Data on viral load suppression and associated factors among HIV Patients on antiretroviral treatment in Bulambuli District, Eastern Uganda

HIV viral load suppression (VLS) is the most important indicator of successful antiretroviral therapy. In 2016, Muyembe Health Centre IV (HCIV) in Eastern Uganda started monitoring HIV patients on ART using viral load tests in an effort to meet the third 90 of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 strategy which is VLS. The objective of this study was to ascertain progress in Bulambuli District towards achievement of VLS among HIV infected patients on ART and associated factors in order to guide the development of interventions to achieve this target. A retrospective cohort study design was used. This data provides results from 1101 medical records of HIV infected patients on ART who attended HIV clinic at Muyembe HCIV from June 2016 to April 2018. A data abstraction tool was used for data collection. The data can be summarized using descriptive statistics for categorical variables by computing proportions and means and standard deviation for continuous variables. The Chi Square test can be used to determine factors associated with VLS and logistic regression can be used to determine the magnitude by which the ART and clinical factors influence VLS. From the current study, of the patients (n=944, 85.7%) had viral load suppression at a CI of 95%. Adjusting for known confounders, only adherence to ART was a significant predictor of VLS. Individuals with fair adherence (80-95%) had 4.47 times the odds of VLS, CI=2.242-8.915, p-value of <0.0001 compared to individuals with poor (<80%) adherence, while those with good (>95%) adherence had 11.92 times the odds of VLS, CI=29.359-111.013, p-value of <0.0001 compared to individuals with poor adherence. Results therefore show that Bulambuli district is on track to attaining the third 90 of the UNAIDS 90, 90, 90 global targets by 2020 and adherence to ART is a significant predictor of VLS. This data can therefore be used to predict and simulate similar outcomes from other study settings while dealing with viral load suppression.