Case management strategy enhances virological response in people living with human immunodeficiency virus in a resource-limited region in Southwest China: a real-world prospective observational study.

Abstract

This study assessed the effectiveness of case management compared to that of standard care in improving treatment outcomes for first-time antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients in Liangshan Prefecture, China. First-time ART patients (total n = 828) were divided into the Standard Care Group (SCG, n = 419) and Case Management Group (CMG, n = 409). At week 48, the CMG showed higher retention rates (97.7% vs. 93.6%), better adherence, and more complete virological responses (84.2% vs. 64.0%) compared to the SCG. These findings suggest that case management improves adherence and virological suppression in resource-limited areas, though further research is needed to confirm its broader applicability.