ArticleBMC infectious diseases2018
Assessing linkage to and retention in care among HIV patients in Uganda and identifying opportunities for health systems strengthening: a descriptive study.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers.
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Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sociobehavioral determinants of nonretention among adolescents and young adults with HIV.AIDS (London, England) · 2025Trial
- Results from a proactive follow-up intervention to improve linkage and retention among people living with HIV in Uganda: a pre-/post- study.BMC health services research · 2018Trial
- Key factors influencing retention in care among people living with HIV in Turkey: a 5-year retrospective analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Article
- Interventions connecting young people living in Africa to healthcare; a systematic review using the RE-AIM framework.Frontiers in health services · 2024Review
- Differentiated care for youth in Zimbabwe: Outcomes across the HIV care cascade.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- The impact of same-day antiretroviral therapy initiation on retention in care and clinical outcomes at four eThekwini clinics, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Risk factors for interruption in treatment among HIV-infected adolescence attending health care and treatment clinics in Tanzania.AIDS research and therapy · 2023Article
- Knowledge and Perceptions of Healthcare Workers about the Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Guideline in Under-Resourced, High-HIV Prevalence Rural Settings.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Factors Influencing the Status of Adherence to Second Clinic Visit Among Clients Newly Diagnosed with HIV in Northern Uganda: A Mixed-Methods Study.HIV/AIDS (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Article
- Adolescent retention in HIV care within differentiated service-delivery models in sub-Saharan Africa.The lancet. HIV · 2022Review
- Predictors of loss to follow up from antiretroviral therapy among adolescents with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.PloS one · 2022Article
- Factors Associated with Linkage to HIV Care Among Oral Self-Tested HIV Positive Adults in Uganda.HIV/AIDS (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2022Article
- Perspectives on linkage to care for patients diagnosed with HIV: A qualitative study at a rural health center in South Western Uganda.PloS one · 2022Article
- Factors Associated with Linkage to Care following Community-Level Identification of HIV-Positive Clients in Lira District.Advances in public health · 2022Article
- Quantifying clinic transfers among people living with HIV in the Western Cape, South Africa: a retrospective spatial analysis.BMJ open · 2021Article
- Patient Transfers and Their Impact on Gaps in Clinical Care: Differences by Gender in a Large Cohort of Adults Living with HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy in South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2021Article
- Facilitated transition in HIV drug trial closure: A conceptual model for HIV post-trial care.PloS one · 2021Article
- "Vital": HIV counselling and testing staff's views of addressing mental health with HIV in Uganda.BMC health services research · 2020Article
- They are likely to be there: using a family-centered index testing approach to identify children living with HIV in Kenya.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundWhile antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability for HIV patients has increased dramatically in Uganda, patient linkage to and retention in care remains a challenge. We assessed patterns of engagement in care in 20 Ugandan health facilities with low retention based on national reporting.
methodsWe assessed patient linkage to care (defined as registering for pre-ART or ART care at the facility within 1 month of HIV diagnosis) and 6-month retention in care (having a visit 3-6 months after ART initiation) and associations with patient-/facility-level factors using multivariate logistic regression.
resultsAmong 928 newly HIV-diagnosed patients, only 53.0% linked to care within 1 month. Of these, 83.7% linked within 1 week. Among 678 newly initiated ART patients, 14.5% never returned for a follow-up visit at the facility. Retention was 71.7% according to our primary definition but much lower if stricter definitions were used. Most patients were already falling behind appointment schedules at their first ART follow-up (median: 28 days post-initiation vs. recommended 14 days). 27.3% of newly-initiated patients had follow-up appointments scheduled 45+ days apart rather than monthly per national guidelines. Linkage and retention were not strongly correlated with each other within facilities (r
conclusionsLinkage support may be most critical immediately after testing positive, as patients are less likely to link over time. More information is needed on reasons for appointment schedules by clinicians and implications on retention.
trial registrationThis study was registered in the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry database (#PACTR201611001756166).
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