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Impact of Food Assistance on Clinic Attendance among Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Haiti. MOPDD0305. D. Bernard 1 , S.P. Koenig 2 , C. Riviere 1 , C. Bertil 1 , P. Severe 1 ,M.M. Deschamps 1 , J.W . Pape 1,3 Institutions:
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Impact of Food Assistance on Clinic Attendance among Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Haiti MOPDD0305 D. Bernard1, S.P. Koenig2, C. Riviere1, C. Bertil1, P. Severe1,M.M. Deschamps1, J.W. Pape1,3 Institutions: 1The GHESKIO Centers, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2Division of Global Health Equity Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, United States, 3Division of Global Health, Weil Medical School of Cornel University, New York, United States Page 1 of 7
BACKGROUND • In resource limited settings (RSL) such as Haiti, people living with HIV/AIDS face great challenges in maintaining adequate nutrition. • The evaluation of the benefits of nutritional supplementation(NS) programs on HIV clinic attendance among HIV infected subjects in developing countries is limited. • GHESKIO is the main Center for HIV/AIDS services in Haiti • This abstract focuses on the assessment of the rate of timely antiretroviral therapy (ART) visit attendance for a cohort of patients before food assistance, while receiving food assistance, and after receiving food assistance by using electronic pharmacy visit data. Page 2 of 7
METHODS • From October 2007 to January 2011, our study population included 2654 patients that received at least 6 months of ART prior to receiving NS from the World food program (WFP) at the GHESKIO Centers. • Using pharmacy visit data, we calculated the number of late visits (at least 6 days after the scheduled visit date): a) during the 6 months before receiving WFP supplementation b) during the approximate 6 months of WFP supplementation c) 6 months after receiving WFP supplementation. Page 3 of 7
RESULTS From November 2007 to December 2011, among the 2654 patients a total of 4098 scheduled visits was found. During that period there were: • 1625 late visits during the 6 months period prior to NS which indicates that 39% of the scheduled visits were late visits • 1291 late visits during the 6 months of NS which indicates that 31% of the scheduled visits were late visits, • 1135 late visits during the 6 months after NS which indicates that 27% of the scheduled visits were late visits . Page 4 of 7
RESULTS Page 5 of 7
CONCLUSIONS • Our findings demonstrate that food assistance plays a key role in the regularity of the visits to the pharmacy, which is associated with Antiretroviral therapy adherence. • Nutritional Supplementation should be part of the package of care and support offered to all patients on ART, particularly those with advanced immunodepressionwho are so desperately in need. Page 6 of 7
Thank You ! Page 7 of 7