Uptake of a Case Management Intervention for Continuity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Treatment Among Individuals Released From Incarceration Living With HIV in South Africa

Abstract

This study assessed factors associated with case management uptake among people on antiretroviral therapy released from correctional facilities in Gauteng, South Africa. Using data from an observational study and multiple logistic regression, the cross-sectional analysis included 185 participants, mainly male, with a median age of 33 years. Seventy percent attended at least one case management session. Participants released on parole (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57–8.27) and those who disclosed their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status (AOR = 4.78, 95% CI: 1.94–11.79) were significantly more likely to use case management, whereas those who started antiretroviral therapy before incarceration were less likely (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15–0.85). Given the high HIV prevalence in correctional facilities and the global need to ensure uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV, these findings highlight the feasibility of case management strategies in supporting treatment continuity after incarceration. Future research should aim to enhance HIV disclosure and social support to maximize the effectiveness of these interventions.