| dc.description.abstract | This study was undertaken within the context of stagnation in the trend of new HIV infections
among adolescents globally coupled with increasing mortality within this sub-population as
well (UNICEF 2015 report). This trend in no different in Africa and in deed Zimbabwe where
low HIV knowledge levels among adolescents, with majority of them demonstrating
limitations regarding comprehensive HIV have been observed in key national studies (e.g.
Zimstat, 2016). Further, there were concerns regarding disproportionate access to information,
services and care among male and female adolescents in the country, with females being worse
off and hence more vulnerable to HIV infection as well as the subsequent effects and outcomes
even after accessing care and ART. The study problematized adolescents’ poor adherence and
retention in HIV care and treatment initiatives. Against the backdrop of paucity of nationallyrepresentative
adolescent HIV data on retention in care, mortality and attrition rates, as well as
factors influencing these observed outcome rates, this was considered as an opportunity to
contribute to the knowledge gap. Knowing the factors that influence retention in adolescents is
important to devise interventions for improving retention outcomes for this population. The
aim of the study is to assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV infected
adolescents aged 10 – 19 years who were enrolled onto ART during the period January 2012 –
March 2017, to report their retention rates, and explore the possible factors associated with
retention outcomes at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. | en_US |
