HIV care coverage among HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women in South Africa : results from the HERStory Study

• Published in: South African medical journal 2021-05, Vol.111 (5), p.460-468
• Main Authors: Mathews, C, Cheyip, M, Beauclair, R, Puren, A, Lombard, C, Jonas, K, Ayalew, K.A, Govindasamy, D, Kuo, C, Dietrich, Janan J, Abdullah, F, Gray, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Demographic aspects; Drug therapy; Health aspects; Health care disparities; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; HIV infection; Teenage girls; Women
• ISSN: 0256-9574; 2078-5135
• DOI: 10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i5.15351

Background. Health service coverage cascades measure the proportion of a population in need of a service that experienced a positive health outcome from the service, and enable tracking of progress in achieving universal health coverage and inequities in care coverage.Objectives. To investigate HIV care coverage among HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living in six South African districts, compare coverage by age and socioeconomic status (SES), and investigate other associated factors including participation in a combination HIV prevention intervention.Methods. The HERStory Study was an evaluation of the combination intervention, comprising a representative household survey of AGYW aged 15 - 24 years living in six intervention districts. From September 2017 to November 2018, biological, sociodemographic and behavioural data were collected. HIV-positive status, initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral suppression were determined through laboratory tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for HIV antibodies, antiretroviral (ARV) metabolites and viral load (VL) testing). Viral suppression was defined as a VL