Two-year viral load suppression among adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Cape Metropole, South Africa, 2013 - 2015: A retrospective cohort analysis

Abstract

Background. In 2018, 4% of all people living with HIV globally were adolescents aged 10 - 19 years. It is reported that adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at increased risk of poor viral load suppression (VLS) compared with children and adults. Objectives. To determine the 24-month prevalence of VLS among adolescents initiated on ART in 2013 in public health facilities in the Metro District Health Services of Western Cape Province, South Africa. Methods. A retrospective cohort analysis was done on 220 adolescents initiated on ART in 2013; they were followed up for 24 months. Data were extracted from the provincial Tier.Net electronic database and patients' clinical records, and captured in Excel. SPSS statistical software was used for descriptive and inferential analysis; bivariate analysis was used to determine significance and strength of associations between VLS and various sociodemographic and clinical characteristics at 4, 12 and 24 months (with significance set at p<0.05). Results.