Abstract
A cohort study was conducted to assess the rate of follow-up visit within 30 days after hospital discharge and to determine factors associated with no follow-up among Thai HIV-infected adults during the period from November 2012 to October 2013. Of the 120 eligible patients, 76 (63%) were males, median age was 40 years, and 57 (48%) were newly diagnosed with HIV infection. The rate of follow-up within 30 days after hospital discharge was 69%. Independent factors associated with no follow-up were no caregiver (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.82; p = 0.002), age (aOR 1.06; p = 0.007 for each year younger), being immigrant (aOR 5.10; p = 0.03) and monthly household income less than $US 300 (aOR 2.99; p = 0.04). These findings suggest the need for interventions to improve care engagement including close monitoring for follow-up, pre-discharge financial and medical coverage planning, assessment for the need for caregiver and patient education about the importance of care engagement.
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