Background:
While Brazil has had a long-standing policy of free access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all in need, the epidemiological impact of ART on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA suppression in this middle-income country has not been well evaluated. We estimate first-line ART effectiveness in a large Brazilian cohort and examine the socio-demographic, behavioral, clinical and structural factors associated with virologic suppression.
Methods:
Virologic suppression on first-line ART at 6, 12, and 24 months from start of ART was defined as having a viral load measurement 8 years of formal education (compared to