Browsing by Author "Mark J. Siedner"

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    Clinical Outcomes, Costs, and Cost-effectiveness of Strategies for People Experiencing Sheltered Homelessness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    (2020-08-11) Travis P. Baggett; Justine A. Scott; Mylinh H. Le; Fatma M. Shebl; Christopher Panella; Elena Losina; Clare Flanagan; Jessie M. Gaeta; Anne Neilan; Emily P. Hyle; Amir Mohareb; Krishna P. Reddy; Mark J. Siedner; Guy Harling; Milton C. Weinstein; Andrea Ciaranello; Pooyan Kazemian; Kenneth A. Freedberg
    Importance: Approximately 356,000 people stay in homeless shelters nightly in the US. They are at high risk for COVID-19. Objective: To assess clinical outcomes, costs, and cost-effectiveness of strategies for COVID-19 management among sheltered homeless adults. Design: We developed a dynamic microsimulation model of COVID-19 in sheltered homeless adults in Boston, Massachusetts. We used cohort characteristics and costs from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Disease progression, transmission, and outcomes data were from published literature and national databases. We examined surging, growing, and slowing epidemics (effective reproduction numbers [Re] 2.6, 1.3, and 0.9). Costs were from a health care sector perspective; time horizon was 4 months, from April to August 2020. Setting & Participants: Simulated cohort of 2,258 adults residing in homeless shelters in Boston. Interventions: We assessed daily symptom screening with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of screen-positives, universal PCR testing every 2 weeks, hospital-based COVID-19 care, alternate care sites [ACSs] for mild/moderate COVID-19, and temporary housing, each compared to no intervention. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cumulative infections and hospital-days, costs to the health care sector (US dollars), and cost-effectiveness, as incremental cost per case prevented of COVID-19. Results: We simulated a population of 2,258 sheltered homeless adults with mean age of 42.6 years. Compared to no intervention, daily symptom screening with ACSs for pending tests or confirmed COVID-19 and mild/moderate disease led to 37% fewer infections and 46% lower costs (Re=2.6), 75% fewer infections and 72% lower costs (Re=1.3), and 51% fewer infections and 51% lower costs (Re=0.9). Adding PCR testing every 2 weeks further decreased infections; incremental cost per case prevented was $1,000 (Re=2.6), $27,000 (Re=1.3), and $71,000 (Re=0.9). Temporary housing with PCR every 2 weeks was most effective but substantially more costly than other options. Results were sensitive to cost and sensitivity of PCR and ACS efficacy in preventing transmission. Conclusions & Relevance: In this modeling study of simulated adults living in homeless shelters, daily symptom screening and ACSs were associated with fewer COVID-19 infections and decreased costs compared with no intervention. In a modeled surging epidemic, adding universal PCR testing every 2 weeks was associated with further decrease in COVID-19 infections at modest incremental cost and should be considered during future surges.
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    Perceptions about local ART adherence norms and personal adherence behavior among adults living with HIV in rural Uganda
    (2022-06) Jessica M. Perkins; Bernard Kakuhikire; Charles Baguma; Justin D. Rasmussen; Emily N. Satinsky; Allen Kiconco; Justus Kananura; Carolyn M. Audet; Mark J. Siedner; Jessica E. Haberer; David R. Bangsberg; Alexander C. Tsai
    Although misperceived norms often drive personal health behaviors, we do not know about this phenomenon in the context of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. We conducted a cross-sectional study including all persons living with HIV (PLWH) on ART across eight villages in one parish in a rural region of southwestern Uganda. We used surveys to measure personal reports of ART adherence (not missing any doses of ART in the past 7 days was considered optimal adherence whereas missing doses was considered sub-optimal adherence) and perceived norms about the local ART adherence norm (whether or not each individual thought ‘most other PLWH on ART in this parish’ missed any doses in the past 7 days). Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate the association between perceived norms and personal adherence. Among 159 PLWH on ART (95% response rate), 142 (89%) reported no missed doses. However, 119 (75%) thought most individuals in this population of PLWH on ART were sub-optimally adherent. This misperception about the local ART adherence norm was prevalent in every subgroup of PLWH. Misperceiving the local ART adherence norm to be sub-optimal adherence was associated with a reduced likelihood of optimal adherence among married PLWH (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71–0.97). The association was similar but imprecisely estimated for all PLWH (aRR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.82–1.01). Interventions to correct misperceived ART adherence norms as a stand-alone intervention or as a complement to other adherence promotion programs may influence ART adherence behavior and perhaps reduce HIV-related stigma.