Retention in care during the first 3 years of antiretroviral therapy for women in Malawi's option B+ programme: an observational cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies of Malawi's option B+ programme for HIV-positive pregnant and breastfeeding women have reported high loss to follow-up during pregnancy and at the start of antiretroviral therapy (ART), but few data exist about retention during breastfeeding and after weaning. We examined loss to follow-up and retention in care in patients in the option B+ programme during their first 3 years on ART.

Methods

We analysed two data sources: aggregated facility-level data about patients in option B+ who started ART between Oct 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, at 546 health facilities; and patient-level data from 20 large facilities with electronic medical record system for HIV-positive women who started ART between Sept 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2013, under option B+ or because they had

SUBMITTER: Haas AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4904064 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature