TY - JOUR
T1 - Firth’s Logistic Regression of Interruption in Treatment before and after the Onset of COVID-19 among People Living with HIV on ART in Two Provinces of DRC
AU - Shah, Gulzar H.
AU - Etheredge, Gina D.
AU - Schwind, Jessica S.
AU - Maluantesa, Lievain
AU - Waterfield, Kristie C.
AU - Mulenga, Astrid
AU - Ikhile, Osaremhen
AU - Engetele, Elodie
AU - Ayangunna, Elizabeth
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extends beyond the immediate physical effects of the virus, including service adjustments for people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Purpose: To compare treatment interruptions in the year immediately pre-COVID-19 and after the onset of COVID-19 (10 April 2020 to 30 March 2021). Methods: We analyze quantitative data covering 36,585 persons with HIV who initiated antiretroviral treatment (ART) between 1 April 2019 and 30 March 2021 at 313 HIV/AIDS care clinics in the Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), using Firth’s logistic regression. Results: Treatment interruption occurs in 0.9% of clients and tuberculosis (TB) is detected in 1.1% of clients. The odds of treatment interruption are significantly higher (adjusted odds ratio: 12.5; 95% confidence interval, CI (8.5–18.3)) in the pre-COVID-19 period compared to during COVID-19. The odds of treatment interruption are also higher for clients with TB, those receiving ART at urban clinics, those younger than 15 years old, and female clients (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The clients receiving ART from HIV clinics in two provinces of DRC had a lower risk of treatment interruption during COVID-19 than the year before COVID-19, attributable to program adjustments.
AB - The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extends beyond the immediate physical effects of the virus, including service adjustments for people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Purpose: To compare treatment interruptions in the year immediately pre-COVID-19 and after the onset of COVID-19 (10 April 2020 to 30 March 2021). Methods: We analyze quantitative data covering 36,585 persons with HIV who initiated antiretroviral treatment (ART) between 1 April 2019 and 30 March 2021 at 313 HIV/AIDS care clinics in the Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), using Firth’s logistic regression. Results: Treatment interruption occurs in 0.9% of clients and tuberculosis (TB) is detected in 1.1% of clients. The odds of treatment interruption are significantly higher (adjusted odds ratio: 12.5; 95% confidence interval, CI (8.5–18.3)) in the pre-COVID-19 period compared to during COVID-19. The odds of treatment interruption are also higher for clients with TB, those receiving ART at urban clinics, those younger than 15 years old, and female clients (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The clients receiving ART from HIV clinics in two provinces of DRC had a lower risk of treatment interruption during COVID-19 than the year before COVID-19, attributable to program adjustments.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Democratic Republic of Congo
KW - Firth’s logistic regression
KW - antiretroviral therapy (ART)
KW - people living with HIV
KW - treatment interruptions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137408021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/healthcare10081516
DO - 10.3390/healthcare10081516
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85137408021
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 10
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 8
M1 - 1516
ER -
