Initiation and completion rates of isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV in Far-Western Region of Nepal

A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Objectives

Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), for people living with HIV (PLHIV) is the proven and recommended intervention to avert tuberculosis (TB). In 2015, Nepal implemented 6 months of IPT for all PLHIV registered for HIV care in antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres. After programmatic implementation, there has been no systematic assessment of IPT initiation and completion rates among PLHIV. We aimed to assess IPT initiation and completion rates in the Far-Western Region (FWR) of Nepal.

Design

The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study using secondary data extracted from registers maintained at ART centres.

Setting

All 11 ART centres in the FWR of Nepal.

This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)

Citation

Dhungana GP, Thekkur P, Chinnakali P, Bhatta U, Pandey B, Zhang W-H. Initiation and completion rates of isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV in Far-Western Region of Nepal: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ open. 2019;9(5):e029058.

Initiation and completion rates of isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV in Far-Western Region of Nepal: a retrospective cohort study

Published 29 May 2019