STACKing the Odds for Adolescent Survival: Health Service Factors Associated with Full Retention in Care and Adherence Amongst Adolescents Living with HIV in South Africa

Overview

Journal J Int AIDS Soc

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2018 Sep 22

PMID 30240121

Citations 60

Authors

Lucie Cluver

Marija Pantelic

Elona Toska

Mark Orkin

Marisa Casale

Nontuthuzelo Bungane

Lorraine Sherr

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: There are two million HIV-positive adolescents in southern Africa, and this group has low retention in care and high mortality. There is almost no evidence to identify which healthcare factors can improve adolescent self-reported retention. This study examines factors associated with retention amongst antiretroviral therapy (ART)-initiated adolescents in South Africa.

Methods: We collected clinical records and detailed standardized interviews (n = 1059) with all 10- to 19 year-olds ever initiated on ART in all 53 government clinics of a health subdistrict, and community traced to include lost-to-follow-up (90.1% of eligible adolescents interviewed). Associations between full self-reported retention in care (no past-year missed appointments and 85% past-week adherence) and health service factors were tested simultaneously in sequential multivariate regression and marginal effects modelling, controlling for covariates of age, gender, urban/rural location, formal/informal housing, maternal and paternal orphanhood, vertical/horizontal HIV infection, overall health, length of time on ART and type of healthcare facility.

Results: About 56% of adolescents had self-reported retention in care, validated against lower detectable viral load (AOR: 0.63, CI: 0.45 to 0.87, p = 0.005). Independent of covariates, five factors (STACK) were associated with improved retention: clinics Stocked with medication (OR: 3.0, CI: 1.6 to 5.5); staff with Time for adolescents (OR: 2.7, CI: 1.8 to 4.1); adolescents Accompanied to the clinic (OR: 2.3, CI: 1.5 to 3.6); enough Cash to get to clinic safely (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1 to 1.9); and staff who are Kind (OR: 2.6, CI: 1.8 to 3.6). With none of these factors, 3.3% of adolescents reported retention. With all five factors, 69.5% reported retention.

Conclusions: This study identifies key intervention points for adolescent retention in HIV care. A basic package of clinic and community services has the potential to STACK the odds for health and survival for HIV-positive adolescents.

Citing Articles

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Longitudinal Trajectories of Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence and Associations With Durable Viral Suppression Among Adolescents Living With HIV in South Africa.

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