Late HIV diagnosis
Export Indicator
People living with HIV who were diagnosed late.
As countries scale up HIV services, it is important to monitor whether people are diagnosed at an earlier stage and what percentage of the people living with HIV are still diagnosed at a late stage. Late diagnosis is detrimental to people’s health, and those with low CD4 counts are more likely to transmit the virus.
- Numbers of adults living with HIV with an initial CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm3 at the time of diagnosis, and number of children living with HIV, by age, with an initial CD4 cell count or percentage of:
- Age 5-14 years: 200 cells/mm3 or CD4<15%.
- Age 36-59 months: 350 cells/mm3 or CD4<15%.
- Age 12-35 months: 750 cells/mm3 or CD4<20%.
- Numbers of adults (15 years and older) living with HIV with an initial CD4 cell count <350 cells/mm3 at the time of diagnosis.
Total number of people living with HIV diagnosed during the reporting period and with an initial CD4 cell count (or for children, percentage) recorded.
Numerator/denominator
Based on data from laboratory information systems and from the records of people in treatment. Data can be compiled from health services registries, case report forms or laboratory information systems. Individuals with CD4 count results should only be included if the CD4 test was conducted within one month of the HIV diagnosis date.
Annual
- 0–14 years (disaggregated by ages 12-35 months, 36-59 months and 5-14 years) for children, and 15 years and older by sex (men and women) for adults.
Adults living with HIV whose initial CD4 lymphocyte count was less than 200 cells/mm3, and adults living with HIV whose initial CD4 lymphocyte count was less than 350 cells/mm3 in the reporting period. Reporting on the number of adults with a CD4 lymphocyte count less than 350 cells/mm3 should include those with a CD4 lymphocyte count less than 200 cells/mm3. Among children, CD4 count thresholds indicating severe immunosuppression vary by age, so additional disaggregation is required.
Number of people living with HIV who had an initial CD4 lymphocyte count within one month of the time of diagnosis in the reporting period.
This indicator may not distinguish between people given a late diagnosis and those who arrived late for care and treatment in a setting where CD4 testing is available, and so accessed CD4 testing later than one month after their initial HIV diagnosis. Differentiating these two situations requires knowing the diagnosis date and the date of the initial CD4 lymphocyte count. Dates differing by more than one month may indicate a delay in being linked to care, although it is possible that late diagnosis and late linkage to care may occur in the same person. Previous HIV testing history and clinical records should be reviewed to the extent possible to exclude counting people who were previously diagnosed at some earlier date and are only seeking a second or confirmatory diagnosis later. Finally, this indicator may not include all individuals diagnosed during the reporting period if there are substantial reporting delays in the diagnosis data or CD4 count test result.