Abstract:
Background: Continuous monitoring are critical for sustained viral suppression and good
treatment results in patients with HIV positive who are receiving treatment. However, Adult
people in general, have a harder time staying on antiretroviral treatment. Patient interruption
of antiretroviral therapy (ART) continues to limit HIV programs’ progress toward epidemic
control. Multiple factors have been associated with client interruption in treatment.
Methods: Facility-based unmatched case-control study design was used. The total sample size
required for this study was 164 cases and 164 controls, and simple random sampling technique
was used to select the study unit. Data cleaning and pre-testing of the prepared data extraction
checklist was carried out to ensure data quality. Data has been entered into Epi info version 7
and analyzed with SPSS version 20. After performing binary logistic regression analysis,
variables with significant association (P-value < 0.25) were included in the multiple binary
logistic regression model. The outcome of the association was explained using adjusted odds
ratio with its 95% confidence interval and p-value <0.05.
Result: The overall complete data rate among reviewed medical records were 164(100%) cases
and 164(100%) controls. Majority of participants 107(66.88%) cases and 103(62.8%) controls
were females. The mean age of cases were 36.95(±10.7SD) and 39.4 (±10SD) for controls. Not
having registered routine viral load AOR 7.86, 95% CI (3.70, 16.71), PLHIV not having a job
AOR 3.23, 95%,CI: (1.49, 7.00), following monthly regular-based ART dispensing model
AOR 4.44, 95% CI: (2.40, 8.20), not disclosing their HIV status AOR 3.04, 95% CI: (1.65,
5.59), Being a farmer AOR 3.71, 95% CI: (1.36, 10.13), not assessed for drug side effects AOR
2.26, 95% CI: 1.23,4.15), and being unable to read and write AOR 4.28 ,95% CI: (1.77,10.33)
were identified as significant determinants of antiretroviral treatment interruption.
Conclusion and recommendation: In this study determinants such as no job, being farmer,
those who did not disclosed their HIV status, those who did not use multi-month drug
dispensing model, patient those who did not have registered viral load, cannot read and write
and those not assessed for drug side effects as significant factors that determine antiretroviral
treatment interruption. So health facility and health professionals. must work on improving
HIV clinical care and treatment.
