Late diagnosis of HIV among Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic: A retrospective, observational study
Zofia Bartovská1, Ricardo Massmann2,3,4, David Jilich5,6
1Department of Infectious Diseases, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Military University Hospital Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
Insights
Ukrainian refugees newly diagnosed with HIV in the Czech Republic were more likely to receive a late diagnosis compared to Czech nationals. This highlights a critical public health issue requiring targeted interventions for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The influx of Ukrainian refugees into the Czech Republic due to war necessitates understanding their health status, particularly for newly diagnosed infectious diseases like HIV.
- Late diagnosis of HIV can lead to poorer health outcomes and increased transmission risk, making early detection crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic patterns of Ukrainian refugees newly diagnosed with HIV in the Czech Republic.
- To compare the rate of late HIV diagnosis among Ukrainian refugees versus Czech nationals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, observational study of Ukrainian and Czech nationals newly diagnosed with HIV between March 2022 and June 2023.
- Data collected from medical records, including demographics, HIV diagnosis timing, and healthcare setting.
Main Results:
- Out of 298 patients, 58 were Ukrainian refugees. 60.3% of Ukrainian refugees had a late HIV diagnosis, compared to 37.8% of Czech nationals (p=0.005).
- Ukrainian refugees were older at diagnosis (mean 40.7 vs. 31.5 years) and more likely to be diagnosed at a later HIV stage (p=0.021).
- Diagnosis in Ukrainian refugees was less frequent in primary care settings.
Conclusions:
- Ukrainian refugees represent a population at higher risk for late HIV diagnosis in the Czech Republic.
- Timely and accessible HIV testing and linkage to care are essential for Ukrainian refugees.
Objectives:
This retrospective, observational, non-interventional study describes the demographics, characteristics, immunological and virological status, coinfections, healthcare unit of HIV diagnosis and follow-up status of Ukrainian refugees with newly diagnosed HIV in the Czech Republic, with a special focus on those with a late HIV diagnosis.
Methods:
Ukrainian nationals with war refugee status, Ukrainian nationals with Czech Republic resident status and Czech Republic nationals who newly registered at HIV centres in the Czech Republic between March 2022 and June 2023 with a new diagnosis of HIV were included. Data were collected from medical records. The study was registered with the Czech State Institute for Drug Control (ID 2401240000).
Results:
In total, 298 patients with a new HIV diagnosis were included in the study. Of these, 58 patients were Ukrainian refugees who were retained in care. This cohort had a mean age of 37.0 years (min-max 13-60) and most (62.1%) were women. More than half of the Ukrainian refugees in this study (60.3%) had a late HIV diagnosis; these patients were older than those with a prompt diagnosis (mean age 40.7 vs. 31.5 years, p < 0.001). Ukrainian refugees were infrequently diagnosed in primary care and significantly more likely to have a late HIV diagnosis (60.3% vs. 37.8%, p = 0.005) and be diagnosed at a later HIV stage (p = 0.021) than Czech nationals.
Conclusion:
Ukrainian refugees were more likely to have a late HIV diagnosis than Czech nationals.
