Monitoring Patient Adherence and Follow-up in Option B+ Program: Understanding Healthcare Workers' Practices, Challenges, and Facilitators in Lilongwe, Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Option B+ aims to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV by providing lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) to pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV (PBWHIV). Identifying and reengaging PBWHIV who disengage or fail to initiate ART is essential for the success of Option B+. However, the process is often suboptimal, leading to challenges such as misclassification of patients as lost to follow-up. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are pivotal for monitoring engagement, but little is known about their monitoring practices. This study aimed to explore how HCWs monitor women's engagement in Option B+ services.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted in five high-volume health facilities in Lilongwe, Malawi. Thirty HCWs responsible for monitoring women in Optio

SUBMITTER: Kumwenda W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11574892 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature