Why do sub-Saharan Africans present late for HIV care in Switzerland?

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Why do sub-Saharan Africans present late for HIV care in Switzerland?
Authors: Hachfeld, A., Darling, K., Calmy, A., Ledergerber, B., Weber, R., Battegay, M., Wissel, K., Di Benedetto, C., Fux, C.A., Tarr, P.E., Kouyos, R., Ruggia, L.S., Furrer, H.J., Wandeler, G.
Contributors: Swiss HIV Cohort Study, Aubert, V., Battegay, M., Bernasconi, E., Böni, J., Braun, D.L., Bucher, H.C., Calmy, A., Cavassini, M., Ciuffi, A., Dollenmaier, G., Egger, M., Elzi, L., Fehr, J., Fellay, J., Furrer, H., Fux, C.A., Günthard, H.F., Haerry, D., Hasse, B., Hirsch, H.H., Hoffmann, M., Hösli, I., Kahlert, C., Kaiser, L., Keiser, O., Klimkait, T., Kouyos, R.D., Kovari, H., Ledergerber, B., Martinetti, G., Martinez de Tejada, B., Marzolini, C., Metzner, K.J., Müller, N., Nicca, D., Pantaleo, G., Paioni, P., Rauch, A., Rudin, C., Scherrer, A.U., Schmid, P., Speck, R., Stöckle, M., Tarr, P., Trkola, A., Vernazza, P., Wandeler, G., Weber, R., Yerly, S.
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: Université de Lausanne (UNIL): Serval - Serveur académique lausannois
Subject Terms: Adult, Africa South of the Sahara, Delayed Diagnosis/statistics & numerical data, Emigrants and Immigrants, Female, HIV Infections/diagnosis, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Prospective Studies, Switzerland, HIV, late presentation, sub-Saharan Africans
Description: Late presentation (LP) to HIV care disproportionally affects individuals from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We explored the reasons for late presentation to care among this group of patients in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. The prevalence of LP was compared between patients from Western Europe (WE) and those from SSA enrolled between 2009 and 2012. Patients were asked about HIV testing, including access to testing and reasons for deferring it, during face-to-face interviews. The proportion of LP was 45.8% (435/950) among patients from WE, and 64.6% (126/195) among those from SSA (P < 0.001). Women from WE were slightly more likely to present late than men (52.6% versus 44.5%, respectively; P = 0.06), whereas there was no sex difference in patients from SSA (65.6% versus 63.2%, respectively; P = 0.73). Compared with late presenters from WE, those from SSA were more likely to be diagnosed during pregnancy (9.1% versus 0%, respectively; P < 0.001), but less likely to be tested by general practitioners (25.0% versus 44.6%, respectively; P = 0.001). Late presenters from SSA more frequently reported 'not knowing about anonymous testing possibilities' (46.4% versus 27.3%, respectively; P = 0.04) and 'fear about negative reaction in relatives' (39.3% versus 21.7%, respectively; P = 0.05) as reasons for late testing. Fear of being expelled from Switzerland was reported by 26.1% of late presenters from SSA. The majority of patients from SSA were late presenters, independent of sex or education level. Difficulties in accessing testing facilities, lack of knowledge about HIV testing and fear-related issues are important drivers for LP in this population.
Document Type: article in journal/newspaper
Language: English
ISSN: 1468-1293
Relation: HIV Medicine; https://iris.unil.ch/handle/iris/90645; serval:BIB_30340E1FC965; 000472676100007
DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12727
Availability: https://iris.unil.ch/handle/iris/90645
https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.12727
Accession Number: edsbas.BF952A6C
Database: BASE
Be the first to leave a comment!
You must be logged in first