Outcomes of patients lost to follow-up after antiretroviral therapy initiation in rural north-eastern South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The vital status of patients lost to follow-up often remains unknown in antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in sub-Saharan Africa because medical records are no longer updated once the patient disengages from care. Thus, we aimed to assess the outcomes of patients lost to follow-up after ART initiation in north-eastern South Africa.

Methods

Using data from a rural area in north-eastern South Africa, we estimated the cumulative incidence of patient outcomes (i) after treatment initiation using clinical records, and (ii) after loss to follow-up (LTFU) using data from clients that have been individually linked to Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) database. Aside from LTFU, we considered mortality, re-engagement and migration out of the s

SUBMITTER: Ambia J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6563456 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature