Factors associated with self-reported suboptimal antiretroviral adherence and limited retention in care among people living with HIV who attend a large ART clinic in Panama City, Panama

• Published in: PloS one 2024-11, Vol.19 (11), p.e0311048
• Main Authors: Gabster, Amanda, Díaz Fernández, Félix, Pascale, Juan Miguel, Orillac, Angelique, Moreno-Wynter, Samuel, Xavier Hall, Casey D, Flores Millender, Eugenia, Wong, Frank Frankie, Jhangimal, Mónica, Yu-Pon, Anyi, Rodríguez-Vargas, Cristel, Arjona-Miranda, Diógenes, Fuentes, Bárbara, Henostroza, Germán, Araúz, Ana Belén
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral therapy; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Cisgender; Complications and side effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis; Drug dosages; Drug resistance; Efavirenz; Emotions; Evaluation; Evidence-based medicine; Female; Fertility clinics; Gender; Gender identity; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; HIV; HIV (Viruses); HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV patients; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Intersex people; Male; Medication Adherence - psychology; Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Medicine and Health Sciences; Men; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Mortality; Panama - epidemiology; Patient compliance; Patient outcomes; People and places; Questionnaires; Retention; Retention in Care - statistics & numerical data; Self Report; Self-care, Health; Social Sciences; Sociodemographics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transgender persons; Violence; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311048

The prevalence of HIV in Panama is estimated to be 1.0%; only 71% of individuals on antiretroviral treatment (ART) were virally suppressed in 2022. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of suboptimal adherence (≥1 missed doses in previous four weeks) and limited retention in HIV care (≥1 missed HIV care appointments in previous 12 months) among adults (aged ≥18 years) who attended the most populous urban ART Clinic in Panama City. In this cross-sectional study, participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Univariable and bivariable analyses were used to describe the prevalence of suboptimal adherence and limited retention in HIV care. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with suboptimal adherence at p