Ingrid V. Bassett|Bingxia Wang|Senica Chetty|Matilda Mazibuko|Benjamin Bearnot|Janet Giddy|Zhigang Lu|Elena Losina|Rochelle P. Walensky|Kenneth A. Freedberg
Loss to Care and Death Before Antiretroviral Therapy in Durban, South Africa
Boston University|New York University
examine loss care mortality rates starting antiretroviral therapy art among art eligible hivinfected patients durban south africaretrospective cohort studywe reviewed data art eligible adults 18 years urban hiv clinic charges monthly fee july december 2006 art eligibility based cd4 count 200 cells per microliter clinical criteria psychosocial assessment patients start art lost within 3 months phoned correlates loss care evaluated using logistic regressionduring study period 501 patients registered art training mean time initial cd4 count first art training 36 months interquartile range 2339 months four hundred eight patients 814 care art 3month followup 11 22 care initiated art eightytwo art eligible patients 164 lost art initiation 28 341 died two thirds deaths occurred within 2 months first art training despite multiple attempts 32 patients 39 unreachable phone lower baseline cd4 counts 100 cellsmicrol unemployment independently associated lostloss care death occur frequently starting art hiv clinic durban south africa delay cd4 count art training even among lowest cd4 counts highlights need interventions improve linkage care prioritize art initiation low baseline cd4 counts