Near-universal same-day linkage to ART care among newly diagnosed adults living with HIV: A cross-sectional study from primary health facilities, in urban Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Malawi HIV treatment guidelines recommend same-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Overall 97.9% of Malawians living with HIV (PLHIV) are on ART, same-day ART initiation prevalence and factors that facilitate it have not been fully described. We assessed same-day ART initiation and described individual, health system and health facility infrastructural factors at health facilities supported by expert clients (EC). ECs are lay PLHIV who support other PLHIV. The study was conducted in urban and semi-urban primary health facilities, in Blantyre, Malawi. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive survey of PLHIV and health facility leaders. Eligibility criteria included age ≥ 18 years, new diagnosis of HIV, received counselling from ECs, and offered same-day ART. The study was conducted fr

SUBMITTER: Chihana R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10275418 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature