Transferring HIV-infected Adolescents to an Adult Outpatient Clinic. Implementation of a Standardized Protocol.

Abstract

Little is known about how to proceed to help HIV-infected adolescents who were referred to an adult outpatient clinic for HIV-infected to continue clinical follow-up. Studies done in other fields have shown a high risk of discontinuation of medical follow-up and also of antiretroviral treatment (ART). and an increase of neuropsychiatric disorders in this group of patients. In order to ensure continuation of clinical follow-up, we have created a structured and standardized procedure to help adolescents to accept their referral to an adult outpatients clinic for HIV-infected patients. In the present poster communication, we describe the protocol we use in our centre, During the last 12 months, about 36 patients were transferred to the adult outpatient clinic using our protocol. Only 3 patients had difficulties in continuing with the control visit in the adult outpatient clinic. One patient referred having fear to the oral intake of medication. The rest of the patients were adherent to the medical control visits and also to the ART. The standardized protocol that we use in our center to transfer HIV-infected adolescents to an adult outpatient clinic has been shown to be effective in avoiding discontinuation of medical controls or ART in the HIV-infected young adults.