Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment
BackgroundHIV services were inevitably disrupted and affected due to COVID-19. There are many challenges in implementing appropriate HIV services, particularly in the provision of health care and the link between people living with HIV/AIDS and retention in care. The study investigated the impact of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1033351/full |
| _version_ | 1797990254070726656 |
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| author | Abebe Feyissa Amhare Abebe Feyissa Amhare Min Zhao Min Zhao Janet Seeley Wei Hong Zhang Wei Hong Zhang Girma Garedew Goyomsa Tinsae Abeya Geleta Rui Zhao Lei Zhang Lei Zhang Lei Zhang |
| author_facet | Abebe Feyissa Amhare Abebe Feyissa Amhare Min Zhao Min Zhao Janet Seeley Wei Hong Zhang Wei Hong Zhang Girma Garedew Goyomsa Tinsae Abeya Geleta Rui Zhao Lei Zhang Lei Zhang Lei Zhang |
| author_sort | Abebe Feyissa Amhare |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundHIV services were inevitably disrupted and affected due to COVID-19. There are many challenges in implementing appropriate HIV services, particularly in the provision of health care and the link between people living with HIV/AIDS and retention in care. The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and the anticipated benefit of the COVID-19 vaccination on HIV service restoration in North Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study approach was used to explore how healthcare delivery evolved during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia. Sixteen antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics were selected from 13 districts and one administrative town in Ethiopia. From them, 32 ART providers were purposively selected based on their experience in ART provision. Data were collected from June to July 2021 using in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data, based on themes and subthemes emerging from the data. ATLAS.ti software was used for coding.ResultsHealthcare for people living with HIV was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical appointments, HIV testing and counseling services, opportunistic infection treatment, medicine supply, and routine viral load and CD4 T-cell count tests were interrupted. Due to a shortage of healthcare staff, outreach testing services and home index testing were discontinued and HIV testing was limited only to hospitals and health centers. This has substantially affected accessibility to HIV testing and reduced the quality of HIV service delivery. Telehealth and less frequent visits to health facilities were used as alternative ways of delivering HIV services. The COVID-19 vaccination campaign is expected to restore healthcare services. Vaccination may also increase the confidence of healthcare providers by changing their attitudes toward COVID-19.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted HIV services and reduced the quality of HIV care in Ethiopia. Health facilities could not provide routine HIV services as they prioritize the fight against COVID-19, leading to an increase in service discontinuation and poor adherence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:32:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a8008ade233640d98271f55ae0f134c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:32:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-a8008ade233640d98271f55ae0f134c72022-12-22T04:34:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-11-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.10333511033351Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessmentAbebe Feyissa Amhare0Abebe Feyissa Amhare1Min Zhao2Min Zhao3Janet Seeley4Wei Hong Zhang5Wei Hong Zhang6Girma Garedew Goyomsa7Tinsae Abeya Geleta8Rui Zhao9Lei Zhang10Lei Zhang11Lei Zhang12China-Australia Joint Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, ChinaCollege of Health Science, Salale University, Fiche, EthiopiaChina-Australia Joint Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, ChinaDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Ghent, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United KingdomDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Ghent, Ghent, BelgiumSchool of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, BelgiumCollege of Health Science, Salale University, Fiche, EthiopiaCollege of Health Science, Salale University, Fiche, EthiopiaSchool of Humanities and Management, Institute of Life Culture, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, ChinaChina-Australia Joint Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, ChinaMelbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaCentral Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaBackgroundHIV services were inevitably disrupted and affected due to COVID-19. There are many challenges in implementing appropriate HIV services, particularly in the provision of health care and the link between people living with HIV/AIDS and retention in care. The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and the anticipated benefit of the COVID-19 vaccination on HIV service restoration in North Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study approach was used to explore how healthcare delivery evolved during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia. Sixteen antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics were selected from 13 districts and one administrative town in Ethiopia. From them, 32 ART providers were purposively selected based on their experience in ART provision. Data were collected from June to July 2021 using in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data, based on themes and subthemes emerging from the data. ATLAS.ti software was used for coding.ResultsHealthcare for people living with HIV was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical appointments, HIV testing and counseling services, opportunistic infection treatment, medicine supply, and routine viral load and CD4 T-cell count tests were interrupted. Due to a shortage of healthcare staff, outreach testing services and home index testing were discontinued and HIV testing was limited only to hospitals and health centers. This has substantially affected accessibility to HIV testing and reduced the quality of HIV service delivery. Telehealth and less frequent visits to health facilities were used as alternative ways of delivering HIV services. The COVID-19 vaccination campaign is expected to restore healthcare services. Vaccination may also increase the confidence of healthcare providers by changing their attitudes toward COVID-19.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted HIV services and reduced the quality of HIV care in Ethiopia. Health facilities could not provide routine HIV services as they prioritize the fight against COVID-19, leading to an increase in service discontinuation and poor adherence.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1033351/fullCOVID-19people living with HIVhealthcare interruptionCOVID-19 vaccineEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Abebe Feyissa Amhare Abebe Feyissa Amhare Min Zhao Min Zhao Janet Seeley Wei Hong Zhang Wei Hong Zhang Girma Garedew Goyomsa Tinsae Abeya Geleta Rui Zhao Lei Zhang Lei Zhang Lei Zhang Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment Frontiers in Public Health COVID-19 people living with HIV healthcare interruption COVID-19 vaccine Ethiopia |
| title | Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment |
| title_full | Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment |
| title_fullStr | Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment |
| title_short | Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 on hiv services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring hiv services in ethiopia a qualitative assessment |
| topic | COVID-19 people living with HIV healthcare interruption COVID-19 vaccine Ethiopia |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1033351/full |
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