Educational Campaign Identifies Improvements in Outcomes and Treatment Satisfaction among People Living with HIV
Presenter: Frank Spinelli, MD, Medical Director, US Patient Affairs, ViiV Healthcare, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Brentford, United Kingdom.
A summary of Effects of the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (“U=U”) Educational Campaign on Treatment Outcomes and Perceptions among People Living with HIV in North American Countries, September 30, 2021
According to Frank Spinelli, MD, Medical Director, US Patient Affairs, ViiV Healthcare, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, at the end of 2020, 27.5 million people living with HIV (PLWH) were accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART), accelerating attainment of the goal of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The advocacy and educational campaign ‘Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)’ began in 2016 to improve quality of life, encourage treatment uptake and adherence, and reduce HIV-related stigma for PLWH.”
Spinelli further noted that, “The key message behind U=U is that PLWH who are on treatment and achieve and maintain viral suppression cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partner. Healthcare provider discussions of U=U with PLWH have been associated with favorable health outcomes, such as lower odds of suboptimal adherence and higher odds of self-reported viral suppression, optimal sexual health, and sharing of HIV status.”
Spinelli and colleagues examined reports from PLWH in North American countries, “to identify whether the campaign impacted healthcare provider communications and to determine if positive health outcomes differed in any way. Data were collected from the 2019 multinational Positive Perspectives survey of PLWH, and the population analyzed included 120 PLWH in Canada, 63 PLWH in Mexico, and 400 PLWH in the United States. Outcome variables included self-rated mental and sexual health, self-reported viral suppression, sharing of HIV status, optimal adherence, and treatment perceptions.”
Spinelli continued, “The prevalence of optimal adherence and sharing of HIV status with 1 or more persons other than a healthcare professional were highest in Mexico (76% adherence; 95% sharing) compared to Canada (48%; 87%) or the United States (70%; 84%). Information varied in the United States by sexual orientation (heterosexual, 63%; homosexual, 75%), sex (men, 65%; women, 90%), and metropolitan vs non-metropolitan residence (metropolitan, 78%; non-metropolitan, 65%). These demographic differences were not seen in Canada or Mexico.”
“In the US, PLWH who said they were informed of U=U had more favorable viral suppression (64%) and more optimal mental health (58%) and sexual health (46%) than those who were not informed (45%, 23%, and 23%, respectively), said Spinelli.
Spinelli further stated that, “Whether PLWH were informed of U=U correlated with treatment satisfaction and perception that treatment needs were being met in the United States and Canada as well as the belief that treatment prevents transmission in the United States.”
Spinelli concluded, “The association between the U=U discussion and health outcomes suggests opportunities exist to improve the healthcare experience of PLHW. Patient and healthcare provider discussions about U=U should be considered in care guidelines to help improve quality of life for PLWH.”
Disclosures
Frank Spinelli, MD: ViiV Healthcare (Employee) and GlaxoSmithKline (Stock holder). This research was funded by ViiV Healthcare (Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Brentford, United Kingdom).
References
Okoli C, Van de Velde N, Richman B, et al. Undetectable equals untransmittable (U = U): awareness and associations with health outcomes among people living with HIV in 25 countries. Sex Transm Infect 2021; 97(1):18-26. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2020-054551
Prevention Access Campaign. Consensus statement. Available at https://www.preventionaccess.org/consensus Accessed October 4, 2021.
Spinelli F, Richman B, de los Rios P, et al. Effects of the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (“U=U”) educational campaign on treatment outcomes and perceptions among people living with HIV in North American countries. Presented virtually at: 10th Annual IDWeek 2021; September 29, 2021. Abstract 76.
UNAIDS. Global HIV & AIDS statistics – Fact sheet. Available at https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet Accessed October 4, 2021.
UNAIDS. Global AIDS update 2021. Available at https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/2021-global-aids-update_en.pdf Accessed October 4, 2021.