Table 1. Baseline characteristics of patients starting ART in Karonga District, 2005-2012.
| Characteristic | Total number of patients (N=8,159) |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Age (years): median (IQR) | 36 (30-44) |
| Age 15-34 years: n (%) | 3,369 (41.3) |
| Age ≥ 35 years: n (%) | 4,775 (58.5) |
| Gender: n (%) | |
| Male | 3,426 (42.0) |
| Female | 4,731 (58.0) |
| Distance from clinic: n (%) | |
| <5km | 3,884 (47.6) |
| 5 - <10km | 1,797 (22.0) |
| 10 - <25km | 1,752 (21.5) |
| ≥25km | 705 (8.6) |
| Missing | 21 (0.3) |
| Clinical characteristics | |
| Reason for starting ART | |
| CD4 cell count criteria | 1,198 (14.7) |
| WHO stage 3 | 5,015 (61.5) |
| WHO stage 4 | 1,939 (23.8) |
| ART related characteristics | |
| Year of ART initiation: n (%) | |
| 2005 | 292 (3.6) |
| 2006 | 793 (9.7) |
| 2007 | 1,000 (12.3) |
| 2008 | 1,244 (15.2) |
| 2009 | 1,194 (14.6) |
| 2010 | 1,264 (15.5) |
| 2011 | 1,255 (15.4) |
| 2012¶ | 1,117 (13.7) |
| Clinic related characteristics | |
| Health facility level: n (%) | |
| District Hospital | 4,456 (54.6) |
| Rural Hospital | 2,440 (29.9) |
| Rural Health Centre | 1,263 (15.5) |
*
Data are missing when the total number of patient was less than 8,159.
¶
Data for 2012 only includes patients up the end of August 212.