Missed visits in youth living with HIV linked to negative treatment outcomes
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Missed clinic visits were linked to negative treatment outcomes among youth aged 16 to 24 years living with HIV, according to research presented at ID Week 2022.
“Youth living with HIV have poor treatment adherence and low rates of viral suppression,” Jiaying Hao, MPA, a doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said during the presentation. “Few studies have examined youth clinic attendance and its possible corelates.”
Hao and colleagues collected data on patients living with HIV aged 16 to 24 years from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Family Clinic from March 2020 through August 2021.
The study’s primary outcomes were missed visits and treatment outcomes among these patients.
According to Hao, missed visits were defined as no-show visits, where patients did not give notice or reschedule, or any visits that were not rescheduled for more than 30 days.
Hao and colleagues found that youth living with HIV had more viral load rebound than those who did not have missed visits during the study period.
According to Hao, patient gender and viral suppression in index record were significantly associated with missed visits.
Among all patients living with HIV, regardless of age, race, insurance type and viral suppression in their index record were associated with missed visits.
Hao noted that the study was limited by not having access to data about characteristics that were shown to impact missed visits, including patients’ mental health, household income and substance use.
Additionally, Hao explained that the data included in the study were from during the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore, they were unable to examine the impact of the pandemic on missed visits.
“In this study, we proved that missed visits have negative effects on treatment outcomes for youth living with HIV, and missed visits is one variable matter for retention in care of this age group,” Hao said during the presentation. “Reducing the risk of missing HIV visits could have a difference in improving the quality of retention in care.”
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Hao J, et al. Abstract 1411. Presented at IDWeek; Oct 19-23, 2022; Washington (hybrid meeting).
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