Role of Social Determinants of Health on the HIV Testing and Treatment Cascade in Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS proposed that to achieve epidemic control of HIV by 2025; 95% of all people living with HIV are aware of their status, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of all people on ART are virally suppressed (VLS). The 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) found that in Nigeria, while only 47% knew their status, 96% had received ART, and 81% had achieved VLS. Social determinants of health (SDH), like wealth index (WI), have been shown to play a significant role in HIV in western countries, but the evidence has been limited and mixed in Nigeria. Identifying political, social, cultural, demographic, economic, and behavioral indicators of SDH, can better explain and address the disparities in the HIV epidemic, especially in the testing and treatment cascade, that are preventing the UNAIDS targets from being met in Nigeria.

Objective: Examine the role of singular and composite indicators of SDH on the 95-95-95 targets: HIV testing, receipts of ART, and VLS in people living with HIV in Nigeria. Additionally, examine if wealth modifies the relationship between SDH indicators and the three 95 targets.

Methods: Using the World Health Organization-SDH framework and Factor Analysis, I constructed composite indicators of SDH for Nigeria from various population-level survey data sources. Scores from the sub-indices and Global Terrorism Index were categorized as low, medium, and high, and individual or states were assigned one of these categories. Subsequently, I examined the association of the composite and singular SDH factors with HIV testing, receipt of ART, and achievement of VLS through survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression. Additionally, I examined the significance of the SDH indicators with the testing and treatment outcomes, by each of the wealth quintiles.

Results: Out of the seven sub-indices constructed, only Access to Public Services, Crime & Conflict, Government Corruption, and Government Performance met the internal reliability criterion (Cronbach alpha > 0.7). Global Terrorism Index was constructed based on the prescribed methodology. When examining HIV testing, the first target in the 95-95-95 UNAIDS strategy, medium levels of Government Corruption, lower/medium Government Performance, and high Terrorism was associated with lower testing. Unemployment, living in rural areas, and married before 18 years of age were significantly associated with lower odds of HIV testing. For receipt of ART, second 95-95-95 target, low/medium treatment coverage was associated with lower odds of being on treatment. Younger age, male sex, being single, and living in rural areas were the singular factors associated with lower receipt of ART. Finally, for the third 95-95-95 target, only singular SDH, like lack of condom usage during sex, CD4 count (<500), and ethnic languages were associated with lower VLS. Wealth modified the relationship between the social determinants and HIV testing and treatment, but the role was weak. Wealth may increase the gap between the lowest and highest wealth index strata; HIV-related disparities experienced might be more pronounced between the two ends.

Conclusion: Understanding and addressing structural determinants like political stability, terrorism, gender equality, accessibility to public services, and treatment facility coverage, rather than individual-level behavioral factors, could help Nigeria achieve the 95-95-95 targets.