Factors associated with retention in care among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ubungo Municipality, Tanzania

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMoshi, Sylivia Denis
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-12T15:45:23Z
dc.date.available2022-05-12T15:45:23Z
dc.date.issued2021-12-01
dc.description.abstractGlobally, approximately 50% of people who have been diagnosed with HIV are either not linked to a care provider or not retained in medical care. In sub-Saharan Africa 54% of those who are not yet eligible for ART were lost to follow-up before becoming eligible, while 32% of the people living with HIV who were eligible for ART were lost before initiating treatment. Although the retention rate of HIV infected people in Tanzania has increased slowly from 39.4% to 54.5% from 2008 to 2016, there remains some challenges in achieving optimal rates. A convergent mixed method design was used to determine factors associated with retention in care among PLHIV at Ubungo municipality, Tanzania. Quantitatively, a descriptive cross -sectional design was applied and data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire among 365 participants that were systematically selected. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software and descriptive statistics was used to summarize findings in tables, graphs and charts. In addition, Chi square test was used to determine the factors associated with retention in HIV care. Qualitatively, we conducted a descriptive study and drew a purposive sample of 18 participants for In-depth Interviews and 18 health care workers for Key informant Interviews (KII). All data were digitally recorded and then transcribed, translated, coded, analyzed thematically. The data collection was conducted between May and July 2021. Ninety-three percent (93%) of the participants were retained in HIV/AIDS care. The majority (81.1%) never missed their clinic appointments. The main reason for missing a clinic appointment was forgetfulness. Eighty-seven per cent of the participants were aware of the risks of missing appointments. However, 94.8% participants continued using the ARVs despite missing the clinic appointment and obtained drugs from friends, relatives or another clinic. Only 1.1% of the participants were lost to follow-up. All socio- demographic charactersitics, sex, age, marital status, education level and occupation were not associated with retention. However, sense of wellness and good worker’s attitude were related to reported retention during the Key informant and in-depth interviews. The study reports a high rate of retention on HIV/AIDS care and treatment attributed to awareness of alternative clinics to collect the ARVs from and the consequences of missed appointment. Health care workers should strengthen counselling efforts to further minimize the rates of missed clinic appointments of longer than six months, focusing om factors associated with poor retention in HIV/AIDS care and treatment.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipWorld Bank and Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) & African Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Herbal Medicineen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw/handle/20.500.12845/626
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherKamuzu University of Health Sciencesen_US
dc.titleFactors associated with retention in care among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ubungo Municipality, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Sylvia Moshi_MPH Dissertation_approved copy_02032022.pdf
Size:
1.38 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Theses & Dissertations