Patient-reported Reasons for Stopping Care or Switching Clinics in Zambia: A Multisite, Regionally Representative Estimate Using a Multistage Sampling-based Approach in Zambia

Izukanji Sikazwe, Ingrid Eshun-Wilson, Kombatende Sikombe, Laura K. Beres, Paul Somwe, Aaloke Mody, Sandra Simbeza, Chama Bukankala, David V. Glidden, Lloyd B. Mulenga, Nancy Padian, Peter Ehrenkranz, Carolyn Bolton-Moore, Charles B. Holmes, Elvin H. Geng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background. Understanding patient-reported reasons for lapses of retention in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment can drive improvements in the care cascade. A systematic assessment of outcomes among a random sample of patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) from 32 clinics in Zambia to understand the reasons for silent transfers and disengagement from care was undertaken. Methods. We traced a simple random sample of LTFU patients (>90 days from last scheduled visit) as determined from clinicbased electronic medical records from a probability sample of facilities. Among patients found in person, we solicited reasons for either stopping or switching care and predictors for re-engagement. We coded reasons into structural, psychosocial, and clinic-based barriers. Results. Among 1751 LTFU patients traced and found alive, 31% of patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 1 July 2013 and 31 July 2015 silently transferred or were disengaged (40% male; median age, 35 years; median CD4 level, 239 cells/μL); median time on ART at LTFU was 480 days (interquartile range, 110-1295). Among the 544 patients not in care, median prevalences for patient-reported structural, psychosocial, and clinic-level barriers were 27.3%, 13.9%, and 13.4%, respectively, and were highly variable across facilities. Structural reasons, including, "relocated to a new place" were mostly cited among 289 patients who silently transferred (35.5%). We found that men were less likely to re-engage in care than women (odds ratio, .39; 95% confidence interval, .22-.67; P = .001). Conclusions. Efforts to improve retention of patients on ART may need to be tailored at the facility level to address patientreported barriers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)E2294-E2302
JournalClinical Infectious Diseases
Volume73
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2021

Keywords

  • HIV
  • Zambia
  • disengagement
  • reasons
  • retention

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