Time to detection of anaemia and its predictors among women of reproductive-age living with HIV/AIDS initiating ART at public hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia: a multicentre retrospective follow-up study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the time to development of anaemia and its predictors among women of reproductive-age receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in public hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia. DESIGN: Hospital-based retrospective follow-up study SETTING: Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, and Gebretsadik Shawo General Hospital Southwest Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 389 records of women living with HIV/AIDS at public hospitals were reviewed using a systematic sampling method. The data were entered using Epi-Data Manager V.4.2 and exported to STATA V.14 for data analysis. A Cox-regression model was used and variables with a p-value of <0.05% and 95% confidence level in multivariable analysis were declared as statistically significant predictors for anaemia. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Time to development of anaemia and its predictors among women of reproductive-age on ART in public hospitals. RESULTS: Of 370 records of women of reproductive-age, 203 (54.86%, 95% CI (49.77% to 59.96%)) were anaemic with an incidence rate of 12.07 per 100 person months of observation, and the overall median survival time of 60 months. The total of 2.97%, and 80.26% of women were developed anaemia within the first 6 months and the last 6 months period of follow-up, respectively. Moreover, non-employed women, women with advanced WHO stage, women with baseline opportunistic infections and women who were on ART for long-duration were significantly associated with anaemia among women living with HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: In this study, the incidence rate of anaemia was significantly high. The development of anaemia among women on ART was also increased with increased follow-up time. The risk of anaemia is increased in women living with HIV/AIDS due to advanced baseline WHO staging, presence of OIs at baseline, an increased duration on ART and low occupational status. Therefore, early identification and treatment of opportunistic infections and other coinfections are required to decrease the incidence of anaemia among women living with HIV/AIDS.