Abstract:

Retention on treatment is a critical factor in reducing HIV-related morbidity and mortality, the incidence of new infections, and development of drug resistance among children and adults. This study examined institutional factors affecting retention of HIV patients on treatment, care, and support services at Wuse General Hospital, Abuja. A retrospective cohort study was used to access institutional factors that influence HIV patient retention on treatment. About 4,564 HIV patients were ever enrolled on a treatment programme, and 2,791 patients are currently accessing treatment. A total of 240 clients were recruited for the study, and a pre-tested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were entered into Stata/MP 15.0 and then exported into SPSS version 23.0 for statistical analysis of the 240 respondents interviewed, the main institutional factor affecting retentions were long waiting time (61.7%), high patient load (46.9%), inadequate space for clinics (48.3%), Poor quality of services (40.8%), difficulty in accessing health facility (32.9%) and inadequate health workers/staff (31.3%). A review of socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and institutional related factors affecting retention in treatment showed an association between marital status (p=0.000), religion (p=0.006), employment status (p=0.009), and institutional related factors affecting retention in care. Retention of HIV patients in treatment and care support services is a major determinant in achieving sustained viral suppression and reduced community HIV transmission. Therefore, strategies to mitigate institutional barriers to treatment retention should be promoted to optimize retention of HIV patients in care.

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