Los desafíos en la continuidad de atención de personas viviendo con VIH en el Perú durante la pandemia de la COVID-19

Jose L. Paredes; Rafaella Navarro; Diego M. Cabrera; Monica M. Diaz; Fernando Mejia; Carlos F. Caceres

doi:10.17843/rpmesp.2021.381.6471

Authors

Jose L. Paredes Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.Médico cirujano https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0547-1376
Rafaella Navarro Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.Médico cirujano https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6099-7509
Diego M. Cabrera Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Médico cirujano https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3987-9433
Monica M. Diaz University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States.médico cirujano especialista en Neurología https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9663-5948
Fernando Mejia Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú. médico cirujano especialista en enfermedades infecciosas y tropicales https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8429-8833
Carlos F. Caceres Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinaria en Sexualidad, Sida y Sociedad, Lima, Perú.médico cirujano, magister en Salud Pública https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8101-0790

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2021.381.6471

Keywords:

HIV, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Peru, mental health, Continuity of Patient Care, Treatment Adherence and Compliance, AIDS, HIV Infections, Coronavirus Infections

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and societal response implemented may interact with the ongoing HIV epidemic in multiple ways. There are approximately 87000 people living with HIV (PLWH) who are at risk of developing COVID-19 in Peru and 67,000 of them are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and at risk of limitations in their access to ART, compromising their adherence and their health during the pandemic. Finally, the potential effect of the pandemic on the mental health of PLWH is not documented. This opinion aims to: describe the clinical implications of the HIV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection; discuss the challenges to the continuity of care of PLWH in Peru during the COVID-19 crisis; and comment possible implications that the COVID-19 crisis may pose on the mental health of PLWH.