Female gender predicts lower access and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in a setting of free healthcare

BMC Infectious Diseases

Table 2 Univariate GEE*^ϕ analysis of sociodemographic, behavioural and clinical factors associated with ≥ 95% ART adherence.

Variable	OR	(95% CI)	p-value
Gender
(Female vs. Male)	0.69	(0.52-0.90)	0.006
Age
(<24 yrs vs. ≥ 24 yrs)	0.16	(0.08-0.31)	<0.001
Ethnicity
(Aboriginal vs. other)	0.97	(0.74-1.28)	0.841
Heroin use*
(Daily vs. not daily)	0.38	(0.30-0.48)	<0.001
Cocaine use*
(Daily vs. not daily)	0.48	(0.40-0.57)	<0.001
Crack use*
(Daily vs. not daily)	0.94	(0.78-1.13)	0.509
Methadone treatment
(Yes vs. no)	2.44	(2.01-2.96)	<0.001
Other addiction treatment ^†
(Yes vs. no)	1.50	(1.26-1.79)	<0.001
Education
(less than highschool vs. other)	0.56	(0.37-0.85)	0.007
Employment
(reg job, temp work, self-emp vs. other)	1.11	(0.87-1.41)	0.401
Unstable housing
(Yes vs. no)	0.90	(0.76-1.07)	0.239
Viral load
(per log₁₀copies/mL)	0.54	(0.48-0.60)	<0.001
CD4+ count
(per 100 cells/mm³)	0.95	(0.89-1.00)	0.047

*Refers to the previous six-month period. ^†Defined as drug treatment other than methadone in the past six months. ^ϕGEE = Generalized Estimating Equation.

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