Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30691425›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2019

Effectiveness of community adolescent treatment supporters (CATS) interventions in improving linkage and retention in care, adherence to ART and psychosocial well-being: a randomised trial among adolescents living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe.

Nicola Willis, Amos Milanzi, Mather Mawodzeke, Chengetai Dziwa, Alice Armstrong, Innocent Yekeye, Phangisile Mtshali, Victoria James

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 96 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
96citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
9.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

96 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 144 citations in OpenAlex.

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36 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Nicola WillisAfricaid, 12 Stone Ridge Way, Harare, Zimbabwe. Nicola@zvandiri.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0452-0196
Amos MilanziNew Dimensions Consulting (NEDICO), 12 Stone Ridge Way, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Mather MawodzekeAfricaid, 12 Stone Ridge Way, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Chengetai DziwaInternational HIV/AIDS Alliance, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Alice ArmstrongIndependent Consultant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Innocent YekeyeNew Dimensions Consulting (NEDICO), 12 Stone Ridge Way, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Phangisile MtshaliBristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Victoria JamesNew Dimensions Consulting (NEDICO), 12 Stone Ridge Way, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Practical Action · ZW

Funding

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation BMS353
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEngagement with community adolescent treatment supporters (CATS) improves adherence, psychosocial well-being, linkage and retention in care among adolescents living with HIV. However, there is an urgent need for empirical evidence of the effectiveness of this approach, in order to inform further programmatic development, national and international policy, guidelines and service delivery for adolescents living with HIV. This study set out to determine the effectiveness of CATS services on improving linkage to services and retention in care, adherence and psychosocial well-being among adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

methodsA randomised trial was conducted in Gokwe South district, Zimbabwe over a period of 12 months. Ninety-four HIV-positive adolescents, 10-15 years old, on antiretroviral therapy were recruited to the study. 47 participants received standard of care from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and 47 received the same standard of care plus CATS services. Data collection involved a questionnaire which was administered at baseline then repeated at three, six, nine and twelve months for all participants. Survey questions on confidence, self-esteem and self-worth had a three-point Likert scale. Stigma, quality of life and the linkages to services and retention questions had a five-point Likert scale.

resultsSurvey questionnaires were completed with response rates of 40 out of 47 (85%) for the intervention arm, and 28 out of 47 (60%) for the control arm, at end-line. The intervention group were 3.9 times more likely to adhere to treatment compared to the control group. Linkage to services and retention in care within the intervention group increased compared with a decrease in the control arm. The intervention group reported a statistically significant increase in confidence, self-esteem, self-worth (p < 0.001) and quality of life compared (p = 0.028) with a decrease in the control arm.

conclusionsThis study found that adolescents receiving the CATS service had improved linkage to services and retention in care, improved adherence and improved psychosocial well-being compared to adolescents who did not have access to such services.

trial registrationPACTR201711002755428 . Registered 11 November 2017. Retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

Community Health ServicesDrug MonitoringAdolescentAnti-Retroviral AgentsChildContinuity of Patient CareFemaleHIV InfectionsHumansMaleMental HealthProgram EvaluationQuality of LifeRetention in CareRural PopulationSurveys and QuestionnairesAnti-Retroviral AgentsAdherenceAdolescentHIVPeersPsychosocial wellbeingRetention

Identifiers

PMID30691425
PMCPMC6348677
OpenAlexW2918255447

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.