Incidence and predictors of loss to follow-up among HIV infected adults after initiation of first line anti-retroviral therapy at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized Hospital Northwest Ethiopia, 2018: retrospective follow up study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of lost to follow up from anti-retroviral therapy (ART) care and identify the associated factors among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients after first-line ART initiation at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia between January 2012 and January 2018. RESULTS: The overall incidence rate of lost to follow up was 12.26 per 100 person years (95% CI (10.61–14.18)). Being underweight (< 18.5 kg/m(2)) (AHR, 1.52, 95% CI 1.01–2.28), jobless (AHR, 2.22, 95% CI 1.2–4.11), substance abuser (AHR, 1.84 95% CI 1.19–2.86), having sub-optimal adherence (fair/poor) (AHR 6.33, 95% CI (3.90–10.26)), not receiving isoniazid prophylaxis (AHR 2.47, 95% CI (1.36–4.48)), ambulatory functional status (AHR 1.94, 95% CI (1.23–3.06)), having opportunistic infections (AHR, 1.74 95% CI 1.11–2.72), having CD4 count 201–349 cells/µL (AHR 0.58, 95% CI (0.38–0.88)) were found to be significant predictors of lost to follow up from ART service.