Scheduled clinic appointment keeping among HIV-infected adolescents attending a single tertiary centre in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Keeping to scheduled clinic appointment by HIV-infected patients is reported to be a predictor of their long term clinical progress. Missed appointments also disrupt healthcare services and cause misspent scarce administrative and medical resources. Continuous engagement and support is recommended for HIVinfected persons to prevent loss to follow up

Aim/Objective: This study aims to determine the proportion of adolescents that are adherent to their scheduled clinic appointments and identify factors associated with appointment keeping among adolescents in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

Methods: This was a questionnaire-based, prospective study carried out over a one year period among HIV-infected adolescents on antiretroviral therapy aged. The adolescents were assessed once every two months. A total of 145 adolescents were enrolled into the study of which 80 (55.2%) were males, 78 (53.8%) were aged 10 -13 years old and 61 (42.1%) were of the middle social class. Seventy-nine (54.5%) of the adolescents were 100% adherent to their scheduled follow up clinic appointment. The relationship between adherence to clinic appointments and; age, adolescent relationship with primary caregiver, educational level of adolescent and caregiver, CD4 count, viral load and disclosure at P = < 0.05.

Conclusion: About half of the adolescent population was not regular with attendance at their scheduled clinic appointment. More studies are recommended to determine adherence patterns to attendance at scheduled adolescent HIV clinic appointments as well as identify reasons and solutions for non-adherence.

Keywords: Adolescent, appointment keeping, clinic, HIV-infected, Abuja