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Bryna Harrington, PhD, MD(c) | Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases

Bryna Harrington, PhD, MD(c)

UJMT/US Predoc

Bryna Harrington fellowship

Bryna Harrington, PhD, MD(c)

UJMT/US Predoc

About

Training Years: 2016-2017

Training Site: UNC Project-Malawi

Country: Malawi

Mentor: Mina Hosseinipour, MD, MPH; Brian Pence, PhD

Title: The effect of stressful events and depression on HIV outcomes in pregnant women in Malawi

Project Objectives:  

Aim 1: Assess the burden and timing of stressful life events (SLEs) and depression in women enrolled in the Option B+ program, in which HIV-infected pregnant women are eligible for lifelong efavirenz-based ART regardless of their immune status.

Aim 1a: Characterize the frequency and types of SLEs

Aim 1b: Measure prevalent (at enrollment) and incident depression through 12 months postpartum

Aim 2: Investigate the relationship between SLEs, depression, and loss to follow up

Hypothesis 2a: a higher number of SLEs during the antenatal period will be associated with earlier loss to follow up (LTFU) postpartum

Hypothesis 2b: women with prenatal and early postnatal depressive symptoms will have higher LTFU during the postpartum period

Aim 3: Examine the association of SLEs and depression with viral load suppression

Hypothesis 3a: in women who are newly initiating ART, a higher number of cumulative SLEs will be associated with lower likelihood of viral load suppression at 6 and 12 months after ART initiation

Hypothesis 3b: women with antenatal and early postpartum depressive symptoms will have a lower likelihood of viral load suppression than women without depressive symptoms.

NIH Support:  Fulbright- Fogarty fellowship doctoral training award