Missed opportunities for retention in pre-ART care in Cape Town, South Africa
Date
2014-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Public Library of Science -- PLoS
Abstract
Background: Few studies have evaluated access to and retention in pre-ART care.
Objectives: To evaluate the proportion of People Living With HIV (PLWH) in pre-ART and ART care and factors associated
with retention in pre-ART and ART care from a community cohort.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted from February – April 2011. Self reported HIV positive, negative or
participants of unknown status completed a questionnaire on their HIV testing history, access to pre-ART and retention in
pre-ART and ART care.
Results: 872 randomly selected adults who reported being HIV positive in the ZAMSTAR 2010 prevalence survey were
included and revisited. 579 (66%) reconfirmed their positive status and were included in this analysis. 380 (66%) had
initiated ART with 357 of these (94%) retained in ART care. 199 (34%) had never initiated ART of whom 186 (93%) accessed
pre-ART care, and 86 (43%) were retained in pre-ART care. In a univariable analysis none of the factors analysed were
significantly associated with retention in care in the pre-ART group. Due to the high retention in ART care, factors associated
with retention in ART care, were not analysed further.
Conclusion: Retention in ART care was high; however it was low in pre-ART care. The opportunity exists, if care is better
integrated, to engage with clients in primary health care facilities to bring them back to, and retain them in, pre-ART care.
Description
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
The original publication is available at http://www.plosone.org/
Please site as follows:
Du Toit, E. et al. 2014. Missed Opportunities for Retention in Pre-ART Care in Cape Town, South Africa. PLoS ONE, 9(5): e96867, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096867.
The original publication is available at http://www.plosone.org/
Please site as follows:
Du Toit, E. et al. 2014. Missed Opportunities for Retention in Pre-ART Care in Cape Town, South Africa. PLoS ONE, 9(5): e96867, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096867.
Keywords
Pre-ART Care, HIV infections -- Patients -- Treatment -- Western Cape, Retention in pre-ART care, Highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV-positive persons -- Diagnosis -- Treatment
Citation
Du Toit, E. et al. 2014. Missed Opportunities for Retention in Pre-ART Care in Cape Town, South Africa. PLoS ONE, 9(5): e96867, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096867.