An assessment of the characteristics of adolescents at enrolment into anti-retroviral therapy, and factors influencing their retention into HIV care and treatment in Zimbabwe
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: This study was undertaken within the context of stagnation in the trend of new HIV infections \namong adolescents globally coupled with increasing mortality within this sub-population as \nwell (UNICEF 2015 report). This trend in no different in Africa and in deed Zimbabwe where \nlow HIV knowledge levels among adolescents, with majority of them demonstrating \nlimitations regarding comprehensive HIV have been observed in key national studies (e.g. \nZimstat, 2016). Further, there were concerns regarding disproportionate access to information, \nservices and care among male and female adolescents in the country, with females being worse \noff and hence more vulnerable to HIV infection as well as the subsequent effects and outcomes \neven after accessing care and ART. The study problematized adolescents’ poor adherence and \nretention in HIV care and treatment initiatives. Against the backdrop of paucity of nationallyrepresentative \nadolescent HIV data on retention in care, mortality and attrition rates, as well as \nfactors influencing these observed outcome rates, this was considered as an opportunity to \ncontribute to the knowledge gap. Knowing the factors that influence retention in adolescents is \nimportant to devise interventions for improving retention outcomes for this population. The \naim of the study is to assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV infected \nadolescents aged 10 – 19 years who were enrolled onto ART during the period January 2012 – \nMarch 2017, to report their retention rates, and explore the possible factors associated with \nretention outcomes at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months.
Author: Rudo Kuwengwa
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3010145097