Impact of orphan status on HIV treatment outcomes and retention in care of children and adolescents in Asia
Abstract
An analysis of the impact of orphanhood at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation on HIV outcomes in Asia included 4300 children; 51% were male. At ART initiation, 1805 (42%) were non-orphans (median age: 3 years), 1437 (33%) were single orphans (6 years) and 1058 (25%) were double orphans (7 years). Ten-year post-ART survival was 93.4–95.2% across orphan categories. Clinic transfers were higher among single and double orphans than non-orphans (41% vs 11%, P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, children ≥3 years at ART initiation (hazard ratio 1.58 vs <3 years, 95% confidence interval: 1.11–2.24) were more likely to be lost to follow-up. Although post-ART mortality and retention did not differ by orphan status, orphans were at greater risk of starting ART at older ages, and with more severe immunosuppression and poorer growth.
Categories: Health
Other articles
Nutritional Status of Under-five Children living in Orphanages compared with their Counterparts living with their Families in Host Communities in Lagos State
Background: The prevalence of malnutrition in Nigerian orphanages is not clearly defined despite the high burden. This study…
Read moreEducation for All: Myth or Reality for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Zimbabwe?
The freedom of Zimbabwe from colonial rule in 1980 brought with it the vision of Education for All by the year 2000. A number…
Read moreNutritional status among orphans and vulnerable children aged 6 to 59 months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Background: Childhood undernutrition is a global problem contributing to more than a third of under-five mortality. Orphans…
Read moreTowards a Definition of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children
The HIV epidemic presents challenges including orphans and a large mass of children rendered vulnerable by the epidemic…
Read more