Abstract:
Background – International HIV guidelines for the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in adults
are shifting towards earlier initiation of ART, even though most patients came with advance
stage of the diseases.
The objective of this study was to assess factors associated with late presentation to ART
services in the st.luke’s catholic hospital and college of nursing and midwifery, Woliso, 2014
Methods – unmatched case control study design with total of 298 samples (149 samples of
Cases and 149 samples of controls). A simple random sampling technique was used to select
sample of cases and controls from the study population. Structured questionnaires were used.
Epidata 3.1 used for data entry and cleaning and SPSS version 16 was used for data processing.
Adjusted odds ratio, P-value <0.05 and 95% C.I were considered in significant testing and
strength of association.
Result- The study revealed that being male was1.98 times late coming to the ART services when
compared to female (AOR 1.98 C.I 1.28- 3.34), those who perceived side effects of ART drugs
were 1.69 times late coming to ART services than not perceived side effect of ART drugs (AOR-
1.69, 1.01-2.83), non pregnant female were coming late to the ART services than pregnant
females in the study area with AOR 1.81(1.34- 5.00), drug users were coming late to the services
of ART later than those did not use the drugs specifically shish.(AOR 7.48,C.I1.41-9.62 ), those
perceived stigma were 1.81 times late comer to the ART services than not perceived stigma
(AOR- 1.81 C.I 1.06- 3.09) and those decided to attempt committing suicide after knowing their
positive status were 3.75 times late comers than those decided to start the treatment (3.75(1.24-
11.29).
Conclusion and recommendation – in the study area being male, non pregnancy, perceived
side effects of ART drugs, attempt to commit suicide after knowing their HIV positive result,
perceived stigma and drug usage were factors those associated with late presentation to ART
services. The intervention to promote early initiation or prevent late presentation should focus on
male, non pregnant female, advantage of ART drugs, drug users and way of reducing perceived
stigma.
