Evaluation of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Utilization Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus Exposed Victims at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, North West Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a serious public health problem costing the lives of many people including healthcare workers worldwide. Ethiopia is one of the most seriously affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with a large number of people who are living with HIV/AIDS and AIDS -related deaths. Prevention of the virus transmission through the appropriate utilization of post exposure prophylaxis is one of the major strategies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among victims of HIV at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, north-west Ethiopia. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from May 17, 2018, to May 24, 2018 and descriptive statistics were carried out to analyze the Data using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: From a total of 309 patients PEP was prescribed during the study period, of whom 239 (77.34%) were occupational victims and 55 (17.8%) were rape victims, with one missing data. Occupational victims were exposed by blood and blood product splashes and nurses and physicians were exposed almost equally, 14.24% and 13.92%, respectively. The majority of the victims were exposed at a health facility. Two hundred and eighty-five (92.23%) victims received prescriptions containing three-drug regimens, tenofovir + lamivudine + efavirenz, followed by 9 victims (2.91%) with two-drug regimens; zidovudine + lamivudine. There are no follow-up mechanisms as a result the completion rate and the outcome of PEP was not determined. CONCLUSION: PEP was initiated within 72 hr, most within 24 hr. The adherence was unknown with poor follow-up despite the strong recommendations of the national and WHO guidelines.