The social and clinical characteristics of patients on antiretroviral therapy who are 'lost to follow-up' in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a prospective study.

A significant proportion of those initiating antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV infection are lost to follow-up. Causes (including HIV symptoms, quality of life, depression, herbal treatment and alcohol use) for discontinuing ART follow-up in predominantly rural resource-limited settings are not well understood. This is a prospective study of the treatment-naïve patients recruited from three (one urban, one-semi-urban and one rural) public hospitals in Uthukela health district in KwaZulu-Natal from October 2007 to February 2008.