Risk factors for CMV retinitis among individuals with HIV and low CD4 count in northern Thailand: importance of access to healthcare

Abstract
Aim To determine if poor access to healthcare is associated with increased cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis risk among patients with HIV with CD4 counts of Methods This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Patients with known HIV and a CD4 count of 30-min travel time, 95% CI 1.08 to 13.8) and lower income (OR 1.22 per US$50 less income, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.47). Conclusions CD4 count, low income and longer travel time to clinic were significant risk factors for CMV retinitis among patients with HIV in a resource-limited setting. These results suggest that reducing blindness from CMV retinitis should focus on increasing accessibility of screening examinations to poor and hard-to-reach patients.