AUTHOR=Shimbre Mulugeta Shegaze , Belete Abebe Gedefaw , Guyo Tamirat Gezahegn , Ma Wei 

TITLE=Retention in Care After Transition to Adult Care for Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 70 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1607733

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2025.1607733

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objective: To evaluate the retention rates of adolescents and young adults (ages 10-25) living with HIV during the transition to adult HIV care.The study involved 15 cohort studies done from 2015 onwards, focusing on adolescents and young adults aged 10 to 25 years with HIV who transitioned from into adult care. The primary outcome measured was the rate of retention in care posttransition. Data screening and extraction were performed using Covidence software, and the quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool.The one-year pooled retention rate was 81% (95% CI: 78%, 91%), while the two-year retention rate was 69% (95% CI: 53%, 83%). Significant heterogeneity was observed among studies (I² = 96.73%). Subgroup analyses revealed geographical differences, with Asia exhibiting the highest retention rates. Retrospective study designs yielded better retention outcomes.The findings underscore the challenges and variability in retention rates for adolescents transitioning to adult HIV care. There is a critical need for targeted interventions and improved follow-up strategies to enhance retention and meet global HIV care targets.