Background: The Belgian HIV epidemic is largely concentrated among men who have sex with men and Sub-Saharan Africans. We studied the continuum of HIV care of those diagnosed with HIV living in Belgium and its associated factors. Methods: Data on new HIV diagnoses 2007-2010 and HIV-infected patients in care in 2010-2011 were analysed. Proportions were estimated for each sequential stage of the continuum of HIV care and factors associated with attrition at each stage were studied. Results: Of all HIV diagnosed patients living in Belgium in 2011, an estimated 98.2 % were linked to HIV care, 90.8 % were retained in care, 83.3 % received antiretroviral therapy and 69.5 % had an undetectable viral load (<50 copies/ml). After adjustment for sex, age at diagnosis, nationality and mode of transmission, we found lower entry into care in non-Belgians and after preoperative HIV diagnoses; lower retention in non-Belgians and injecting drug users; higher retention in men who have sex with men and among those on ART. Younger patients had lower antiretroviral therapy uptake and less viral suppression; those with longer time from diagnosis had higher ART uptake and more viral suppression; Sub-Saharan Africans on ART had slightly less viral suppression. Conclusions: The continuum of HIV care in Belgium presents low attrition rates over all stages. The undiagnosed HIV-infected population, although not precisely estimated, but probably close to 20 % based on available survey and surveillance results, could be the weakest stage of the continuum of HIV care. Its identification is a priority along with improving the HIV care continuum of migrants.
CITATION STYLE
Van Beckhoven, D., Florence, E., Ruelle, J., Deblonde, J., Verhofstede, C., Callens, S., … Verhofstede, C. (2015). Good continuum of HIV care in Belgium despite weaknesses in retention and linkage to care among migrants. BMC Infectious Diseases, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-015-1230-3
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