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Health Care Science 2023, 2(3): 164-172 https://doi.org/10.1002/hcs2.54
Original Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 09 June 2023

Effectiveness of online HIV treatment services in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Show Author's Information Jing Han1,  Hanxi Zhang1,  Ye Su1,  Fujie Zhang2( )
WHO Collaborating Centre for Comprehensive Management of HIV Treatment and Care, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Center for HIV/AIDS, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Keywords:
efficacy, HIV, online service
Cite this article:
Han J, Zhang H, Su Y, et al. Effectiveness of online HIV treatment services in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Health Care Science, 2023, 2(3): 164-172. https://doi.org/10.1002/hcs2.54
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has created challenges with respect to HIV care services. Remote online services might provide an effective method for health service delivery to people living with HIV (PLHIV). Few studies have focused on the efficacy of telemedical services for PLHIV and the effect of antiretroviral treatment via online services in China.

Methods

We developed a platform called the “No. 8 Health” for online antiretroviral drug collection and delivery services in Beijing from January 21 to June 30, 2022. We evaluated the online treatment service according to viral load suppression rates and compared differences in social characteristics between PLHIV who received antiretroviral drugs through online or offline treatment services.

Results

By June 2022, 9528 PLHIV had received outpatient treatment services, among which 44.6% (4031/9528) used the online treatment and drug delivery services for a total of 5590 person‐times. The satisfaction rate was 100%. Rates of viral load suppression among PLHIV who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2020 and 2021 were 96.4% and 93.1%, respectively. Results showed that the viral load suppression rate was 97.9%. Regarding HIV rapid self‐testing, 4513 men who have sex with men used the online HIV rapid testing service. The number of users was approximately the same as in 2021, but both were slightly lower than those in 2020.

Conclusion

This study was the first to evaluate the effect of online drug collection and delivery services and virologic outcomes among PLHIV in China. The online service helped with maintenance of ART services, but the COVID‐19 pandemic still had some impacts on viral load suppression.


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Abstract
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About this article

Effectiveness of online HIV treatment services in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Show Author's information Jing Han1, Hanxi Zhang1, Ye Su1, Fujie Zhang2( )
WHO Collaborating Centre for Comprehensive Management of HIV Treatment and Care, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Center for HIV/AIDS, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

Abstract

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has created challenges with respect to HIV care services. Remote online services might provide an effective method for health service delivery to people living with HIV (PLHIV). Few studies have focused on the efficacy of telemedical services for PLHIV and the effect of antiretroviral treatment via online services in China.

Methods

We developed a platform called the “No. 8 Health” for online antiretroviral drug collection and delivery services in Beijing from January 21 to June 30, 2022. We evaluated the online treatment service according to viral load suppression rates and compared differences in social characteristics between PLHIV who received antiretroviral drugs through online or offline treatment services.

Results

By June 2022, 9528 PLHIV had received outpatient treatment services, among which 44.6% (4031/9528) used the online treatment and drug delivery services for a total of 5590 person‐times. The satisfaction rate was 100%. Rates of viral load suppression among PLHIV who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2020 and 2021 were 96.4% and 93.1%, respectively. Results showed that the viral load suppression rate was 97.9%. Regarding HIV rapid self‐testing, 4513 men who have sex with men used the online HIV rapid testing service. The number of users was approximately the same as in 2021, but both were slightly lower than those in 2020.

Conclusion

This study was the first to evaluate the effect of online drug collection and delivery services and virologic outcomes among PLHIV in China. The online service helped with maintenance of ART services, but the COVID‐19 pandemic still had some impacts on viral load suppression.

Keywords: efficacy, HIV, online service

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Publication history
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Publication history

Received: 24 November 2022
Accepted: 04 May 2023
Published: 09 June 2023
Issue date: June 2023

Copyright

© 2023 The Authors. Tsinghua University Press.

Acknowledgements

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to Jing Han and Fujie Zhang for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper. We thank the patients who participated in the research. This work is supported by High‐Level Public Health Technical Personnel Construction project (2022‐3‐036).

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This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

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