Determinants and rates of retention in HIV care among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in Windhoek, Namibia: A baseline cohort analysis
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Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
Long-term engagement in HIV care is essential to achieving and maintaining viral suppression.
Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) experience many barriers to remaining engaged in care and treatment programs.
Higher attrition among adolescents compared to adults remains a huge concern due to unique psychosocial and
health systems challenges adolescents face, and recently the COVID-19 pandemic effects. We report on determinants
and rates of retention in care in adolescents aged 10–19 years enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Windhoek,
Namibia. A retrospective cohort analysis of routine clinical data of 695 adolescents aged 10–19 years enrolled for
ART at 13 Windhoek district public healthcare facilities, between January 2019 and December 2021 was conducted.
Anonymized patient data were extracted from an electronic database and registers. Bivariate and Cox proportional
hazards analysis were performed to determine factors associated with retention in care among ALHIV at 6, 12, 18, 24
and 36 months. Retention in care trends were also described using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.
Description
Keywords
Public health, Adolescents, HIV, World Health Organization (WHO), Namibia
Citation
Munyayi, F. K., & van Wyk, B. E. (2023). Determinants and rates of retention in HIV care among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in Windhoek, Namibia: A baseline cohort analysis. BMC public health, 23(1), 458. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15356-w