title: Outcomes among HIV-infected children initiating HIV care and antiretroviral treatment in Ethiopia.
abstract: To describe pediatric ART scale-up in Ethiopia, one of the 21 global priority countries for elimination of pediatric HIV infection.
  
  
  
  A descriptive analysis of routinely collected HIV care and treatment data on HIV-infected children (<15 years) enrolled at 70 health facilities in four regions in Ethiopia, January 2006-September 2013. Characteristics at enrollment and ART initiation are described along with outcomes at 1 year after enrollment. Among children who initiated ART, cumulative incidence of death and loss to follow-up (LTF) were estimated using survival analysis.
  
  
  
  11 695 children 0-14 years were enrolled in HIV care and 6815 (58.3%) initiated ART. At enrollment, 31.2% were WHO stage III and 6.3% stage IV. The majority (87.9%) were enrolled in secondary or tertiary facilities. At 1 year after enrollment, 17.9% of children were LTF prior to ART initiation. Among children initiating ART, cumulative incidence of death was 3.4%, 4.1% and 4.8%, and cumulative incidence of LTF was 7.7%, 11.8% and 16.6% at 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. Children <2 years had higher risk of LTF and death than older children (P < 0.0001). Children with more advanced disease and those enrolled in rural settings were more likely to die. Children enrolled in more recent years were less likely to die but more likely to be LTF.
  
  
  
  Over the last decade large numbers of HIV-infected children have been successfully enrolled in HIV care and initiated on ART in Ethiopia. Retention prior to and after ART initiation remains a major challenge.
authors.affiliation: ICAP in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zenebe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Melaku
authors.affiliation: ICAP in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Sileshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lulseged
authors.affiliation: ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.affiliation: ICAP in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Yoseph
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gutema
authors.affiliation: ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Chloe A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Teasdale
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: ICAP in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tsigereda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gadisa
authors.affiliation: Oromia Regional Health Bureau, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zelalem
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Habtamu
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abubaker
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bedri
authors.affiliation: ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fayorsey
authors.affiliation: ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Elaine J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Abrams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D059012:Lost to Follow-Up; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D063728:Secondary Care Centers; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents
keywords: 
  VIH pediátrico; 
  VIH pédiatrique; ART scale-up; Ethiopia; Ethiopie; Etiopía; HIV retention; ampliación del TAR
  ; antiretroviral treatment; déploiement de l’ART
  ; paediatric HIV; retención en VIH
  ; rétention VIH
  ; traitement antirétroviral; tratamiento antirretroviral