ArticleBMC infectious diseases2020
Non-uptake of viral load testing among people receiving HIV treatment in Gomba district, rural Uganda.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The viral load monitoring cascade in HIV treatment programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Viral load monitoring for people living with HIV in the era of test and treat: progress made and challenges ahead - a systematic review.BMC public health · 2022Pooled it
- Decade-long antiretroviral therapy in Uganda: Population-health outcomes from a national HIV treatment cohort, 2014-2024.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Examining and classifying reasons for missing viral loads among adults living with HIV: An extended outcome investigation and ascertainment approach in Western Kenya.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Trends and correlates in HIV viral load monitoring and viral suppression among adolescents and young adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2024Article
- Compliance to Viral Load Monitoring Schedules Among Women Attending Prevention of Vertical HIV Transmission Services Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga, South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2024Article
- Decentralization of viral load testing to improve HIV care and treatment cascade in rural Tanzania: observational study from the Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort.BMC infectious diseases · 2023Observational
- Viral load suppression after intensive adherence counselling among adult people living with HIV at Kiswa health centre, Kampala: a retrospective cohort study. Secondary data analysis.AIDS research and therapy · 2023Article
- Mortality rate and associated factors among patients co-infected with drug resistant tuberculosis/HIV at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda, a retrospective cohort study.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- It takes more than a machine: A pilot feasibility study of point-of-care HIV-1 viral load testing at a lower-level health center in rural western Uganda.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Patient reported experience measures on HIV viral load testing at public health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A convergent mixed method study.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Adherence to viral load testing guidelines, barriers, and associated factors among persons living with HIV on ART in Southwestern Uganda: a mixed-methods study.BMC public health · 2022Article
- Patients' and Care Providers' Reported Barriers and Suggestions for Improving HIV Viral Load Testing in Tanzania: A Qualitative Study in Dar es Salaam.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareArticle
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13 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundViral load (VL) testing is the gold-standard approach for monitoring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment success and virologic failure, but uptake is suboptimal in resource-limited and rural settings. We conducted a cross-sectional study of risk factors for non-uptake of VL testing in rural Uganda.
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of uptake of VL testing among randomly selected people with HIV (PWH) receiving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) for at least 6 months at all eight primary health centers in Gomba district, rural Uganda. Socio-demographic and clinical data were extracted from medical records for the period January to December 2017. VL testing was routinely performed 6 months after ART initiation and 12 months thereafter for PWH stable on ART. We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with non-uptake of VL testing (the primary outcome).
resultsOf 414 PWH, 60% were female, and the median age was 40 years (interquartile range [IQR] 31-48). Most (62.3%) had been on ART > 2 years, and the median duration of treatment was 34 months (IQR 14-55). Thirty three percent did not receive VL testing: 36% of women and 30% of men. Shorter duration of ART (≤2 years) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.38; 95% CI:1.37-4.12; p = 0.002), younger age 16-30 years (AOR 2.74; 95% CI:1.44-5.24; p = 0.002) and 31-45 years (AOR 1.92; 95% CI 1.12-3.27; p = 0.017), and receipt of ART at Health Center IV (AOR 2.85; 95% CI: 1.78-4.56; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with non-uptake of VL testing.
conclusionsOne-in-three PWH on ART missed VL testing in rural Uganda. Strategies to improve coverage of VL testing, such as VL focal persons to flag missed tests, patient education and demand creation for VL testing are needed, particularly for recent ART initiates and younger persons on treatment, in order to attain the third Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 target - virologic suppression for 95% of PWH on ART.
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