-solving intervention had sustained effects on psychosocial problems and mental health symptoms over the 12-month follow-up period. Scaling up this resource-efficient intervention is an affordable policy goal for improving adolescents’ access to mental health care in low-resource settings. The findings need to be interpreted with caution, as this study was a post hoc extension, and thus, the sample size calculations did not take into account the relatively high attrition rate observed during the long-term follow-up. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03630471., Kanika Malik, Daniel Michelson, and colleagues study the sustained effectiveness of a lay counsellor-delivered problem solving intervention to mental health of adolescents enrolled in low-income schools in New Delhi, India., Author summary Why was this study done? The PRemIum for aDolEscents (PRIDE) is a research program that aims to develop a transdiagnostic, stepped care intervention model to address common adolescent mental health problems (anxiety, depression, and conduct difficulties) in low-resource settings. The intervention model comprises a brief problem-solving intervention (“Step 1”), followed by a higher-intensity personalized psychological treatment (“Step 2”) for adolescents with persistent problems. We previously reported on short-term outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of the first-line problem-solving intervention delivered by lay counselors in secondary schools serving low-income communities in New Delhi, India. The current study examined the sustained effectiveness and costs of scaling up the counselor-led problem-solving intervention compared to printed problem-solving materials without counselor input. What did the researchers do and find? We followed up the original trial participants at 12 months after randomization and collected adolescent-reported outcomes, as well as data on intervention costs using a retrospective ingredients approach. The primary analysis showed sustained intervention effects on both psychosocial problems and mental health symptoms. The economic analysis showed that the counselor-led problem-solving intervention can be scaled up at a small percentage of the per-student budgetary allocation in government-run schools in New Delhi, India. What do these findings mean? Despite its brevity and delivery by lay counselors, the problem-solving intervention showed sustained effectiveness. Scaling up this low-cost intervention represents an affordable policy goal for improving access to school-based mental health care for adolescents in India and, potentially, in other low-resource settings.

Summary Background Mental health problems are a leading cause of disability in adolescents worldwide. Problem solving is a well-tested mental health intervention in many populations. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a brief, transdiagnostic problem-solving intervention for common adolescent mental health problems when delivered by non-specialist school counsellors in New Delhi, India. Methods This randomised trial was done in six government-run schools (three all-boys schools, two all-girls schools, and one co-educational school) that serve low-income communities. We recruited participants from grades 9 to 12 (ages 12–20 years) by selecting students with persistently elevated mental health symptoms accompanied by distress or functional impairment. Clinical eligibility criteria were assessed by research assistants using the Hindi-language version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), with reference to locally validated borderline cutoff scores of 19 or greater for boys and 20 or greater for girls on the SDQ Total Difficulties scale, an abnormal score of 2 or more on the SDQ Impact scale, and persistence of more than 1 month on the SDQ Chronicity index. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to problem solving delivered through a brief (2–3 week) counsellor-led intervention with supporting printed materials (intervention group), or problem solving delivered via printed booklets alone (control group). Primary outcomes were adolescent-reported mental health symptoms (SDQ Total Difficulties scale) and idiographic psychosocial problems (Youth Top Problems [YTP]) at 6 weeks. Primary analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis at the 6-week endpoint. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03630471 . Findings Participants were enrolled between Aug 20, and Dec 4, 2018. 283 eligible adolescents were referred to the trial, and 251 (89%) of these were enrolled (mean age 15·61 years; 174 [69%] boys). 125 participants were allocated to each group (after accounting for one participant in the intervention group who withdrew consent after randomisation). Primary outcome data were available for 245 (98%) participants. At 6 weeks, the mean YTP scores were 3·52 (SD 2·66) in the intervention group and 4·60 (2·75) in the control group (adjusted mean difference –1·01, 95% CI –1·63 to –0·38; adjusted effect size 0·36, 95% CI 0·11 to 0·61; p=0·0015). The mean SDQ Total Difficulties scores were 17·48 (5·45) in the intervention group and 18·33 (5·45) in the control group (–0·86, –2·14 to 0·41; 0·16, –0·09 to 0·41; p=0·18). We observed no adverse events. Interpretation A brief lay counsellor-delivered problem-solving intervention combined with printed booklets seemed to have a modest effect on psychosocial outcomes among adolescents with diverse mental health problems compared with problem-solving booklets alone. This counsellor-delivered intervention might be a suitable first-line intervention in a stepped care approach, which is being evaluated in ongoing studies. Funding Wellcome Trust.

BACKGROUND The Philippines HIV epidemic is one of the fastest growing globally, and infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) are rising at an alarming rate. Connect for Life Philippines is a mobile health intervention to support ART adherence in this key population through individualized voice calls and short message services (SMS). OBJECTIVE The objective of this process evaluation was to assess the reach, dose delivered and received, fidelity, acceptability of the intervention and to describe contextual factors affecting implementation. METHODS Participants received a personalized combination of automated pill reminders, appointment reminders, health tips, and adherence feedback messages delivered by voice call or SMS at the patient’s preferred time/day. To measure the fidelity and dose of the intervention, call and SMS logs from the mHealth platform were analyzed. Usability and acceptability information was collected via questionnaires at three time points during the 48-week study. Qualitative feedback was collected in monthly process reports, comments fields in the questionnaires, and in focus group discussions. RESULTS The 462 study participants received 25,375 IVRS calls and 8,234 SMS during the study. Due to technical issues, intervention fidelity was low, with only 18.8% of participants receiving the pill reminders via voice call and others receiving a scaled-back SMS intervention. After 48 weeks in the study, 64% of participants reported that they would be quite likely or very likely to recommend the program to a friend and 53% of participants reported that they benefitted quite a bit or very much from the intervention. Participants who were on ART for less than 6 months at the start of the study and participants who received the daily or weekly pill reminder feature were more likely to report that they benefitted from the intervention (p=0.02 and p=0.013, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Mobile health interventions are useful to support adherence as they have low replication costs and are highly adaptable to specific cultural contexts. The Connect for Life intervention had high participant satisfaction and acceptability. However, poor reliability of local telecommunications networks had a large impact the intervention usability, fidelity and dose received.

OBJECTIVES Existing health services for young people (10-24 years), which are predominantly designed for but not with young people, often do not meet young people's needs. The 2018 Global Consensus Statement on meaningful adolescent and youth engagement affirms that young people have a fundamental right to actively and meaningfully engage in all matters that affect their lives. We present four case studies from three countries in sub-Saharan Africa as practical examples of the engagement of young people as partners in health research. We critically reflect on best practices to inform and guide the increasing adoption of collaborative approaches. METHODS We developed a narrative summary of each case study through review of study documentation and discussions with research staff and young people. A youth engagement framework was used to describe partnership activities according to the following dimensions: purpose, process, positioning, perspective, power relations, place and protection. We reflected on innovative practices used, overall level of participation achieved, and strategies to address ethical, logistical and/or financial barriers. RESULTS In all case studies we found evidence of engagement activities that aligned with the Global Consensus Statement on Meaningful Youth Engagement. However, access to participation was often uneven and despite efforts, marginalised young people continue to have insufficient opportunities to engage. Furthermore, although young people had some opportunity to influence the research methods, many of the key design decisions had been determined prior to their involvement. In our case studies researchers had built in insufficient opportunities to evaluate the level and impact of youth engagement. CONCLUSIONS We therefore recommend early involvement of young people in the research process so that they can contribute to setting the research agenda, the design of planned studies and thus increase the scope of their engagement from the beginning. Youth engagement activities need to be evaluated from the perspective of all stakeholders including young people themselves with a focus on opportunities to engage, the level of engagement achieved, and impact of engagement. From the beginning, researchers should provide space for learning, and involve young people in encouraging critical reflection of what does not yet work, as well as what does, to enable improvements.

BACKGROUND The HIV epidemic in the Philippines is one of the fastest growing epidemics globally, and infections among men who have sex with men are rising at an alarming rate. The World Health Organization recommends the use of mobile health (mHealth) technologies to engage patients in care and ensure high levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Existing mHealth interventions can be adapted and tailored to the context and population served. OBJECTIVE This study aims to create a locally tailored intervention using a mobile phone platform to support treatment adherence for HIV patients on ART in the Philippines. METHODS A mixed methods approach guided by the Behavior Change Wheel framework was used to adapt an existing mHealth adherence support platform for the local setting and target population. A literature review, retrospective clinical record review, and focus group discussions with patients were conducted to understand the drivers of ART adherence and tailor the intervention accordingly. The resulting intervention was pilot-tested for 8 weeks, followed by focus group discussions with patients who received the intervention to assess the acceptability of the design. RESULTS Key issues contributing to nonadherence included side effects, lack of behavioral skills for pill taking, social support, mental health, and substance use. Patients identified mHealth as an acceptable mode of intervention delivery and wanted mHealth services to be highly personalizable. The study team, clinicians, and software developers integrated these findings into the intervention, which included a menu of services as follows: pill reminders, health tips, adherence feedback, appointment reminders, and symptom reporting. During the pilot phase, technical issues in the interactive voice response system (IVRS) were identified and addressed. Patients who participated in the pilot phase expressed a preference for SMS text messaging over the IVRS. Patients responded positively to the appointment reminders and health tips, whereas patient feedback on daily and weekly pill reminders and adherence feedback was mixed. CONCLUSIONS The mobile phone–based SMS text messaging and IVRS intervention was acceptable to men who have sex with men in Manila, the Philippines, and qualitative analysis suggested that the intervention helped promote ART adherence and appointment attendance. CLINICALTRIAL

Background The Philippines HIV epidemic is one of the fastest growing epidemics globally, and infections among men who have sex with men are increasing at an alarming rate. Connect for Life Philippines is a mobile health (mHealth) intervention that supports antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in this key population through individualized voice calls and SMS text messages. Objective The objective of this process evaluation is to assess the intervention reach, dose delivered and received, fidelity, and acceptability and to describe contextual factors affecting the implementation of an mHealth adherence support intervention for patients on ART in a clinic in Metro Manila, Philippines. Methods A mixed methods process evaluation approach was used in an observational cohort study. Quantitative data sources for the process evaluation were call and SMS text message logs obtained from the mHealth platform and questionnaires collected at 12-, 24-, and 48-week study visits. Qualitative data were collected from process reports and through a series of focus group discussions conducted with a subset of participants during the intervention development phase, after an initial 8-week pilot phase, and at the end of the study. Results The 462 study participants received 31,095 interactive voice calls and 8234 SMS text messages during the study. Owing to technical issues, intervention fidelity was low, with only 22.1% (102/462) of the participants receiving reminders via voice calls and others (360/462, 77.9%) receiving only SMS text messages during the intervention. After 48 weeks in the study, 63.5% (293/462) of the participants reported that they would be quite likely or very likely to recommend the program to a friend, and 53.8% (249/462) of the participants reported that they benefited quite a bit or very much from the intervention. Participants who were on ART for Conclusions The Connect for Life intervention had high participant satisfaction and acceptability, especially among those who received high dose of the intervention. However, poor reliability of local telecommunication networks had a large impact on the intervention’s usability, fidelity, and dose received.

Background The Philippines HIV epidemic is one of the fastest growing, globally. Infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) are rising at an alarming rate, necessitating targeted evidence-based interventions to reach epidemic control. Treatment as prevention is a key strategy to end AIDS, making it a priority to explore novel approaches to retain people living with HIV (PLHIV) in care, support adherence, and reach viral suppression. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis describes HIV-related risk behaviours and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a population of HIV-positive patients at a clinic in Metro Manila, Philippines participating in the Philippines Connect for LifeTM cohort study. Results: Among 426 HIV-positive adults taking ART, 79% reported ≥95% adherence over the prior 30 days. Longer time on treatment was associated with reduced adherence to ART (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.87 per year, P = 0.027). Being in a serodiscordant relationship, in which the subject’s primary partner was HIV negative, increased adherence (AOR = 3.19, P = 0.006). Inconsistent condom use (AOR = 0.50, P = 0.103) and injection drug use (AOR = 0.54, P = 0.090) are potentially associated with reduced adherence to ART. Patients used drugs and alcohol at significantly higher rates than the general population.? Conclusions: The study found that patients in this setting require intervention to address treatment fatigue. Interventions to improve social support of PLHIV, as well as harm-reduction approaches for drug and alcohol use, could improve adherence in this population, strengthening the test-and-treat strategy to control the epidemic.

Physical distancing measures have lead many public health researchers to transition to remote data collection, via mobile phones, online or other virtual platforms. These methods pose a number of challenges related to obtaining informed consent.

BackgroundAdolescents tend to experience heightened vulnerability to risky and reckless behavior. Adolescents living in rural settings may often experience poverty and a host of risk factors which can increase their vulnerability to various forms of health risk behavior (HRB). Understanding HRB clustering and its underlying factors among adolescents is important for intervention planning and health promotion. This study examines the co-occurrence of injury and violence, substance use, hygiene, physical activity, and diet-related risk behaviors among adolescents in a rural setting on the Kenyan coast. Specifically, the study objectives were to identify clusters of HRB; based on five categories of health risk behavior, and to identify the factors associated with HRB clustering.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted of a random sample of 1060 adolescents aged 13–19 years living within the area covered by the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Participants completed a questionnaire on health behaviors which was administered via an Audio Computer-Assisted Self–Interview. Latent class analysis on 13 behavioral factors (injury and violence, hygiene, alcohol tobacco and drug use, physical activity, and dietary related behavior) was used to identify clustering and stepwise ordinal logistic regression with nonparametric bootstrapping identified the factors associated with clustering. The variables of age, sex, education level, school attendance, mental health, form of residence and level of parental monitoring were included in the initial stepwise regression model.ResultsWe identified 3 behavioral clusters (Cluster 1:Low-risk takers (22.9%);Cluster 2:Moderate risk-takers (67.8%);Cluster 3:High risk-takers (9.3%)). Relative to the cluster 1, membership of higher risk clusters (i.e. moderate or high risk-takers) was strongly associated with older age (pConclusionThere is clustering of health risk behaviors that underlies communicable and non-communicable diseases among adolescents in rural coastal Kenya. This suggests the urgent need for targeted multi-component health behavior interventions that simultaneously address all aspects of adolescent health and well-being, including the mental health needs of adolescents.

BACKGROUND Mobile phones may help young people (YP) access health information and support health service engagement. However, in low-income settings there is limited knowledge on YP’s phone and internet access to inform the feasibility of implementing digital health interventions. OBJECTIVE We investigated access to information and communication technologies among adolescents and young adults in Zimbabwe. METHODS A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted from October to December 2018 among YP aged 13-24 years in 5 communities in urban and peri-urban Harare and Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe. Consenting YP completed a self-completed tablet-based questionnaire on mobile phone ownership and use, and use of the internet. The primary outcome was the proportion who reported owning a mobile phone. Secondary outcomes included phone and internet access and use behavior, and ownership and use of other technological devices. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with mobile phone ownership and with internet access, with adjustment for the one-stage cluster sampling design. A priori exploratory variables were age, sex, marital status, and urban/peri-urban residence. RESULTS A total of 634/719 (88.2%) eligible YP, mean age 18.0 years (SD 3.3) and 62.6% (397/634) females, participated. Of the YP interviewed, 62.6% (396/633; 95% CI 58.5-66.5) reported owning a phone and a further 4.3% (27/633) reported having access to a shared phone. Phone ownership increased with age: 27.0% (43/159) of 13-15-year olds, 61.0% (72/118) of 16-17-year olds, 71.5% (103/144) of 18-19-year olds, and 84.7% (171/202) of 20-24-year olds (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% CI 1.3-1.5) per year increase. Ownership was similar among females and males: 61.0% (236/387; 95% CI 55.6-66.1) versus 64.8% (153/236; 95% CI 57.8-71.2), age-adjusted OR 0.7 (95% CI 0.5-1.1); higher in those with secondary level education compared to primary or no education: 67.1% (346/516; 95% CI 62.6-71.2) versus 26% (21/82; 95% CI 16.4-37.7), age-adjusted OR 2.3 (95% CI 1.1-4.8); and similar across other sociodemographic factors. YP reported that 85.3% (361/423) of phones, either owned or shared, were smartphones. Among phone owners, the most commonly used phone app was WhatsApp (71.2%, 282/396), and 16.4% (65/396) reported having ever used their phone to track their health. A total of 407/631 (64.5%; 95% CI 60.3-68.5) currently had access to the internet (used in last 3 months on any device) with access increasing with age (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.2-1.3 per year increase). In age-adjusted analysis, internet access was higher among males, the unmarried, those with a higher level of education, phone owners, and those who had lived in the community for more than 1 year. The aspect of the internet that YP most disliked was unwanted sexual (29.2%, 136/465) and violent (13.1%, 61/465) content. CONCLUSIONS Mobile phone–based interventions may be feasible in this population; however, such interventions could increase inequity, especially if they require access to the internet. Internet-based interventions should consider potential risks for participants and incorporate skill-building sessions on safe internet and phone use.

Background Mobile phones may help young people (YP) access health information and support health service engagement. However, in low-income settings there is limited knowledge on YP’s phone and internet access to inform the feasibility of implementing digital health interventions. Objective We investigated access to information and communication technologies among adolescents and young adults in Zimbabwe. Methods A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted from October to December 2018 among YP aged 13-24 years in 5 communities in urban and peri-urban Harare and Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe. Consenting YP completed a self-completed tablet-based questionnaire on mobile phone ownership and use, and use of the internet. The primary outcome was the proportion who reported owning a mobile phone. Secondary outcomes included phone and internet access and use behavior, and ownership and use of other technological devices. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with mobile phone ownership and with internet access, with adjustment for the one-stage cluster sampling design. A priori exploratory variables were age, sex, marital status, and urban/peri-urban residence. Results A total of 634/719 (88.2%) eligible YP, mean age 18.0 years (SD 3.3) and 62.6% (397/634) females, participated. Of the YP interviewed, 62.6% (396/633; 95% CI 58.5-66.5) reported owning a phone and a further 4.3% (27/633) reported having access to a shared phone. Phone ownership increased with age: 27.0% (43/159) of 13-15-year olds, 61.0% (72/118) of 16-17-year olds, 71.5% (103/144) of 18-19-year olds, and 84.7% (171/202) of 20-24-year olds (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% CI 1.3-1.5) per year increase. Ownership was similar among females and males: 61.0% (236/387; 95% CI 55.6-66.1) versus 64.8% (153/236; 95% CI 57.8-71.2), age-adjusted OR 0.7 (95% CI 0.5-1.1); higher in those with secondary level education compared to primary or no education: 67.1% (346/516; 95% CI 62.6-71.2) versus 26% (21/82; 95% CI 16.4-37.7), age-adjusted OR 2.3 (95% CI 1.1-4.8); and similar across other sociodemographic factors. YP reported that 85.3% (361/423) of phones, either owned or shared, were smartphones. Among phone owners, the most commonly used phone app was WhatsApp (71.2%, 282/396), and 16.4% (65/396) reported having ever used their phone to track their health. A total of 407/631 (64.5%; 95% CI 60.3-68.5) currently had access to the internet (used in last 3 months on any device) with access increasing with age (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.2-1.3 per year increase). In age-adjusted analysis, internet access was higher among males, the unmarried, those with a higher level of education, phone owners, and those who had lived in the community for more than 1 year. The aspect of the internet that YP most disliked was unwanted sexual (29.2%, 136/465) and violent (13.1%, 61/465) content. Conclusions Mobile phone–based interventions may be feasible in this population; however, such interventions could increase inequity, especially if they require access to the internet. Internet-based interventions should consider potential risks for participants and incorporate skill-building sessions on safe internet and phone use.

Background The HIV epidemic in the Philippines is one of the fastest growing epidemics globally, and infections among men who have sex with men are rising at an alarming rate. The World Health Organization recommends the use of mobile health (mHealth) technologies to engage patients in care and ensure high levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Existing mHealth interventions can be adapted and tailored to the context and population served. Objective This study aims to create a locally tailored intervention using a mobile phone platform to support treatment adherence for HIV patients on ART in the Philippines. Methods A mixed methods approach guided by the Behavior Change Wheel framework was used to adapt an existing mHealth adherence support platform for the local setting and target population. A literature review, retrospective clinical record review, and focus group discussions with patients were conducted to understand the drivers of ART adherence and tailor the intervention accordingly. The resulting intervention was pilot-tested for 8 weeks, followed by focus group discussions with patients who received the intervention to assess the acceptability of the design. Results Key issues contributing to nonadherence included side effects, lack of behavioral skills for pill taking, social support, mental health, and substance use. Patients identified mHealth as an acceptable mode of intervention delivery and wanted mHealth services to be highly personalizable. The study team, clinicians, and software developers integrated these findings into the intervention, which included a menu of services as follows: pill reminders, health tips, adherence feedback, appointment reminders, and symptom reporting. During the pilot phase, technical issues in the interactive voice response system (IVRS) were identified and addressed. Patients who participated in the pilot phase expressed a preference for SMS text messaging over the IVRS. Patients responded positively to the appointment reminders and health tips, whereas patient feedback on daily and weekly pill reminders and adherence feedback was mixed. Conclusions The mobile phone–based SMS text messaging and IVRS intervention was acceptable to men who have sex with men in Manila, the Philippines, and qualitative analysis suggested that the intervention helped promote ART adherence and appointment attendance.

Background Young people aged 10–24 years are a vulnerable group with poor health service access relative to other populations. Recent South African initiatives, the She Conquers campaign, the Integrated School Health Policy and the Adolescent & Youth Health Policy, include a focus on improving the breadth and quality of youth-friendly health service delivery. However, in some settings the provision and impact of scaled-up youth friendly health services has been limited indicating a gap between policy and implementation. In this study we reviewed existing sources of data on health service utilisation to answer the following question: ‘What health conditions do young people present with and what services do they receive at public health clinics, mobile clinics and school health services?’ Methods We conducted a retrospective register review in three purposively selected primary healthcare clinics (PHCC), one mobile clinic, and one school health team in Hlabisa and Mtubatuba sub-districts of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The focus was service utilisation for any reason by 10–24 year olds. We also conducted descriptive analysis of pre-existing data on service utilisation by young people available from the District Health Information System for all 17 PHCC in the study sub-districts. Results Three quarters of 4121 recorded young person visits in the register review were by females, and 40% of all young person visits were by females aged 20–24 years. The most common presenting conditions were HIV-related, antenatal care, family planning, general non-specific complaints and respiratory problems (excluding TB). There were relatively few recorded consultations for other common conditions affecting young people such as mental health and nutritional problems. Antibiotics, antiretrovirals, contraceptives, vitamins/supplements, and analgesics were most commonly provided. Routine health registers recorded limited information, were often incomplete and/or inconsistent, and age was not routinely recorded. Conclusions Measuring morbidity and service provision are fundamental to informing policy and promoting responsive health systems. Efforts should be intensified to improve the quality and completeness of health registers, with attention to the documentation of important, and currently poorly documented, young people’s health issues such as mental health and nutrition.

ObjectivesTo describe differences in modern contraceptive use among adolescent women aged 15–19 years according to their marital status and to determine factors associated with modern contraceptive use among sexually active women in this population.DesignCross-sectional analysis of Adolescent 360 evaluation baseline survey.SettingThe 15 urban and semiurban wards of Ilemela district, Mwanza region, North-Western Tanzania.ParticipantsAdolescent women aged 15–19 years who were living in the study site from August 2017 to February 2018 and who provided informed consent. Women were classified as married if they had a husband or were living as married. Unmarried women were classified as sexually active if they reported having sexual intercourse in the last 12 months.Outcome measurePrevalence of modern contraceptive among adolescent women aged 15–19 years.ResultsData were available for 3511 women aged 15–19 years, of which 201 (5.7%) were married and 744 (22.5%) were unmarried-sexually active. We found strong evidence of differences in use of modern contraceptive methods according to marital status of adolescent women. Determinants of modern contraception use among unmarried-sexually active women were increasing age, increasing level of education, being in education, hearing of modern contraception from interpersonal sources or in the media in the last 12 months, perceiving partner and/or friends support for contraceptive use, as well as higher knowledge and self efficacy for contraception.ConclusionsSexual and reproductive health programmes aiming to increase uptake of modern contraceptives in this population of adolescent women should consider the importance of girl’s education and social support for contraceptive use particularly among unmarried-sexually active women.

BackgroundYoung people's health service utilisation (the number accessing a facility) has been the focus of guidelines and health systems strengthening policies. This is due to young people being at an increased health risk because of inequitable access and utilisation of health services, which is more pronounced in rural settings with limited service availability. This is a major concern as globally, youth constitute a considerable and increasing part of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectiveThe objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive approach for the exploration of health service utilisation by young people in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We examined barriers and facilitators conceptualised by the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, framed within a socio-ecological model.MethodsData were collected in January to June 2017 from two sites using in-depth interviews, spiral transect walks and community mapping with young people (aged 10 to 24 years), primary care health providers, school health professionals, community stakeholders and young people's parents.ResultsSocio-ecological and behavioural factors influenced young people's intention to use services. Barriers included perceived negative attitudes of health providers and perceived poor staff competencies. Facilitators included an appreciation of receiving health education and assumed improved health. At social and community levels, normative beliefs hindered young people from utilising services as they feared stigmatisation and gossip. At a public policy level, structural elements had a disempowering effect as the physical layout of the clinics hindered utilisation, limited resources influenced staffing, and facility opening times were not convenient for school goers.ConclusionWe suggest that to fully appreciate the complexity of health service utilisation, it is necessary to not only consider factors and processes relevant to the individual, but also acknowledge and act upon, the disjuncture between community level cultural values, norms and national policies.

Background Adolescents 360 (A360) is an initiative being rolled out across Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania with the aim of increasing uptake of voluntary modern contraception among sexually active women aged 15 to 19 years. Using evaluation baseline survey data, we described key sexuality, fertility and contraceptive use characteristics of married women aged 15 to 19 years living in three sub-national settings. Methods Cross-sectional baseline surveys of married women aged 15 to 19 years were conducted in Oromia (Ethiopia), Nasarawa (Northern Nigeria), and Mwanza (Tanzania) between August 2017 and February 2018. We also interviewed the husbands of a sub-group of married respondents to measure spousal acceptance and support for adolescent women to use modern contraception. A clustered sampling design was used in all three countries. We produced descriptive statistics on the socio-demographic and sexual and reproductive health characteristics of married women aged 15 to 19 years by study setting. Results In Oromia, Nasarawa and Mwanza, 31.4% (327/1198), 27.4% (1321/4816) and 7.5% (15/201) of married women surveyed had no education, and 68.3, 81.3 and 83.1% had ever been pregnant, respectively. Unmet need for modern contraception was 20.5, 21.9 and 32.0% in married women in Oromia, Nasarawa and Mwanza, made up almost entirely of unmet need for spacing. The vast majority of married women surveyed in Oromia (89.1%) and Mwanza (90.1%) had seen or heard about contraception in the last 12 months, compared to 30.1% of those surveyed in Nasarawa. Modern contraceptive prevalence (mCPR) was highest in married women aged 15 to 19 years in Oromia (47.2%), followed by Mwanza (19.4%) and Nasarawa (8.7%). Of those using a modern method of contraception in Oromia, 93.4% were using injectables or long-acting methods, compared to 49.4% in Nasarawa and 69.6% in Mwanza. Conclusions Overall, unmet need for modern contraception is high among married women aged 15 to 19 years across the three settings. mCPR for married women aged 15 to 19 years is low in Nasarawa and Mwanza. Ultimately, no single intervention will suit all situations, but improving the quality, analyses and utilisation of subnational data can help decision-makers design more context specific interventions.

BACKGROUND: The DREAMS (Determined Resilient Empowered AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) Partnership aims to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW,15-24y) with a core package of evidence-based interventions. Some interventions, including voluntary HIV counselling and testing and circumcision, will be targeted at the male sexual partners of AGYW. A priority of DREAMS is to characterise the male partners for effective targeting. METHODS: Using population-based data (2010-2015) in three DREAMS impact evaluation settings in Kenya and South Africa, we describe the demographic characteristics and sexual behaviour of male partners reported by AGYW, and the characteristics of males who report sexual activity with AGYW. RESULTS: In all settings, over 90% of recent male partners reported by AGYW were aged

Background: The lack of reliable, valid and adequately standardized measures of mental illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa is a key challenge for epidemiological studies on mental health. We evaluated the psychometric properties and feasibility of using a computerized version of the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) in an epidemiological study in rural Kenya. Methods: We surveyed 1496 participants aged 13-24 years in Kilifi County, on the Kenyan coast. The MDI was administered using a computer-assisted system, available in three languages. Internal consistency was evaluated using both Cronbach’s alpha and the Omega Coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate the factorial structure of the MDI. Results: Internal consistency using both Cronbach’s Alpha (α= 0.83) and the Omega Coefficient (0.82; 95% confidence interval 0.81- 0.83) was above acceptable thresholds. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit of the data to a unidimensional model of MDI (χ2 (33, N = 1409) = 178.52 p < 0.001, TLI = 0.947, CFI = 0.961, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA = .056), and this was confirmed using Item Response Models (Loevinger’s H coefficient 0.38) that proved the MDI was a unidimensional scale. Equivalence evaluation indicated invariance across sex and age groups. In our population, 3.6% of the youth presented with scores suggesting major depression using the ICD-10 scoring algorithm, and 8.7% presented with total scores indicating presence of depression (mild, moderate or severe). Females and older youth were at the highest risk of depression. Conclusions: The MDI has good psychometric properties. Given its brevity, relative ease of usage and ability to identify at-risk youth, it may be useful for epidemiological studies of depression in Africa. Studies to establish clinical thresholds for depression are recommended. The high prevalence of depressive symptoms suggests that depression may be an important public health problem in this population group.

Background: The lack of reliable, valid and adequately standardized measures of mental illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa is a key challenge for epidemiological studies on mental health. We evaluated the psychometric properties and feasibility of using a computerized version of the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) in an epidemiological study in rural Kenya. Methods: We surveyed 1496 participants aged 13-24 years in Kilifi County, on the Kenyan coast. The MDI was administered using a computer-assisted system, available in three languages. Internal consistency was evaluated using both Cronbach’s alpha and the Omega Coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate the factorial structure of the MDI. Results: Internal consistency using both Cronbach’s Alpha (α= 0.83) and the Omega Coefficient (0.82; 95% confidence interval 0.81- 0.83) was above acceptable thresholds. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit of the data to a unidimensional model of MDI (χ2 (33, N = 1409) = 178.52 p < 0.001, TLI = 0.947, CFI = 0.961, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA = .056), and this was confirmed using Item Response Models (Loevinger’s H coefficient 0.38) that proved the MDI was a unidimensional scale. Equivalence evaluation indicated invariance across sex and age groups. In our population, 3.6% of the youth presented with scores suggesting major depression using the ICD-10 scoring algorithm, and 8.7% presented with total scores indicating presence of depression (mild, moderate or severe). Females and older youth were at the highest risk of depression. Conclusions: The MDI has good psychometric properties. Given its brevity, relative ease of usage and ability to identify at-risk youth, it may be useful for epidemiological studies of depression in Africa. Studies to establish clinical thresholds for depression are recommended. The high prevalence of depressive symptoms suggests that depression may be an important public health problem in this population group.

African adolescents and young adults remain at substantial risk of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and AIDS is the leading cause of death among African adolescents (10-19 years). Sexual partnership patterns influence transmission risk of sexually transmitted infections. We describe patterns reported by youth (15-30y) in a community-based survey in Tanzania. Among participants reporting multiple partners, we investigated factors associated with reported concurrency. Female (N = 6513) and male (N = 7301) participants had median ages of 21 and 22 years, respectively. Most participants (92%) reported having previously been sexually active, of whom 15% of males and

OBJECTIVES: To describe the sexual and reproductive behaviour of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa particularly 15- to 19-year-olds. METHODS: Using DHS/AIS data (2000-2010) nine indicators of adolescent behaviour and one of adult attitudes towards condom education for adolescents were described for 24 countries. Indicators were disaggregated by gender urban/rural residency and educational status and time trends were described. RESULTS: Up to 25% of 15- to 19-year-olds reported sex before age 15; this proportion shrank over time in many countries. In most countries >/=5% of females reported marriage before age 15 and >20% had commenced childbearing. Early sexual debut and childbearing were more common among the least educated and/or rural females. Reporting of multiple sexual partnerships was more common among males than among females but decreases over time were more common among males. Urban males and females and females with higher education were more likely to report multiple partnerships. Urban youth and those with higher education also reported more condom use. Adult support for condom education for 12- to 14-year-olds has increased over time to 60-65%. CONCLUSIONS: Many 15- to 19-year-olds are at risk of HIV/STIs and unplanned pregnancies because of multiple partnerships and insufficient condom and other contraceptive use. In many countries trends are moving in a favourable direction. To better inform prevention programmes in this important area we recommend routine collection of sexual and reproductive behaviour data for adolescents aged

SUMMARY Many adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) interventions have improved knowledge and reduced reported sexual risk behaviours, but found no impact on HIV. We explored potential reasons for this in 23 in-depth interviews, conducted 7 –9 years after exposure to ASRH intervention. We discussed participants’ memories and views of the relevance of the in-school intervention, and their subsequent ability to apply what they had learned. While most participants had favourable memories of the intervention, few recalled specific details. Most reported that the intervention had been relevant, although few reported being able to apply the teachings. Men found it easier to apply lessons about condoms than women. Inability to apply the intervention teachings was often linked to cultural norms around fertility and/or gender power relations. ASRH interventions should address structural factors such as the quality of parenting and explicitly link interventions to young peoples’ future aspiration.

Purpose To systematically review and update evidence on the effectiveness of youth HIV/AIDS prevention interventions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to make evidence-based policy recommendations to guide efforts toward meeting the United Nations General Assembly Special Session HIV/AIDS goals. Methods Recent evidence (January 2005–December 2008) on the effectiveness of interventions to improve reported sexual behavior and biological outcomes among youth in SSA was assessed using the Steady, Ready, Go ! (SRG) approach and synthesized with an earlier SRG review (January 1990–June 2005). Results A total of 23 studies were included following screening of approximately 1,200 citations. School-based, adult-led, curriculum-based interventions showed clear evidence of reducing reported risky sexual behavior. Interventions in health facilities increased the use of services when made accessible and more youth-friendly. In geographically defined communities, both interventions specifically targeting youth and community-wide interventions reduced reports of risky sexual behavior. Conclusions HIV prevention among youth is a top priority in SSA. The most promising interventions should be scaled-up now, with careful evaluation, while exploring supplementary interventions to impact HIV incidence.

Background: Influenza pandemics result in excess mortality and social disruption. To assist health authorities update the French pandemic plan, the authors estimated the number of health events (cases, hospitalisations, and deaths) in a pandemic and compared interventions in terms of impact and efficiency. Method: A Monte Carlo simulation model, incorporating probability distributions of key variables, provided estimates of health events (HE) by age and risk group. Input variables were set after literature and expert consultation. The impact of targeted influenza vaccination and antiviral prophylaxis/treatment (oseltamivir) in high risk groups (elderly, chronic diseases), priority (essential professionals), and total populations was compared. Outcome measures were HE avoided, number of doses needed, and direct cost per HE avoided. Results: Without intervention, an influenza pandemic could result in 14.9 million cases, 0.12 million deaths, and 0.6 million hospitalisations in France. Twenty four per cent of deaths and 40% of hospitalisations would be among high risk groups. With a 25% attack rate, 2000–86 000 deaths could be avoided, depending on population targeted and intervention. If available initially, vaccination of the total population is preferred. If not, for priority populations, seasonal prophylaxis seems the best strategy. For high risk groups, antiviral treatment, although less effective, seems more feasible and cost effective than prophylaxis (respectively 29% deaths avoided; 1800 doses/death avoided and 56% deaths avoided; 18 500 doses/death avoided) and should be chosen, especially if limited drug availability. Conclusion: The results suggest a strong role for antivirals in an influenza pandemic. While this model can compare the impact of different intervention strategies, there remains uncertainty surrounding key variables.

Background: In 2014, a pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility of linking clinic attendance data for young adults at two health facilities to the population register of the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS). This was part of a cross-sectional survey of health problems of young people, and we tested the feasibility of using the KHDSS platform for the monitoring of future interventions. Methods: Two facilities were used for this study. Clinical data from consenting participants aged 18-24 years were matched to KHDSS records. Data matching was achieved using national identity card numbers or otherwise using a matching algorithm based on names, sex, date of birth, location of residence and the names of other homestead members. A study form was administered to all matched patients to capture reasons for their visits and time taken to access the services. Distance to health facility from a participants’ homestead was also computed. Results: 628 participated in the study: 386 (61%) at Matsangoni Health Centre, and 242 (39%) at Pingilikani Dispensary. 610 (97%) records were matched to the KHDSS register. Most records (605; 96%) were matched within these health facilities, while 5 (1%) were matched during homestead follow-up visits. 463 (75.9%) of those matched were women. Antenatal care (25%), family planning (13%), respiratory infections (9%) and malaria (9%) were the main reasons for seeking care. Antenatal clinic visits (n=175) and malaria (n=27) were the commonest reasons among women and men, respectively. Participants took 1-1.5 hours to access the services; 490 (81.0%) participants lived within 5 kilometres of a facility. Conclusions: With a full-time research clerk at each health facility, linking health-facility attendance data to a longitudinal HDSS platform was feasible and could be used to monitor and evaluate the impact of health interventions on health care outcomes among young people.

We describe an outbreak of pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in a French retirement home. Eleven residents developed pneumonia. Eight patients had positive results of urinary antigen tests. There were no further cases after the implementation of control measures, which involved isolation of and receipt of antibiotic therapy by symptomatic residents. No risk factors for transmission of S. pneumoniae were identified in this population.

BACKGROUND: Young people are at high risk of HIV and developing appropriate prevention programmes requires an understanding of the risk factors for HIV in this age group. We investigated factors associated with HIV among participants aged 15-30 years in a 2007-8 cross-sectional survey nested within a community-randomised trial of the MEMA kwa Vijana intervention in 20 rural communities in northwest Tanzania. METHODS: We analysed data for 7259(53%) males and 6476(47%) females. Using a proximate-determinant conceptual framework and conditional logistic regression, we obtained sex-specific Odds Ratios (ORs) for the association of HIV infection with socio-demographic, knowledge, behavioural and biological factors. RESULTS: HSV-2 infection was strongly associated with HIV infection (females: adjOR 4.4, 95%CI 3.2-6.1; males: adjOR 4.2, 95%CI 2.8-6.2). Several socio-demographic factors (such as age, marital status and mobility), behavioural factors (condom use, number and type of sexual partnerships) and biological factors (blood transfusion, lifetime pregnancies, genital ulcers, Neisseria gonorrhoeae) were also associated with HIV infection. Among females, lifetime sexual partners (linear trend, p

BACKGROUND: HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is an integral component of HIV prevention and treatment programmes. However, testing coverage in sub-Saharan Africa is still low, particularly among young people. As treatment becomes more widely available, strategies to expand VCT coverage are critically important. We compare VCT uptake using two delivery strategies (opt-in and opt-out) within the MEMA kwa Vijana trial in 20 communities in northwest Tanzania. METHODS: We analysed data from 12,590 young persons (median (IQR) age 22 years (20-23)) to assess the effect of delivery strategy on VCT uptake. Ten communities used an opt-in approach and 10 used opt-out, balanced across intervention and control. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with uptake within each strategy. RESULTS: VCT uptake was significantly higher with the opt-out approach (90.9% vs 60.5%, prevalence ratio = 1.51, CI = 1.41-1.62). Among females, uptake in the opt-out approach was associated with decreased knowledge of HIV acquisition, sex with a casual partner, and being HSV-2 seronegative; among males, uptake was associated with lower education and increasing lifetime partners. In contrast, uptake using the opt-in approach varied by ethnic group, religion and marital status, and increased with increasing knowledge of STI acquisition (males) or pregnancy prevention (females). CONCLUSION: VCT uptake among young people was extremely high when offered an opt-out strategy. Sociodemographic and knowledge factors affected uptake in different ways depending on delivery strategy. Increased knowledge may increase young persons' self-efficacy, which may have a different impact on testing uptake, depending on the approach used.

To describe the sexual and reproductive behaviour of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly 15- to 19-year-olds. Using DHS/AIS data (2000-2010), nine indicators of adolescent behaviour and one of adult attitudes towards condom education for adolescents were described for 24 countries. Indicators were disaggregated by gender, urban/rural residency and educational status, and time trends were described.Up to 25% of 15- to 19-year-olds reported sex before age 15; this proportion shrank over time in many countries. In most countries, ≥5% of females reported marriage before age 15, and20% had commenced childbearing. Early sexual debut and childbearing were more common among the least educated and/or rural females. Reporting of multiple sexual partnerships was more common among males than among females, but decreases over time were more common among males. Urban males and females, and females with higher education, were more likely to report multiple partnerships. Urban youth and those with higher education also reported more condom use. Adult support for condom education for 12- to 14-year-olds has increased over time to 60-65%.Many 15- to 19-year-olds are at risk of HIV/STIs and unplanned pregnancies because of multiple partnerships and insufficient condom and other contraceptive use. In many countries, trends are moving in a favourable direction. To better inform prevention programmes in this important area, we recommend routine collection of sexual and reproductive behaviour data for adolescents aged15 years, expanding the data collected for 15- to 19-year-olds to include detailed information on sexual behaviour within partnerships, and disaggregating data according to sociodemographic variables.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of circumcision among young men in rural Mwanza, North-Western Tanzania, and document trends in circumcision prevalence over time. To investigate associations of circumcision with socio-demographic characteristics, reported sexual behaviours and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey in communities which had previously participated in a cluster-randomized trial of an adolescent sexual health intervention that did not include male circumcision in 20 rural communities. METHODS: In 2007/08, 7300 young men (age 16-23 years) were interviewed and examined by a clinician. The prevalence of circumcision by age was compared with data collected during the trial in 1998-2002. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of circumcision with socio-demographic characteristics, reported sexual behaviours and with HIV and other STIs were estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of male circumcision was 40.6%, and age-specific prevalence had more than doubled since 2001/2002. Circumcised men reported less risky sexual behaviours, being more likely to report having ever used a condom (adjusted OR = 2.62, 95%CI:2.32-2.95). Men circumcised before sexual debut were at reduced risk of being HIV seropositive compared with non-circumcised men (adjusted OR = 0.50, 95%CI:0.25-0.97), and also had reduced risks of HSV-2 infection and genital ulcer syndrome in the past 12 months compared with non-circumcised men. CONCLUSIONS: There was a steep increase in circumcision prevalence between 2001/02 and 2007/08 in the absence of a promotional campaign. Circumcised men reported safer sexual practices than non-circumcised men and had lower prevalence of HIV and HSV-2 infection.

Background Broad patterns of HIV epidemiology are frequently used to design generic HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We reviewed the epidemiology of HIV among young people in sub-Saharan Africa, and explored the unique dynamics of infection in its different regions. Results In 2009, HIV prevalence among youth in sub-Saharan Africa was an estimated 1.4% in males and 3.4% in females, but these values mask wide variation at regional and national levels. Within countries there are further major differences in HIV prevalence, such as by sex, urban/rural location, economic status, education, or ethnic group. Within this highly nuanced context, HIV prevention programs targeting youth must consider both where new infections are occurring and where they are coming from. Conclusions Given the epidemiology, one-size-fits-all HIV prevention programs are usually inappropriate at regional and national levels. Consideration of local context and risk associated with life transitions, such as leaving school or getting married, is imperative to successful programming for young people.

David Ross and colleagues conduct a follow-up survey of the community-based MEMA kwa Vijana (“Good things for young people”) trial in rural Tanzania to assess the long-term behavioral and biological impact of an adolescent sexual health intervention., Background The ability of specific behaviour-change interventions to reduce HIV infection in young people remains questionable. Since January 1999, an adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) intervention has been implemented in ten randomly chosen intervention communities in rural Tanzania, within a community randomised trial (see below; NCT00248469). The intervention consisted of teacher-led, peer-assisted in-school education, youth-friendly health services, community activities, and youth condom promotion and distribution. Process evaluation in 1999–2002 showed high intervention quality and coverage. A 2001/2 intervention impact evaluation showed no impact on the primary outcomes of HIV seroincidence and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence but found substantial improvements in SRH knowledge, reported attitudes, and some reported sexual behaviours. It was postulated that the impact on “upstream” knowledge, attitude, and reported behaviour outcomes seen at the 3-year follow-up would, in the longer term, lead to a reduction in HIV and HSV-2 infection rates and other biological outcomes. A further impact evaluation survey in 2007/8 (∼9 years post-intervention) tested this hypothesis. Methods and Findings This is a cross-sectional survey (June 2007 through July 2008) of 13,814 young people aged 15–30 y who had attended trial schools during the first phase of the MEMA kwa Vijana intervention trial (1999–2002). Prevalences of the primary outcomes HIV and HSV-2 were 1.8% and 25.9% in males and 4.0% and 41.4% in females, respectively. The intervention did not significantly reduce risk of HIV (males adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 0.91, 95%CI 0.50–1.65; females aPR 1.07, 95%CI 0.68–1.67) or HSV-2 (males aPR 0.94, 95%CI 0.77–1.15; females aPR 0.96, 95%CI 0.87–1.06). The intervention was associated with a reduction in the proportion of males reporting more than four sexual partners in their lifetime (aPR 0.87, 95%CI 0.78–0.97) and an increase in reported condom use at last sex with a non-regular partner among females (aPR 1.34, 95%CI 1.07–1.69). There was a clear and consistent beneficial impact on knowledge, but no significant impact on reported attitudes to sexual risk, reported pregnancies, or other reported sexual behaviours. The study population was likely to have been, on average, at lower risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections compared to other rural populations, as only youth who had reached year five of primary school were eligible. Conclusions SRH knowledge can be improved and retained long-term, but this intervention had only a limited effect on reported behaviour and no significant effect on HIV/STI prevalence. Youth interventions integrated within intensive, community-wide risk reduction programmes may be more successful and should be evaluated. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00248469 Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary, Editors' Summary Background Every year, about 2.5 million people become infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is most often spread through unprotected sex with an infected partner, so individuals can reduce their risk of HIV infection by abstaining from sex, by delaying first sex, by having few partners, and by always using a condom. And, because nearly half of new HIV infections occur among youths (15- to 24-year-olds), programs targeted at adolescents that encourage these protective behaviors could have a substantial impact on the HIV epidemic. One such program is the MEMA kwa Vijana (“Good things for young people”) program in rural Tanzania. This program includes in-school sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education for pupils in their last three years of primary education (12- to 15-year-olds) that provides them with the knowledge and skills needed to delay sexual debut and to reduce sexual risk taking. Between 1999 and 2002, the program was trialed in ten randomly chosen rural communities in the Mwanza Region of Tanzania; ten similar communities that did not receive the intervention acted as controls. Since 2004, the program has been scaled up to cover more communities. Why Was This Study Done? Although the quality and coverage of the MEMA kwa Vijana program was good, a 2001/2002 evaluation found no evidence that the intervention had reduced the incidence of HIV (the proportion of the young people in the trial who became HIV positive during the follow-up period) or the prevalence (the proportion of the young people in the trial who were HIV positive at the end of the follow-up period) of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2, another sexually transmitted virus). However, the evaluation found improvements in SRH knowledge, in reported sexual attitudes, and in some reported sexual behaviors. Evaluations of other HIV prevention programs in other developing countries have also failed to provide strong evidence that such programs decrease the risk of HIV infection or other biological outcomes such as the frequency of other sexually transmitted infections or pregnancies, even when SRH knowledge improves. One possibility is that it takes some time for improved SRH knowledge to be reflected in true changes in sexual behavior and in HIV prevalence. In this follow-up study, therefore, researchers investigate the long-term impact of the MEMA kwa Vijana program on HIV and HSV-2 prevalence and ask whether the improvement in knowledge, reported attitudes and sexual risk behaviours seen at the 3-year follow up has persisted. What Did the Researchers Do and Find? In 2007/8, the researchers surveyed nearly 14,000 young people who had attended the trial schools between 1999 and 2002. Each participant had their HIV and HSV-2 status determined and answered questions (for example, “can HIV be caught by sexual intercourse (making love) with someone,” and “if a girl accepts a gift from a boy, must she agree to have sexual intercourse (make love) with him?”) to provide three composite sexual knowledge scores and one composite attitude score. 1.8% of the male and 4.0% of the female participants were HIV positive; 25.9% and 41.4% of the male and female participants, respectively, were HSV-2 positive. The prevalences were similar among the young people whose trial communities had been randomly allocated to receive the MEMA kwa Vijana Program and those whose communities had not received it, indicating that the MEMA kwa Vijana intervention program had not reduced the risk of HIV or HSV-2. The intervention program was associated, however, with a reduction in the proportion of men reporting more than four sexual partners in their lifetime and with an increase in reported condom use at last sex with a non-regular partner among women. Finally, although the intervention had still increased SRH knowledge, it now had had no impact on reported attitudes to sexual risk, reported pregnancies, or other reported risky sexual behaviors beyond what might have happened due to chance. What Do These Findings Mean? These findings indicate that, in the MEMA kwa Vijana trial, SRH knowledge improved and that this improved knowledge was retained for many years. Disappointingly, however, this intervention program had only a limited effect on reported sexual behaviors and no effect on HIV and HSV-2 prevalence at the 9-year follow-up. Although these findings may not be generalizable to other adolescent populations, they suggest that intervention programs that target only adolescents might not be particularly effective. Young people might find it hard to put their improved skills and knowledge into action when challenged, for example, by widespread community attitudes such as acceptance of older male–younger female relationships. Thus, the researchers suggest that the integration of youth HIV prevention programs within risk reduction programs that tackle sexual norms and expectations in all age groups might be a more successful approach and should be evaluated. Additional Information Please access these Web sites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000287. This study is further discussed in a PLoS Medicine Perspective by Rachel Jewkes More information about the MEMA kwa Vijana program is available at their Web site Information is available from the Programme for Research and Capacity Building in Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV in Developing Countries on recent and ongoing research on HIV infection and other STIs Information is available from the World Health Organization on HIV and on the health of young people Information on HIV is available from UNAIDS Information on HIV in children and adolescents is available from UNICEF Information on HIV prevention interventions in the education sector is available from UNESCO Information on HIV infection and AIDS is available from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide information on HIV/AIDS and on HIV/AIDS among youth (in English and Spanish) HIV InSitehas comprehensive information on all aspects of HIV/AIDS, including links to information on the prevention of HIV/AIDS Information is available from Avert, an international AIDS charity, on many aspects of HIV/AIDS, including information on HIV and AIDS prevention and AIDS and sex education (in English and Spanish)

An international outbreak linked to oyster consumption involving a group of over 200 people in Italy and 127 total subjects in 13 smaller clusters in France was analyzed using epidemiological and clinical data and shellfish samples. Environmental information from the oyster-producing area, located in a lagoon in southern France, was collected to investigate the possible events leading to the contamination. Virologic analyses were conducted by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) using the same primer sets for both clinical and environmental samples. After sequencing, the data were analyzed through the database operated by the scientific network FoodBorne Viruses in Europe. The existence of an international collaboration between laboratories was critical to rapidly connect the data and to fully interpret the results, since it was not obvious that one food could be the link because of the diversity of the several norovirus strains involved in the different cases. It was also demonstrated that heavy rain was responsible for the accidental contamination of seafood, leading to a concentration of up to hundreds of genomic copies per oyster as detected by real-time RT-PCR.

In January 2003, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire received notification of clusters of gastroenteritis (GE) thought to be associated with consumption of oysters harvested from Etang de Thau in the south of France. At the same time Italy reported an outbreak (200+ cases) associated with oysters from the Etang de Thau. An investigation was carried out to determine the source and vehicle of the outbreaks. Descriptive analysis of reported clusters in France, microbiological analysis of stool and oyster samples, genotyping of noroviruses and an environmental investigation of the Etang de Thau were carried out. A retrospective cohort study was also undertaken among those attending a number of family meals in Paris. Thirteen family clusters in four districts of France (69 cases) could be attributed to the consumption of Thau oysters based on descriptive evidence. Oysters distributed at an office in Paris and consumed at fourteen family meals between 19 and 24 December led to a further outbreak. In this outbreak the attack rate was 21/36 (58%) for Thau oyster consumers and 0/22 for non-consumers (p=0.00002). Noroviruses (genogroups I and II) were found in stool samples from four clusters and oysters from three clusters (including Paris). Environmental investigations revealed heavy rainfall, an overflow of a water purification station and faecal contamination of the Etang de Thau in December. Oysters from the Etang de Thau were responsible for a number of clusters of norovirus GE in winter 2002 in France and also in Italy. High Escherichia Coli levels in Thau water and shellfish led to an official request, mid-December, for oyster purification before distribution. This was not possible, due to lack of purification facilities. This investigation has contributed to a change in the way that shellfish harvesting areas are classified in France.

Background Being in full-time education is associated with lower risk of HIV and other STIs. We describe sexual partnership histories reported by youth in rural Tanzania, and investigate the association between current attendance at post-primary education, and sexual behaviour and antibody responses to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Methods In 2007/8, sexual partnership histories were collected through a face-to-face questionnaire and biological samples for STIs from 13,814 15–30 year olds in 20 rural communities, of Mwanza Region, Tanzania. We restricted this analysis to the 2683 females and 4402 males aged 15–24 years and not currently married. Partnership patterns of sexually-active participants were described based on reported dates of first and last intercourse with their last 3 partners in the past year. Point prevalence of concurrency was calculated at 6 months prior to the survey. Age-adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Sera were tested for antibodies to HSV-2 using KALON ELISA. Results The mean age in the study was 21 years. The great majority of the 30% of females and 38% of males who reported being in full-time education were in secondary school with a few attending vocational or other training. Students were more likely to report being virgins than non-students (females: 32% vs.8%, AOR 3.8 [95% CI 3.0, 4.9]; males: 20% vs. 7%, AOR 2.5 [2.1, 3.1]). Among those who reported being sexually active in the previous year, students were less likely to report 2+ sexual partners in the previous year (females: 7% vs. 25%, AOR 0.16 [0.11, 0.24]; males: 39% vs. 62%, AOR 0.32 [0.27, 0.37]) and concurrent partners (females: 0.4% vs. 4.0%, AOR 0.08 [0.03, 0.27]; males: 3.2% vs. 8.2%, AOR 0.41 [0.3, 0.56]). Reported condom use at last sex was higher among students (females: 78% vs.28%, AOR 7.8 [5.9, 10.3]; males: 69% vs. 41%, AOR 3.2 [2.7, 3.9]). Students had lower levels of HSV2 infection than non-students (females: 15% vs. 39%, AOR 0.37 [0.29, 0.46]; males: 14% vs. 23%, AOR 0.60 [0.50, 0.72]). Conclusion Unmarried youth in full-time education reported lower risk behaviours compared to those not in education. Under-reporting of high risk sexual behaviours may have differed by current education status, but the much lower HSV-2 prevalence among students suggests real differences exist. Interventions to encourage youth to stay in education longer may reduce their sexual risk, but potential differences in other social determinants must also be considered, such as access to resources and parental support.

Background With effective contraceptives available, unplanned pregnancies are preventable and educational interventions have been cited as a promising platform to increase contraceptive use through improving knowledge. However, results from trials of educational interventions have been disappointing. In order to effectively target future interventions, this study aimed to identify risk factors for unplanned pregnancy among young women in Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods Data were analysed from the MEMA kwa Vijiana Trial Long-term Evaluation Survey, a cross-sectional study of 13 814 young adults aged 15–30 years in Mwanza, Tanzania. Potential risk factors for unplanned pregnancy were grouped under three headings: socio-demographic, knowledge of and attitude towards sexual health, and sexual behaviour and contraceptive use. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify predictors of reported unplanned pregnancy among all sexually active women. Results Increasing age, lower educational level, not being currently married, knowing where to access condoms, increasing number of sexual partners and younger reported age at sexual debut were associated with unplanned pregnancy. Discussion A number of demographic and sexual behaviour risk factors for pregnancy are identified which will help guide future intervention programmes aiming to reduce unplanned pregnancies. This study suggests effective measures to prevent unplanned pregnancies should focus on encouraging girls to stay in school.

Background Detailed sexual partnership histories are frequently collected, yet data quality is rarely reported. We present data on internal consistency of partnership reports among youth in Tanzania, and assess the usefulness of specific questions. Methods In 2007/8, sexual behaviour and biological samples for STIs were collected from 13,814 15–30 year olds in 20 communities, in Mwanza, Tanzania. Using a face-to-face questionnaire, participants were asked: number of sexual partners (ever, last year, last 4 weeks); new partners in the past year; detailed questions about last 3 partners in the past year, including dates of first and last intercourse. We examined response consistency and, using STI and pregnancy results, assessed the validity of the question ‘Have you ever had sex?’ Results Of 1108 self-reported virgins, 12.8% had biological results indicative of sexual activity, with misreporting more common among males and younger participants. Within a time period (e.g. 1 year, 4 weeks), inconsistencies between reported number of partners and number calculated from intercourse dates were more common when partnerships began at the start of the reference period. For example, of the 7.5% of participants with inconsistent reports of number of new partners in the last year, 43% had a partnership with a start date reported as ‘exactly’ 1 year ago. The proportion of partnerships reported as ongoing was higher for more stable relationship categories and where last sex was more recent. Among unmarried participants, for example, last intercourse was reported as within the last 4 months in 91% and 84% of ongoing partnerships among males and females, respectively (Table). Conclusions Internal consistency was good overall. Inclusion of STI testing, and questions on number of partnerships and timing of intercourse allowed the identification of reporting biases. Reports of relationship status were plausible and ongoing status may be a reasonable proxy for recency of sex.

Background Sexual partnership patterns influence risk of STI transmission. We describe the pattern of partnerships reported by youth in a survey in rural Tanzania and calculate the UNAIDS recommended measure of concurrency. Methods In 2007/8, sexual partnership histories were collected, through a face-to-face questionnaire, from 13,814 15–30 y-olds (90% aged 19–25 y) in 20 communities, in Mwanza, Tanzania. Partnership patterns of sexually active participants were described based on reported dates of first and last intercourse with their last 3 partners in the past year. One-off partnerships had the same date of first and last intercourse. Point prevalence of concurrency was calculated at 6 months prior to the survey. Results Females and males had mean age of 21 and 22 years respectively. In the year prior to the survey, 87% of females and 79% of males reported at least one sexual partner, and 15% of females and 44% of males reported > 3 partners. Among those reporting 1–3 partners, 47% of one-off partnerships started within 4 months of the survey suggesting reporting bias and/or censoring of data. Only 3% of females reported > 2 new partners in the previous year compared to 26% of males, and 3% of females reported > 1 partner in the last 4 weeks compared to 18% of males. The point prevalence of concurrency was 2.3% for females and 10.7% for males. Partnership patterns varied by sex and marital status (Table). The ‘Previously married’ group were the most likely to report multiple partners. Conclusions High levels of multiple and concurrent partnerships were reported by males and the ‘previously married’. Further analysis of the characteristics of the specific partners and partnerships will be completed to understand the risk associated with each pattern of partnerships. Analyses will also be adjusted for the bias introduced by restricting questions to the last 3 partners.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent decreases in HIV incidence in many sub-Saharan African countries, there is little evidence that specific behavioural interventions have led to a reduction in HIV among young people. Further and wider-scale decreases in HIV require better understanding of when behaviour change occurs and why. The MEMA kwa Vijana adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention has been implemented in rural Mwanza, Tanzania since 1999. A long-term evaluation in 2007/8 found that the intervention improved knowledge, attitudes to sex and some reported risk behaviours, but not HIV or HSV2 prevalence. The aim of this paper was to assess the differential impact of the intervention according to gender, age, marital status, number of years of exposure and time since last exposure to the intervention. METHODS: In 2007, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in the 20 trial communities among 13,814 young people (15-30 yrs) who had attended intervention or comparison schools between 1999 and 2002. Outcomes for which the intervention had an impact in 2001 or 2007 were included in this subgroup analysis. Data were analysed using cluster-level methods for stratified cluster-randomised trials, using interaction tests to determine if intervention impact differed by subgroup. RESULTS: Taking into account multiplicity of testing, concurrence with a priori hypotheses and consistency within the results no strong effect-modifiers emerged. Impact on pregnancy knowledge and reported attitudes to sex increased with years of exposure to high-quality intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The desirable long-term impact of the MEMA kwa Vijana intervention did not vary greatly according to the subgroups examined. This suggests that the intervention can have an impact on a broad cross-section of young people in rural Mwanza. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00248469.

Background HIV and STI incidence rises sharply during adolescence and young adulthood due to increased sexual activity. At this time youth also undergo major life transitions for example, leaving school, becoming sexually active, leaving home and getting married. It is hypothesised that risk of HIV/STIs increases during or just after such transitions for example, the interval between acquiring a first sexual partner and first marriage is usually the time of most rapid partner turnover. Targeting youth, their sexual partners, and/or families at key transitional periods may be effective in reducing HIV/STI rates. This study explores the association between marital transitions (change in marital status) and HIV seroconversion in a cohort in Tanzania. Methods In 1998, the MEMA kwa Vijana sexual and reproductive health intervention trial recruited 9645 young people aged 14–17 years in rural Mwanza. We analysed a sub-set of the cohort (3240) who attended follow-up surveys in 2001 and 2007. Reported marital and measured HIV status at both time points was used to describe marital transitions and their association with HIV seroconversion. Logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, behavioural and biological risk factors was used to assess whether marital transition was independently associated with seroconversion. Results Cases of HIV and the proportion married increased very substantially between 2001 and 2007 (Abstract P1-S5.17 table 1). Seroconversion rates were higher among females remaining unmarried (6.4%, p=0.01) and those transitioning from married or never married to previously married (8.8%, p Conclusions Women who remained unmarried and/or transitioned from married/unmarried to previously married during the 6 year follow-up were more likely to become infected with HIV. The association between marital transition and HIV seroconversion among females appeared largely due to differences in number of reported sexual partners. Limitations included the lack of information on the exact timing of marriage or breakdown of marriage and of seroconversion, and the limited proportion of cohort members eligible for inclusion. Nevertheless, marital transitions appear important determinants of risk.