The missing 90 in the HIV cascade of care: late presentation in care in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Current biomedical interventions are aimed to reduce the impact of HIV in the immune system, and diagnosis of opportunistic infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate patient engagement in the continuum of HIV care for HIV, and to evaluate factors associated with late diagnosis and attrition from care. We included all patients attending a primary care unit in Santo Domingo (Capital city) for HIV care during two years, data collected included age, gender identity, year of first positive HIV test, CD4 cell count (cells/uL), drug use, and HIV viral load. Late presentation at the time of entering into care was defined as a CD4 cell count.