Rodrigues CS, Guimaraes MD, Acurcio FA, Comini CC; International Conference on AIDS (15th : 2004 : Bangkok, Thailand).
Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16; 15: abstract no. TuPeD5052.
City Department of Health, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Introduction: Regular medical care is essential for prolonging life among persons living with HIV. It has been shown that patients infect by the HIV may present better life condictions depending upon their access to adequate health care. Objective: To determine factors associated with the interruption of outpatient care by HIV positive patients. Methods: Non-concurrent prospective study carried out at a public AIDS referral center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Medical records were reviewed in order to assess factors associated with the interruption of clinical care by HIV individual admitted between 1993 and 1995. Patients should have attended at least one follow-up visit and interruption of clinical care was defined as absence from the service for more than seven months as of December 31, 1997. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were assessed. Analysis included chi-square and relative hazard (RH) with 95% confidence interval (CI) estimated by Cox Regression Model. Results: Cumulative incidence of interruption was 54% among 517 patients included in the study (Mean follow-up=24.6 months; 26.5/100 person-years). Multivariate analysis indicated that those individuals who had fewer(< 2) CD4+ T lymphocyte cell count, did not have viral load measured, attended< 7 medical visits, did not change clinical category and did not undergo any anti-retroviral therapy had independent increased risk of interrupting clinical care. Conclusions: 1. It is high the rate of clinical interruption in this center; 2. The results suggest that interruption may be a function of better clinical outcome, i.e. the service may give priority to those patients with more severe clinical situation and 3. Interruption of clinical care may be a marker for future antiretroviral adherence.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Vaccines
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Ambulatory Care
- Ambulatory Care Facilities
- Anti-HIV Agents
- Brazil
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- Cohort Studies
- Disease Progression
- HIV
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Personnel
- Humans
- Incidence
- Longitudinal Studies
- Proportional Hazards Models
- Prospective Studies
- Viral Load
Other ID:
UI: 102282860
From Meeting Abstracts