Open AccessPrevalence and Factors Associated with Delayed Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living with HIV in Nekemte Referral Hospital, Western Ethiopia
Author(s) -
Lami Bayisa,
Abilo Tadesse,
Mebratu Mitiku Reta,
Ejigu Gebeye
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
hiv/aids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 22
ISSN - 1179-1373
DOI - 10.2147/hiv.s267408
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , antiretroviral therapy , logistic regression , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , cross sectional study , pediatrics , demography , viral load , family medicine , pathology , sociology
Ethiopia has adopted the "Universal Test and Treat" strategy to its national policy in 2016 to put all people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) regardless of their World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage or CD4 cell count level. A significant percentage of PLHIV start therapy has been delayed despite the availability of ART, which results in poor treatment outcomes including HIV-related morbidity and mortality, and continued HIV transmission.