| dc.description.abstract | Introduction: The study assessed the Effects of Same-Day ART initiation versus pre-ART care on treatment-related outcomes among adults living with HIV at ISS Clinic Mulago. The general objective was to assess the effects of Same-Day ART initiation Versus Pre-ART Care on treatment-related outcomes among adults living with HIV at ISS Clinic Mulago and the specific objectives were: to assess the effect of Same-Day ART initiation versus Pre-ART care on adherence among adults with HIV at ISS Clinic Mulago; to determine the effect of Same-Day ART initiation versus Pre-ART care on retention among adults living with HIV at ISS Clinic Mulago and to assess the effect of Same-Day ART initiation versus Pre-ART care on Viral load Suppression among adults with HIV at ISS Clinic Mulago.
Methodology: Retrospective cohort study design was adopted and applied, secondary data was used, a quantitative method of data collection was employed, and census of 325adult clients started on ART 12 months ago was done by abstracting their records from the existing patient electronic database, ART registers and patient cards and was analyzed using SPSS
version 20.
Results: From the data analyzed, retention on care (AOR=0.372, 95% CI=.185-.747, P=.005) and viral suppression (AOR=0.616, 95% CI=.119-.691, P=.015) were independently associated with ART initiation strategies.
Conclusions
The results from the study showed that Same-Day ART initiation strategy was more effective in improving treatment related outcomes compared to Pre-ART strategy.
Recommendations:
The study recommends;
1. Need for accelerated ART initiation, including starting ART on the same day as soon as an HIV-positive diagnosis is confirmed.
2. Improved and expanded counselling services for newly diagnosed HIV-positive and other pre-ART clients such that there is an appreciation for Same-Day ART initiation strategy.
3. The current WHO recommendations to provide ART to all HIV-infected patients should facilitate same-day test and treat.
Further areas of research:
1. Further study needs to be done on Same Day ART initiation versus clinic-based pre- ART assessment among clients living with HIV in Uganda.
2. Myths about same-day ART initiation versus traditional Pre-ART care and assessment.
3. Benefits and risks of rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy. | en_US |
