Transgender-Specific Differentiated HIV Service Delivery Models in the South African Public Primary Health Care System (Jabula Uzibone): Protocol for an Implementation Study

Abstract

Background Almost 60% of transgender people in South Africa are living with HIV. Ending the HIV epidemic will require that transgender people successfully access HIV prevention and treatment. However, transgender people often avoid health services due to facility-based stigma and lack of availability of gender-affirming care. Transgender-specific differentiated service delivery (TG-DSD) may improve engagement and facilitate progress toward HIV elimination. Wits RHI, a renowned South African research institute, established 4 TG-DSD demonstration sites in 2019, with funding from the US Agency for International Development. These sites offer unique opportunities to evaluate the implementation of TG-DSD and test their effectiveness. Objective The Jabula Uzibone study seeks to assess the implementation, effectiveness, and cost of TG-DSD for viral suppression and prevention-effective adherence. Methods The Jabula Uzibone study collects baseline and 12-month observation checklists at 8 sites and 6 (12.5%) key informant interviews per site at 4 TG-DSD and 4 standard sites (n=48). We seek to enroll ≥600 transgender clients, 50% at TG-DSD and 50% at standard sites: 67% clients with HIV and 33% clients without HIV per site type. Participants complete interviewer-administered surveys quarterly, and blood is drawn at baseline and 12 months for HIV RNA levels among participants with HIV and tenofovir levels among participants on pre-exposure prophylaxis. A subset of 30 participants per site type will complete in-depth interviews at baseline and 12 months: 15 participants will be living with HIV and 15 participants will be HIV negative. Qualitative analyses will explore aspects of implementation; regression models will compare viral suppression and prevention-effective adherence by site type. Structural equation modeling will test for mediation by stigma and gender affirmation. Microcosting approaches will estimate the cost per service user served and per service user successfully treated at TG-DSD sites relative to standard sites, as well as the budget needed for a broader implementation of TG-DSD. Results Funded by the US National Institutes of Mental Health in April 2022, the study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at University of Witwatersrand in June 2022 and the Duke University Health System Institutional Review Board in June 2023. Enrollment began in January 2024. As of July 31, 2024, a total of 593 transgender participants have been enrolled: 348 are living with HIV and 245 are HIV negative. We anticipate baseline enrollment will be complete by August 31, 2024, and the final study visit will take place no later than August 2025. Conclusions Jabula Uzibone will provide data to inform HIV policies and practices in South Africa and generate the first evidence for implementation of TG-DSD in sub-Saharan Africa. Study findings may inform the use of TG-DSD strategies to increase care engagement and advance global progress toward HIV elimination goals. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/64373