Community‐based differentiated service delivery models incorporating multi‐month dispensing of antiretroviral treatment for newly stable people living with HIV receiving single annual clinical visits: a pooled analysis of two cluster‐randomized trials in southern Africa

INTRODUCTION: Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for HIV treatment decrease health facility visit frequency and limit healthcare facility‐based exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. However, two important evidence gaps include understanding DSD effectiveness amongst clients commencing DSD within 12 months of antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation and amongst clients receiving only single annual clinical consultations. To investigate these, we pooled data from two cluster‐randomized trials investigating community‐based DSD in Zimbabwe and Lesotho. METHODS: Individual‐level participant data of newly stable adults enrolled between 6 and 12 months after ART initiation were pooled. Both trials (conducted between August 2017 and July 2019) had three arms: Standard‐of‐care three‐monthly ART provision at healthcare facilities (SoC, control); ART provided three‐monthly in community ART groups (CAGs) (3MC) and ART provided six‐monthly in either CAGs or at community‐distribution points (6MC). Clinical visits were three‐monthly in SoC and annually in intervention arms. The primary outcome was retention in care and secondary outcomes were viral suppression (VS) and number of unscheduled facility visits 12 months after enrolment. Individual‐level regression analyses were conducted by intention‐to‐treat specifying for clustering and adjusted for country. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 599 participants were included; 212 (35.4%), 128 (21.4%) and 259 (43.2%) in SoC, 3MC and 6MC, respectively. Few participants aged <25 years were included (n = 32). After 12 months, 198 (93.4%), 123 (96.1%) and 248 (95.8%) were retained in SoC, 3MC and 6MC, respectively. Retention in 3MC was superior versus SoC, adjusted risk difference (aRD) = 4.6% (95% CI: 0.7%−8.5%). Retention in 6MC was non‐inferior versus SoC, aRD = 1.7% (95% CI: −2.5%−5.9%) (prespecified non‐inferiority aRD margin −3.25%). VS was similar between arms, 99.3, 98.6 and 98.1% in SoC, 3MC and 6MC, respectively. Adjusted risk ratio's for VS were 0.98 (95% CI: 0.92−1.03) for 3MC versus SoC, and 0.98 (CI: 0.95−1.00) for 6MC versus SoC. Unscheduled clinic visits were not increased in intervention arms: incidence rate ratio = 0.53 (CI: 0.16−1.80) for 3MC versus SoC; and 0.82 (CI: 0.25−2.79) for 6MC versus SoC. CONCLUSIONS: Community‐based DSD incorporating three‐ and six‐monthly ART refills and single annual clinical visits were at least non‐inferior to standard facility‐based care amongst newly stable ART clients aged ≥25 years. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03238846 & NCT03438370