Predictors of Delayed Enrolment for Care among People Living with HIV in a Tertiary Hospital in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to identify predictors of delayed enrolment to HIV care in Calabar, Nigeria. Study Design: This was a cross sectional observational study. Place and Duration: This study was carried out in a tertiary level hospital in Calabar, Nigeria between February 1 st , 2013 and June 30 th , 2013. Methodology: We recruited 500 consecutive HIV-infected persons presenting to care for the first time following HIV diagnosis using a validated, semi-structured and pretested questionnaire. The outcome variable of interest was delayed enrolment for HIV care (>12 months after HIV diagnosis). The independent variables included age, sex, marital status, occupation, income, level of education and exposure to risky behaviour. Others were sexual orientation, duration between HIV testing and presentation for care, residential conditions, lack of spousal HIV status disclosure, distance of residence from nearest HIV care centre and being in a long-standing steady partnership. Results: A total of 45 (9.0%) of the participants enrolled for HIV care within twelve months of HIV diagnosis while 455 (91.0%) enrolled for care after 12 months of diagnosis. The average CD4+ count of those who enrolled early was 248cells/µl which