Version 1
: Received: 5 March 2024 / Approved: 5 March 2024 / Online: 5 March 2024 (10:51:12 CET)
How to cite:
Alaei, K.; Kwan, B.; Torabzadeh, H.R.; Akinwalere, A.O.; Saydamirovich, S.S.; Mohsinzoda, G.; Alaei, A. Regional Health Divides: Understanding Inequities in Late Diagnosis of HIV in Tajikistan. Preprints2024, 2024030246. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0246.v1
Alaei, K.; Kwan, B.; Torabzadeh, H.R.; Akinwalere, A.O.; Saydamirovich, S.S.; Mohsinzoda, G.; Alaei, A. Regional Health Divides: Understanding Inequities in Late Diagnosis of HIV in Tajikistan. Preprints 2024, 2024030246. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0246.v1
Alaei, K.; Kwan, B.; Torabzadeh, H.R.; Akinwalere, A.O.; Saydamirovich, S.S.; Mohsinzoda, G.; Alaei, A. Regional Health Divides: Understanding Inequities in Late Diagnosis of HIV in Tajikistan. Preprints2024, 2024030246. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0246.v1
APA Style
Alaei, K., Kwan, B., Torabzadeh, H.R., Akinwalere, A.O., Saydamirovich, S.S., Mohsinzoda, G., & Alaei, A. (2024). Regional Health Divides: Understanding Inequities in Late Diagnosis of HIV in Tajikistan. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0246.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Alaei, K., Gafur Mohsinzoda and Arash Alaei. 2024 "Regional Health Divides: Understanding Inequities in Late Diagnosis of HIV in Tajikistan" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.0246.v1
Abstract
HIV early detection (CD4 counts ≥350 cells/μL) is correlated with higher life expectancy among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Several factors including physical, cultural, structural, and financial barriers have contributed to HIV late detection. This is the first-of-its-kind study on the regional differences in early detection of HIV within Tajikistan and any country in the Central Asia region. Utilizing Tajikistan Ministry of Health's national HIV data (N=10,700) spanning 2010 to 2023, we developed median regression models with median CD4 cell count as the outcome and as predictors: time (years), region, age, gender, and area (urban/rural status). Individuals younger than 19 years old are more likely to be detected early for HIV, whereas those older than 39 years are more prone to late detection. Given their active engagement in age-related and sexual activities, those older than 39 years face a higher risk of HIV transmission to others if diagnosed late. Therefore, they require further attention and targeted interventions. Females are detected earlier compared to their male counterparts, regardless of region of residence. Rural populations are detected earlier in most years compared to their urban counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated HIV early detection in 2021 but most regions have returned to near pre-pandemic levels of detection in 2022 and 2023. These fluctuations in early detection may signify a shift in attention and resource allocation, potentially affecting efforts to address access gaps during the initial year of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are significant health inequities among different demographic and geographic groups which warrant further attention.
Keywords
HIV detection; HIV testing; Tajikistan; Central Asia; regional disparities; rural areas; gender disparities; age; COVID-19; case study
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
