Table 4. Reasons for discontinuation of care from LUTH HIV treatment program among 268 traced and interviewed LTFU patients.
| Category | Reasons mentioned | Ranked 1st N (%) N = 268 |
Ranked 2nd N (%) N = 217 |
Ranked 3rd N (%) N = 129 |
Total N (%) N = 268 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to care | Long distance to clinic | 150 (56.0) | 65 (30.0) | 22 (17.1) | 237 (88.4) |
| Long waiting time | 12(4.5) | 43 (19.8) | 26 (20.2) | 81 (30.2) | |
| Started treatment in another clinic | 9 (3.4) | 18 (8.3) | 15 (11.6) | 42 (15.7) | |
| High cost of transportation | 11(4.1) | 15 (6.9) | 14 (10.9) | 40 (14.9) | |
| High cost of test | 5 (1.9) | 3 (2.3) | 8 (3.0) | ||
| Othersa | 3 (1.1) | 2 (0.9) | 1 (0.8) | 5 (1.9) | |
| Clinic quality | Staff was not nice | 5 (1.9) | 8 (3.7) | 13 (10.1) | 26 (9.7) |
| Afraid of scolding from clinic staff | 2 (0.8) | 5 (2.3) | 6 (4.7) | 13 (4.9) | |
| Attending clinic risked disclosure to community | 2 (0.8) | 5 (2.3) | 4 (3.1) | 12 (4.5) | |
| Othersb | 3 (1.1) | 5 (2.3) | 2 (1.6) | 10 (3.7) | |
| Work and family | Busy at work | 9 (3.4) | 17 (7.8) | 10 (7.8) | 36 (13.4) |
| Busy caring for family | 1 (0.4) | 4 (1.8) | 3 (2.3) | 8 (3.0) | |
| Spouse/baby died | 4 (1.5) | 1 (0.5) | 5 (1.9) | ||
| Medical | Feeling healthy | 18(6.7) | 12 (5.5) | 7 (5.4) | 37 (13.8) |
| Didn’t need ARV | 11(4.1) | 4 (1.8) | 2 (1.6) | 17 (6.3) | |
| Othersc | 14 (5.2) | 4 (1.8) | 0 (0.0) | 18 (6.7) | |
| Alternate treatment and advice | Not permitted by religion or faith | 9 (3.4) | 7 (3.2) | 0 (0.0) | 16 (6.0) |
| Othersd | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.9) | 1 (0.8) | 4 (1.5) |
a No work/no money, next scheduled clinic visit was far
b Poor clinic environment, too many appointments, lack of privacy
c Was sick, had side effects with ARV, does not have HIV, tired of ARV, did not understand importance, did not want caesarian section
d Family person does not approve of clinic, started alternative medicine