Healthcare needs and programmatic gaps in transition from pediatric to adult care of vertically transmitted HIV infected adolescents in India.

ABSTRACT: Treatment transition for 'adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV' (ALPH) from paediatric to adult care is not addressed adequately. This study explores the ALPH's health care needs and programmatic gaps in health systems for the care of ALPH in India. Forty-nine in-depth interviews were conducted with purposively selected primary and key stakeholders in India. Thematic analysis utilizing grounded theory was performed in QSR NUD*IST 6. Stakeholders explicitly recognized adolescent HIV to be a critical public health issue which requires a separate mandate in India. It was found that none of the health policies in India focus on adolescent age group; ALPH is therefore even more neglected population. No/partial HIV disclosure to ALPH is the first crisis for retention in care continuu

SUBMITTER: Verma A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6818794 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature