Exploring HIV care disparities among foreigners in Taiwan: Insights from a multicenter study (2017-2023)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The proportion of foreign-born individuals among new HIV diagnoses in Taiwan is increasing.
• There is a need to evaluate the quality of HIV care for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess HIV care quality indices among foreign-born individuals with HIV (FWH) in Taiwan.
• To identify factors associated with HIV care quality in FWH.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 144 FWH seeking care between 2017-2023 at 10 Taiwanese hospitals.
• Analysis of data on AIDS at presentation, antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, care retention, and viral suppression.
• Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify associated factors.

Main Results:

• Only 58.3% of FWH remained in care at 1 year.
• Among ART-naïve FWH, 47.9% presented with AIDS, and only 42.6% achieved viral suppression at 1 year.
• White-collar occupations, ART prescription, and government-subsidized ART were associated with better care outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in the HIV care cascade for FWH in Taiwan.
• Earlier diagnosis and improved care retention strategies are urgently needed for FWH.
• Addressing socioeconomic factors and ensuring access to subsidized ART may improve care quality.