Retention in care under universal antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding women ('Option B+') in Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To explore the levels and determinants of loss to follow-up (LTF) under universal lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant and breastfeeding women ('Option B+') in Malawi.

Design, setting, and participants

We examined retention in care, from the date of ART initiation up to 6 months, for women in the Option B+ program. We analysed nationwide facility-level data on women who started ART at 540 facilities (n = 21,939), as well as individual-level data on patients who started ART at 19 large facilities (n = 11,534).

Results

Of the women who started ART under Option B+ (n = 21,939), 17% appeared to be lost to follow-up 6 months after ART initiation. Most losses occurred in the first 3 months of therapy. Option B+ patients who started therapy during pre

SUBMITTER: Tenthani L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4009400 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature