ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026
Delay antiretroviral therapy initiation and factors affecting it among patients on antiretroviral treatment at North Shewa zone public health facilities, Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2024: a mixed method approach.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough the beginning of antiretroviral therapy shortly after HIV infection results in better outcomes compared to waiting until symptoms appear, globally, there is a research gap in this area. Specifically, in Ethiopia, where the burden of the disease is high, little is known about the timing of the initiation, and previous studies assessed the area either qualitatively or quantitatively only. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the factors that affect the timely initiation of ART by employing a mix of both qualitative and quantitative methods in the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara region in Ethiopia.
methodsA concurrent mixed method was used to gather information about antiretroviral therapy initiators in health facilities under the North Shewa zonal health department from February to April 2024. A total of 596 patients were selected using a multistage random sampling method for the quantitative study, while 28 participants were selected for the qualitative study using purposive sampling. The quantitative data were collected using structured data collection forms, and interview guides supported by an audio recorder were used for qualitative data. The quantitative part was uploaded to the Kobo toolbox for collection. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 16.0 software, while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically by OpenCode version 4.03 software. The P-value of less than 0.05 was declared statistically significant. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically.
resultThe prevalence of delayed ART initiation was 22% (95% CI, 18.99–25.67%). Individuals who had ambulatory functional status (AOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.18–5.97), clients who took prophylaxis for opportunistic infection (AOR 5.77, 95% CI 2.16–15.41), prior opportunistic infection (AOR 3.93, 95% CI 1.89–8.16) and disclosure status (AOR 0.46, 95% CI 0.26–0.82) were significantly associated with delay ART initiation. Moreover, the qualitative findings revealed clinical, client, and provider/facility-related challenges.
conclusionThe study highlights a high prevalence of delayed antiretroviral therapy initiation compared to the WHO test and treat target, with factors result disclosure status, functional status, baseline OI prophylaxis, and OI development. Therefore, client counseling should focus on disclosure, ensuring HIV-positive linkage to ART, and provision of OI prophylaxis and treatment as per the updated guidelines. CLINICAL TRIAL: Not applicable.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.