{
  "abstract": "Objectives To compare HIV testing coverage, prevalence and care cascade engagement between fisherfolk and the general population, and to assess the relevance of individual and community-level definitions of fisherfolk in understanding variation in HIV status and testing.Design Primary data collection and cross-sectional analysis in 1 year of the SchistoTrack community-based cohort.Setting 52 shoreline villages in Pakwach, Buliisa and Mayuge districts in rural Uganda.Participants A total of 3197 individuals aged 5–92 years were tested for HIV in 2024. A subset of 124 HIV-positive participants had viral load measured in 2025. Statistical analyses focused on 1931 adults aged 15 years and older.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcomes were lifetime HIV testing, testing in the past 12 months and current HIV status. Secondary measures included self-reported care cascade outcomes and viral load suppression.Results Overall, 6.94% (134/1931) of adult participants aged 15 years and older were with HIV (people with HIV (PWH)), of whom 22.39% (30/134) were newly diagnosed. 6% (25/415) of adults reporting fishing activities were HIV-positive. Of those, 80% (20/25) were status-aware, 76% (19/25) were on antiretroviral therapy, and 100% (8/8) of those who knew their viral load reported viral suppression. No significant differences in care cascade engagement were found between PWH reporting fishing activities and the general population. Measured viral suppression was 70.59% (72/102) among PWH with no significant differences by fishing activities. Fishing activities were significantly associated with higher odds of ever testing for HIV (OR 1.76 (95% CI 1.22 to 2.54)), but not with testing in the past 12 months or HIV status. No consistent district-level differences were observed.Conclusions Individuals reporting fishing activities had higher lifetime testing and comparable HIV prevalence and care cascade engagement to the general population. Gaps remain in recent testing, status awareness and viral suppression for fisherfolk.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Hanh Lan Bui"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Lauren Wilburn"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uganda Institute of Allied Health and Management Sciences, Kampala, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Salim W Nsimbe"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Vector Borne Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Betty Nabatte"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Pakwach District Local Government, Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Central Region, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Geoffrey W Oromcan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Buliisa District Local Government, Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health, Butiaba, Central Region, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Raymond Mujuni"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Mayuge District Local Government, Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health, Mayuge, Central Region, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Juma Nabonge"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Vector Borne Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda"
      ],
      "name": "Narcis B Kabatereine"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Nuffield Department of Population Helath, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Adrian Smith"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Goylette Chami"
    }
  ],
  "title": "HIV testing and prevalence in fishing communities in rural Uganda: a cross-sectional study of 3197 individuals within SchistoTrack",
  "uid": "a149c06d-3016-5747-83e1-0147147a9b00"
}