Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Background: In recent years, cobble stone road creation has become one of the most successful infrastructure and job creation in Ethiopia, with tremendous benefits for the poor rural and urban population segment. Identifying factors associated with cobble stone chiselers laborers risk behaviors is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies. Hence, this study aimed to assess risky sexual behavior and associated factors among cobblestone chiselers, in Hana Mariam, Nifas Silk Lafto Sub City, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted in March 2015 among cobblestone chiselers. The data entry and analysis was carried out using SPSS version 16. Association between dependent and independent variables were tested using bivariate logistic analysis, CI at 95%. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The prevalence risky sexual behavior of respondents was 79.4%. Nearly half of the study participants 44.5% were age group 25-29 years. About 26.4% of cobble stone chiselers have had 2-5 sexual partners in the past 12 months and 42.2% of study participants did not used condom in the first sexual intercourse. Single by marital status were about nine times more likely had risky sexual practices as compared to divorce (AOR=8.762, 95% CI=4.672- 16.433) in the study participant whose educational status from grade 5-8 and grade 9-12 were about 3 and 4 times more likely practices risky sexual behavior than those individuals whose educational level were write and read (AOR=3.084, 95% CI=1.328-7.162) and (AOR=4.224, 95% CI=1.532-11.629). Those who drink alcohol daily were 6.277 times more likely practicing risky behavior as compared to those not drunk (AOR=6.277, 95% CI=1.622-24.298).
Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of risky sexual behavior among cobble stone chiselers daily laborers was higher; therefore, critical health education that aimed at bringing behavioral changes should be planned and implemented by giving emphasis on identified risk sexual behavior.

Background: Routine HIV viral load tests improve treatment quality and individual health outcomes for people living with HIV. Quality improvement (QI) consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of Quality Improvement (QI) on achieving routine HIV viral load implementation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Facility based prospective follow up study design approach was used from January 2016 to December 2016. Data was entered, cleaned using EPI-Data 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 software for further processing and analysis. The effect of QI was measured and monitored by test change using run chart.
Results: At the end of the quality improvement, the monthly routine viral load performance samples using one analyzer were 3255 from less than 676 at baseline. The routine viral load feedback arrival within agreed turnaround time and regularly archival availability increase from 6 health facilities (7.2%) to 65% at 54 health facilities by December 2016, from the 83 ART monitoring health facilities sent their HIV viral load sample. Implementation of continuous quality improvement is a game changer in transforming laboratory quality and positively impact on meeting the third 90 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Conclusion: The QI model which have implemented at Addis Ababa health research HIV viral load laboratory achieve and worth good experiences with a range of benefits. We strongly believe that healthcare has much to gain by successfully implementing Quality improvement principles within their routine programs.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infection in an endemic country like India and a major cause of mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Primary objectives: To study the prevalence of recurrent TB in patients of HIV/TB coinfection. Secondary objective: 1) To study the clinical profile of recurrent TB cases. 2) To study the factors associated with recurrence of TB in patients of HIV/TB co-infection.
Materials and method: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Pune, India between November 2014 to August 2016 in which case records of 185 patients with known HIV/TB co-infection were studied for the clinical and immunological status during initial presentation and during recurrence TB. Results: The prevalence of recurrent TB in this study was 34.59% (64 subjects). The average time to recurrence was 34.27 months. Occurrence of disseminated or sputum negative pulmonary TB during initial TB illness was significantly associated with recurrence of TB (RR of 0.325 (0.18-0.58) and RR of 2.45 (1.68-3.57) respectively. The 6-month anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) regimen was significantly associated with recurrence of TB as compared to 9 month of ATT (p value<0.001, OR 0.0029 ).
Conclusion: Recurrent TB is a significant clinical problem in HIV positive patients. Male sex, sputum negative pulmonary TB or disseminated infection at the first instance of TB, a high Mantoux reading at initial TB presentation (≥ 20 mm) and shorter duration of ATT (6 months versus 9 months) are all significant risk factors for recurrence.