Strengthening Implementation and Behavioural Social Sciences in HIV research

Local healthcare providers see the impact of HIV/AIDS, its associated comorbidities and stigma across different age spectrums daily. As research into the development of an HIV cure continues to advance globally, the field has expanded to include implementation science and behavioral social sciences research.

We know that HIV/AIDS is intricately interwoven with an individual’s behavior and social context. Therefore, addressing it solely through biomedical interventions such as drugs and vaccines would be falling short of bringing the epidemic under control. Involving aspects of behavioral and social sciences is critical in helping us to understand how health attitudes, social cognitions and personal habits shape one’s decisions and practices as regards HIV prevention and treatment.

Under the Makerere University Behavioral Social Sciences Research (BSSR) program, we are training a number of early career researchers in order to leverage on the benefits of BSSR to lower HIV incidence and increase treatment coverage rates. As reflected in the various stories shared in this newsletter, fellows research on issues such as the interplay between alcohol use and HIV care is helping to integrate evidence based social behavioral approaches into biomedical care.

Similarly, implementation science is an expanding field within HIV/AIDS research and public health practice. Through it, researchers aim to close the gap between theory and practice by addressing barriers that delay uptake of proven health interventions. Through the Makerere University Implementation Science (ImS) Program, more than 50 young scientists are being trained to optimize the public health impact of efficacious interventions such as test-and-treat and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for eligible populations. In this newsletter, you’ll acquaint yourself with the ImS program aims, activities and fellows’ research.

As our fellows on the BSSR and ImS program continue to excel, we envision enhancing capacity for HIV research and care in Uganda and Africa at large. I am pleased to present to you the novel ImS/BSSR newsletter that brings you exhilarating insights into the programs’ activities and achievements. Enjoy your reading!

Highlights

• Prof. Moses Kamya Awarded the Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award
  • Prof. Kamya was awarded for his outstanding contribution in the field of research and teaching infectious diseases with a particular interest in malaria and HIV. He is past chair of the Department of Medicine and past Dean of the Makerere University School of Medicine in Kampala, Uganda. He is a founding member of the Makerere University Joint AIDS Program (MJAP), the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), and the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC) in Uganda.
• Building Implementation Science Capacity to Strengthen the Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Uganda
  • The Makerere University School of Medicine Implementation Science (Mak-ImS) Training program, funded by the United States National Institutes of Health-Fogarty International Center is a collaboration between Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) and University of California San Francisco (UCSF)-USA. This program focuses and integrating ImS as a field of study at Makerere University; influencing HIV practices and enhancing the cascade of HIV care in Uganda.
• ImS Program staff hold two-day training for Walter Reed Staff
  • On November 14 and 15 2022, Directors, Heads of Department and departmental staff of Makerere University Walter Reed Program (MUWRP) underwent an intense training in implementation science (ImS), a field of study that enables research uptake into practice. The training purposed to equip MUWRP staff with knowledge on various concepts of implementation science such as its principles, study designs and evaluation frameworks.
• Dr. Geetha Bansal visits ImS fellows in Uganda
  • On Thursday 18 May 2023, fellows, mentors and mentees on the Implementation Science Program met and interacted with Dr. Geetha Bansal, Program Director, HIV Research and Training Programs at the National Institutes of Health.
• Emerging researchers share exciting study projects
  • On Friday the 13^th of October 2023, the Makerere-Implementation Science (MakImS) program conducted a trainees’ progress review meeting to track advancement of trainees’ PhD, masters and fellowship research projects. The review meeting attracted over 40 participants including trainees, principal investigators, university faculty and mentors.
• Dr. Amadriyo presents abstract @ the 18^th AOGU Conference
  • Dr. Emma Amadriyo, a master’s trainee on the ImS program presented her abstract titled, titled “Missed opportunities for eMTCT among mothers living with HIV whose infants seroconverted in Masaka Regional Referral Hospital – A retrospective cohort analysis” at the 18th annual scientific conference of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Uganda (AOGU)
• Testimonials from ImS -Alumni
  • SSUNA BASHIR, postdoctoral fellow at Yale University and Makerere University
  • AHMED KATUMBA, Supply Chain Specialist in QED Group LLC.
  • SUSAN NAKUBULWA, applying ImS Frameworks in research and the utilization of Community Engaged Research to enable smoother translation of evidence into practice
  • JOAN NANGENDO, Training Coordinator, Mak-ImS program
  • DR. NELSON KALEMA, mentoring and supporting scientists towards the application of implementation science approaches
  • DR. LILLIAN TUGUME, used knowledge and skills to complete Mmed dissertation that explored the willingness of serodiscordant couples to accept pre-exposure prophylaxis
• Strengthening Behavioral and Social science Research capacity to address evolving challenges in HIV care and prevention in Uganda
  • Spearheaded by Professors Moses Kamya, Anne Ruhweza Katahoire and Carol Suzanne Camlin, MakBSSR leverages on existing collaborations among social, behavioral, and biomedical scientists at Makerere University and its HIV programs, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Currently, five PhD candidates, 14 masters’ fellows and eight fellowship candidates are being supported by the project.
• Q&A With Dr. Namisi Charles Patrick
  • Dr. Namisi’s PhD study, funded by the Behavioral Social Science Research (BSSR) Program of Makerere University, seeks to develop and validate a stigma mastery model for PLHIV. He is the acting Dean of the Mother Kevin Post Graduate Medical School of Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi.
• Musanje aims to develop a customized mindfulness intervention for adolescents living with HIV
  • This research aims to culturally adapt a mindfulness and acceptance therapy in Uganda; explore acceptability of a Mindfulness and Acceptance Based Interventions (MABI) among adolescents (15-19 years) in Uganda; evaluate the effectiveness of a MABI on improving mental health among ALHIV and evaluate the effectiveness of a MABI on improving adherence to antiretroviral treatment among ALHIV. The research was conducted at Kisenyi Health Centre IV and Kitebi Health Centre III.
• Regina Ndagire credits the BSSR Program for equipping her for the working world
  • She is applying the research skills obtained on the program in her current role as a research officer at Clarke International University. Here, she supports students and faculty in research; conducts research training; supervises research and engages in the writing of research policy documents and grants.
• Using virtual support groups to improve ART adherence among adolescents – Kiirya’s Journey
  • Her study seeks to explore the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of online peer support groups to improve adherence among YLHIVA in Kampala. It is being conducted among 402 youths attached to Kisenyi and Kawaala Health Centre IVs and Kiswa and Komamboga Health Centre IIIs.
• Lived experiences, perceptions & HIV care outcomes among young people living with HIV in South Western Uganda
  • Dr. Raymond Felix Odokonyero is psychiatrist at Mulago National Referral Hospital and lecturer at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences. His research interests lie in understanding the interplay between alcohol use and HIV care among young people living with HIV (YPLHIV).
• Nante Rachel Wangi
  • Wangi interested herself in studying Assisted Partner Notification (APN) among people who have severe mental illness (SMI), who are living with HIV (PLHIV) at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital. She conducted a mixed methods study, quantitatively examining 125 medical files of PLHIV with a diagnosis of SMI between 2018 and 2021. Additionally, ten in-depth interviews with patients and six key informant interviews with health workers were conducted to determine socio-cultural barriers to APN uptake.

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