Improving continuity of care for people hospitalized with advanced HIV in Johannesburg.
Tracking and Continuity of Care in Advanced HIV Disease
This project will follow adults hospitalized with advanced HIV to see where and why people stop care after discharge and who stays connected to clinics.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Boston University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Johannesburg, Gauteng) |
| Trial ID | NCT07428577 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
A prospective cohort with a nested process evaluation will enroll adults admitted to Helen Joseph Hospital with advanced HIV (CD4 <200 cells/µL and/or WHO stage 3 or 4). Participants provide consent and contact information and are followed after discharge to document linkage to primary healthcare, retention, readmissions, and mortality. The study will map hospital-to-clinic referral pathways and use interviews and service data to identify gaps and barriers in continuity of care. No experimental treatments are given; the goal is to generate evidence to inform strategies that strengthen linkage, retention, and long-term outcomes for people with AHD.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) with known HIV who are admitted for an AHD-related illness at Helen Joseph Hospital and can give written or thumbprint consent and provide contact details are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People confined to tuberculosis or other infectious-disease isolation wards, those unable to consent or communicate in the available languages, or those without reliable contact information are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide better hospital-to-clinic handoffs and programs that reduce loss to follow-up, opportunistic infections, and deaths among people with advanced HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Previous observational work has documented high rates of advanced HIV and post-discharge disengagement, and interventions to improve linkage have shown mixed but sometimes promising results, so this study builds on existing evidence.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Known HIV positive status * Admitted to inpatient care for an AHD-related illness * Aged 18 years and above * Able to provide written consent or consent using a thumbprint * Consent to be contacted after discharge and can provide contact information Exclusion Criteria: * Confined to tuberculosis isolation ward or other wards for patients with acute infectious disease that requires isolation procedures * Not physically, mentally, or emotionally able to participate in the study prior to discharge, in the opinion of facility or study staff * Unable to communicate in any of the languages into which the questionnaire has been translated or that is known to the research assistant
Where this trial is running
Johannesburg, Gauteng
- Helen Joseph Hospital — Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sydney Rosen — Boston University
- Study coordinator: Elizabeth Kachingwe
- Email: ekachingwe@heroza.org
- Phone: 27 61 066 3132
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.