Rate and predictors of Treatment Failure among pediatric population taking Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia

Background: Though the unprecedented global effort at scaling up universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has decreased the progression of HIV, treatment failure (TF) among pediatric patients receiving ART against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is becoming a global public health concern which may impact on treatment outcome. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the rate and predictors of treatment failure (TF) among HIV-infected pediatric patients taking ART in Ethiopia. Methods: A prospective and retrospective follow-up study was conducted from March 2016 to 2017. Retrospective clinical and laboratory data were captured from patients medical record. Socio-demographics and explanatory variables of participants were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire and study participants were followed for three to six month after baseline viral load has been done to classify virologic failure (VF). TF was ascertained from population who virally failed with the denominator of population taking ART. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regressions were conducted to assess predictors TF. Statistical significance was set at P-value less than 0.05. Results: A total of 554 pediatrics patients taking ART from 40 selected health facilities were included in the study. Viral load suppression (VLS) (VL