Adding Education to “Test and Treat”: Can We Overcome Drug Resistance?

Joint Authors

Smith?, Robert J.
al-Arydah, Mo'tassem

Source

Journal of Applied Mathematics

Issue

Vol. 2015, Issue 2015 (31 Dec. 2015), pp.1-19, 19 p.

Publisher

Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Publication Date

2015-07-12

Country of Publication

Egypt

No. of Pages

19

Main Subjects

Mathematics

Abstract EN

Recent mathematical modelling has advocated for rapid “test-and-treat” programs for HIV in the developing world, where HIV-positive individuals are identified and immediately begin a course of antiretroviral treatment, regardless of the length of time they have been infected.

However, the foundations of this modelling ignored the effects of drug resistance on the epidemic.

It also disregarded the heterogeneity of behaviour changes that may occur, as a result of education that some individuals may receive upon testing and treatment.

We formulate an HIV/AIDS model to theoretically investigate how testing, educating HIV-positive cases, treatment, and drug resistance affect the HIV epidemic.

We consider a variety of circumstances: both when education is included and not included, when testing and treatment are linked or are separate, when education is only partly effective, and when treatment leads to drug resistance.

We show that education, if it is properly harnessed, can be a force strong enough to overcome the effects of antiretroviral drug resistance; however, in the absence of education, “test and treat” is likely to make the epidemic worse.

American Psychological Association (APA)

al-Arydah, Mo'tassem& Smith?, Robert J.. 2015. Adding Education to “Test and Treat”: Can We Overcome Drug Resistance?. Journal of Applied Mathematics،Vol. 2015, no. 2015, pp.1-19.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1067128

Modern Language Association (MLA)

al-Arydah, Mo'tassem& Smith?, Robert J.. Adding Education to “Test and Treat”: Can We Overcome Drug Resistance?. Journal of Applied Mathematics No. 2015 (2015), pp.1-19.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1067128

American Medical Association (AMA)

al-Arydah, Mo'tassem& Smith?, Robert J.. Adding Education to “Test and Treat”: Can We Overcome Drug Resistance?. Journal of Applied Mathematics. 2015. Vol. 2015, no. 2015, pp.1-19.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1067128

Data Type

Journal Articles

Language

English

Notes

Includes bibliographical references

Record ID

BIM-1067128