Objectives To examine HIV care attrition patterns and risk factors among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) enrolled in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services in Tanzania. Design Prospective cohort study.
Setting The study was conducted in three regions of Tanzania: Kagera, Tabora and Dar es Salaam across 543 public and private health facilities. Participants A total of 10 147 pregnant and postpartum AGYW living with HIV attending PMTCT services between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 were included in this study and followed prospectively until they were censored at the last appointment date or 31 December 2023, whichever was earlier.
Primary outcome measures The primary outcome was time to HIV care attrition, defined as death, discontinuation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) or loss to follow-up (LTFU). LTFU was defined as failure to attend a scheduled clinic appointment and being absent from care for ≥90 consecutive days following a missed appointment among non-transfers.
Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate time to first attrition.
BMJ Open published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 21 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on HIV care attrition among pregnant and postpartum adolescent girls and young women living with HIV in Tanzania: findings from a prospective cohort study.
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