HIV-positive injection drug users who leave the hospital against medical advice: the mitigating role of methadone and social support.

Background: Leaving the hospital against medical advice has been associated with increased morbidity and readmission. Factors associated with the risk of leaving against medical advice among HIV/AIDS patients or injection drug users have not been examined in detail.

Objectives: To examine the clinical and social factors associated with leaving against medical advice (AMA) from a specialized HIV/AIDS ward among patients who reported a history of injection drug use.