Attrition from HIV care among youth initiating ART in youth-only clinics compared with general primary healthcare clinics in Khayelitsha, South Africa: a matched propensity score analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Youth living with HIV (YLWH) are less likely to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) and remain in care than older adults. It is important to identify effective strategies to address the needs of this growing population and prevent attrition from HIV care. Since 2008, two clinics have offered youth-targeted services exclusively to youth aged 12-25 in Khayelitsha, a high HIV-prevalence, low-income area in South Africa. We compared ART attrition among youth in these two clinics to youth in regular clinics in the same area.

Methods

We conducted a propensity score matched cohort study of individuals aged 12-25 years initiating ART at eight primary care clinics in Khayelitsha between 1 January 2008 and 1 April 2018. We compared attrition, defined as death or loss to

SUBMITTER: Cassidy T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8789247 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature