Browsing by Author "Shannon, Kate"

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    Gendered sexual risk patterns and polygamy among HIV sero-discordant couples in Uganda
    (Retrovirology, 2012-05-22) Khanakwa, Sarah; Ngolobe, Moses; Moore, David; Mwesigwa, Robert; Birungi, Josephine; King, Rachel; Shannon, Kate
    Multiple sexual partnerships and HIV sero-discordant relationships are among the most at-risk for HIV transmission. Polygamy is a common form of multiple-partnered relationships in Eastern Uganda. We investigated the association between HIV risk patterns and polygamy among HIV sero-discordant couples at The AIDS Support Organization in Jinja, Uganda Methods Participants were enrollees in a prospective cohort of HIV sero-discordant couples, the Highly Active Antiretroviral therapy as Prevention (HAARP) Study at TASO Jinja. Descriptive nand bivariate analyses to compare sexual risk patterns among HIV sero-discordant men; in polygamous as compared to single-spouse relationship.
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    Supporting Southern-led Research: Implications for North–South Research Partnerships
    (Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2012-04) Muldoon, Katherine A.; Birungi, Josephine; Berry, Nicole S.; Ngolobe, Moses H.; Mwesigwa, Robert; Shannon, Kate; Moore, David M.
    Background: Global health research partnerships are commonly led by Northern investigators who come from resource-rich research environments, while Southern partners participate with a paucity of research skills and resources. This power asymmetry within North–South research partnerships may further exacerbate the unequal distribution of benefits from the research process. Methods: This study is designed to present the benefits and challenges of engaging in the research process from the perspective of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), an HIV/AIDS care and treatment organization that has been involved in global health research partnerships. It uses a validated research tool entitled “Is Research Working for You?” to facilitate qualitative interviews surrounding the experienced benefits and challenges in engaging in the research partnerships as described by TASO staff. Results: Three key themes emerged from the content and thematic analysis: 1) the reported benefits of research (e.g., evidence-based management, advocacy, etc.), 2) the challenges the research committee members face in becoming more involved in the research process (e.g., lack of data analysis skill, lack of inclusion in the research process, etc.), and 3) the institutional ambition at TASO to develop a Southern-led research agenda. Conclusions: This is one of the few studies to document the development of a Southern-led research agenda in addition to the challenges of engaging in the research process. Mechanisms for moderating power dynamics within North–South partnerships can provide opportunities for improved research capacity and quality.
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    War-Related Abduction and History of Incarceration Linked to High Burden of HIV among Female Sex Workers in Conflict-Affected Northern Uganda.
    (Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., 2016-09-01) Goldenberg, Shira M.; Muzaaya, Godfrey; Akello, Monica; Nguyen, Paul; Birungi, Josephine; Shannon, Kate
    Objective: Sex workers (SWs) in sub-Saharan Africa face a disproportionate HIV burden and growing concerns of severe human rights violations. Given the dearth of evidence on the burden and correlates of HIV among SWs in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within conflict-affected settings, we examined the relationship between structural determinants (eg, war-related abduction, incarceration) and HIV infection among conflict-affected SWs in Northern Uganda. Design: Cross-sectional community-based research study among female SWs in conflict-affected Gulu, Northern Uganda. Results: Of 400 SWs, 135 (33.75%) were HIV seropositive; of whom one-third were new/previously undiagnosed HIV infections. In multivariable analysis, after adjusting for age of sex work entry and education, lifetime incarceration (adjusted odds ratio: 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.17 to −3.20) was independently associated with HIV seroprevalence, and history of wartime abduction (adjusted odds ratio: 1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 2.63) was marginally associated (P = 0.051). Conclusions: This study documented a high rate of undiagnosed HIV infections and associations between war-related human rights violations, incarceration, and a heavy HIV burden among SWs in conflict-affected Northern Uganda. These findings highlight the serious harms of conflict and criminalization of marginalized women in sub-Saharan African contexts. SW-led interventions that address conflict experiences and policy shifts to promote a rights-based approach to HIV prevention and care remain critically needed.