Two-year viral load suppression among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Cape Metropole, South Africa, 2013 - 2015: A retrospective cohort analysis
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
South African Medical Association
Abstract
Background. In 2018, 4% of all people living with HIV globally were adolescents aged 10 - 19 years. It is reported that adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at increased risk of poor viral load suppression (VLS) compared with children and adults. Objectives. To determine the 24-month prevalence of VLS among adolescents initiated on ART in 2013 in public health facilities in the Metro District Health Services of Western Cape Province, South Africa. Methods. A retrospective cohort analysis was done on 220 adolescents initiated on ART in 2013; they were followed up for 24 months. Data were extracted from the provincial Tier.Net electronic database and patients' clinical records, and captured in Excel. SPSS statistical software was used for descriptive and inferential analysis; bivariate analysis was used to determine significance and strength of associations between VLS and various sociodemographic and clinical characteristics at 4, 12 and 24 months (with significance set at p<0.05). Results.
Description
Keywords
HIV, Viral load suppression, Adolescents, Children, AIDS
Citation
van Wyk, B. E. et al. (2020). Two-year viral load suppression among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Cape Metropole, South Africa, 2013 - 2015: A retrospective cohort analysis. South African Medical Journal 110(12), 1213-1217