Background: Timely antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation requires early diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with prompt enrollment and engagement in HIV care.
Methods: We examined programmatic data on 334 557 adults enrolling in HIV care, including 149 032 who initiated ART during 2006-2011 at 132 facilities in Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Tanzania. We examined trends in advanced HIV disease (CD4+ count <100 cells/μL or World Health Organization disease stage IV) and determinants of advanced HIV disease at ART initiation.
Results: Between 2006-2011, the median CD4+ count at ART initiation increased from 125 to 185 cells/μL an increase of 10 cells/year. Although the proportion of patients initiating ART with advanced HIV disease decreased from 42% to 29%, sex disparities widened. In 2011, the odds of advanced disease at ART initiation were higher among men (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5), those on tuberculosis treatment (AOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2.0), and those with a ≥ 12 month gap in pre-ART care (AOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6-2.6).
Conclusions: Intensified efforts are needed to identify and link HIV-infected individuals to care earlier and to retain them in continuous pre-ART care to facilitate more timely ART initiation.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS; advanced HIV disease; antiretroviral treatment; sub-Saharan Africa.