The present study examines the factor structure of the existing Neuropsychological Impairment Scale (NIS) through the use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The NIS is a brief, self-report measure originally designed to assess neurocognitive impairment (NCI) by having patients rate a range of items that may influence cognitive functioning. Stabilized patients on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT; N=339) in New Haven, CT who reported drug- or sex-related HIV risk behaviors in the past 6 months were administered the full 95-item NIS. An EFA was then conducted using principal axis factoring and orthogonal varimax rotation. The EFA resulted in retaining 57 items, with a 9-factor solution that explained 54.8% of the overall variance. The revised 9-factor measure--now referred to as the Brief Inventory of Neuro-cognitive Impairment (BINI)--showed a diverse set of factors with excellent to good reliability (i.e., F1 α=0.97 to F9 α=0.73). This EFA suggests the potential utility of using the BINI in the context of addiction treatment. Further research should examine the utility of this tool within other clinical care settings.
Prior research has widely recognized neurocognitive impairment (NCI), depression, and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) as important negative predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV (PLWH). No studies to date, however, have explored how these neuropsychological factors operate together and affect HRQoL. Incarcerated male PLWH (N = 301) meeting criteria for opioid dependence were recruited from Malaysia's largest prison. Standardized scales for NCI, depression, alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and HRQoL were used to conduct a moderated mediation model to explore the extent to which depression mediated the relationship between NCI, HRQoL, and AUDs using an ordinary least squares regression-based path analytic framework. Results showed that increasing levels of NCI (B = -0.1773, p
While neurocognitive impairment (NCI) among people living with HIV (PLWH) who use drugs and its impact on HIV treatment outcomes continue to be widely investigated, there remains a critical gap in NCI assessment among HIV-infected people who use drugs (PWUD) in Malaysian context. The present study, therefore, sought to improve the utility of the existing Neuropsychological Impairment Scale (NIS) as a screening tool for assessing NCI by establishing its psychometric properties in the Malaysian context. The NIS is a brief, self-report measure originally designed to assess NCI by having individuals rate a range of items that may influence cognitive functioning. HIV-infected male prisoners (N=301) administered the full 95-item NIS. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using principal axis factoring and orthogonal varimax rotation. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The EFA resulted in an abbreviated, psychometrically sound, eight-factor structure (54-item) revised NIS - now referred to as the Brief Inventory of Neuro-cognitive Impairment-Malaysia (BINI-M). It is better designed to detect NCI in PLWH, ranging from generalized neurocognitive symptoms to more specific forms of impairment with excellent to average reliability. The BINI-M may serve as a useful tool for clinicians and researchers to assess NCI in PLWH and can inform enhanced treatment strategies in the Malaysian context.
Although it is well established that HIV-related stigma, depression, and lack of social support are negatively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV (PLH), no studies to date have examined how these psychosocial factors interact with each other and affect HRQoL among incarcerated PLH. We, therefore, incorporated a moderated mediation model (MMM) to explore whether depression mediates the effect of HIV-related stigma on HRQoL as a function of the underlying level of social support. Incarcerated HIV-infected men with opioid dependence (N = 301) were recruited from the HIV units in Kajang prison in Malaysia. Participants completed surveys assessing demographic characteristics, HIV-related stigma, depression, social support, and HRQoL. Results showed that the effect of HIV-related stigma on HRQoL was mediated via depression (a1:β = 0.1463, p
In settings where stigma and discrimination toward men who have sex with men (MSM) are high or illegal, like in Malaysia, innovative methods to anonymously reach them are urgently needed. The near ubiquitous availability of mobile technology, including smartphones, has the potential to open new frontiers (such as mHealth) to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The extent to which MSM use mHealth tools for HIV and STI prevention in the Malaysia context, however, is unknown. A cross-sectional online survey in 622 Malaysian MSM was conducted between July and November 2017. Participants were recruited via advertisements on mobile apps frequently used by MSM. In addition to demographic, smartphone access and utilization, and other information were assessed using logistic regression to determine factors associated with the use of a smartphone to search for online sexual health information. Nearly all (99.2%) participants owned a smartphone, with 63% reported having used one to seek sexual health information, including HIV/STIs. Overall, 96% used smartphones to find sexual partners, with high levels of HIV risk behavior reported. Independent correlates of smartphone use to seek online sexual health information included older age (aOR 0.943, p = 0.005), higher education (aOR 2.14, p = 027), recent (past year) HIV testing (aOR 3.91, p = 0.026), and seeking sexual partners using geosocial networking apps (aOR 5.58, p = 0.006). These findings suggest high smartphone use by high-risk MSM to seek sexual health information and suggests that mHealth strategies may be an effective strategy to engage MSM in HIV prevention activities.
Throughout Southeast Asia, repressive drug laws have resulted in high rates of imprisonment in people who inject drugs (PWID) and people living with HIV (PLH), greatly magnifying the harm associated with HIV, tuberculosis, and addiction. We review findings from Malaysia's largest prison to describe the negative synergistic effects of HIV, tuberculosis, addiction, and incarceration that contribute to a 'perfect storm' of events challenging public and personal health and offer insights into innovative strategies to control these converging epidemics. The majority of PLH who are imprisoned in Malaysia are opioid dependent PWID. Although promoted by official policy, evidence-based addiction treatment is largely unavailable, contributing to rapid relapse and/or overdose after release. Similarly, HIV treatment in prisons and compulsory drug treatment centers is sometimes inadequate or absent. The prevalence of active tuberculosis is high, particularly in PLH, and over 80 % of prisoners and prison personnel are latently infected. Mandatory HIV testing and subsequent segregation of HIV-infected prisoners increases the likelihood of tuberculosis acquisition and progression to active disease, amplifying the reservoir of infection for other prisoners. We discuss strategies to control these intersecting epidemics including screening linked to standardized treatment protocols for all three conditions, and effective transitional programs for released prisoners. For example, recently introduced evidence-based interventions in prisons like antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV, isoniazid preventive therapy to treat latent tuberculosis infection, and methadone maintenance to treat opioid dependence, have markedly improved clinical care and reduced morbidity and mortality. Since introduction of these interventions in September 2012, all-cause and HIV-related mortality have decreased by 50.0 % and 75.7 %, respectively. We discuss the further deployment of these interventions in Malaysian prisons.