The profile of health care utilization among HIV/AIDS patients in Iran from 1987 to 2016: A nationwide study

Background: The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as a major threat to public health is the most important infectious pandemic of the late 20th and the early 21st centuries across the globe. This study aimed to assess the status of health service utilization provided by the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Iran from 1987 to 2016. Methods: Samples were 30516 patients with HIV/AIDS from 31 Iranian provinces registered in the Iranian health database from 1987 to October 2016. Health care services provided by the MOHME were assessed in terms of age, gender, and the marital status. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis and the significance level was set as P < 0.05. Results: Out of 30516 patients with HIV/AIDS in the age group of 35-44 years, 83.58% (n = 25506) were male and 41.52% (n = 12670). The highest coverage of health care services provided to these patients included the laboratory test of the cluster of differentiation 4 cells count (CD4), the latest status of tuberculosis (TB), Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) diagnostic test, and treatment using Antiretroviral drug (ARV). However, the coverage other health care services was very low. We found that there was a statistically significant association between gender, age and the marital status, and receiving health care services. There was a strong correlation between the gender of a woman and cut the last TB regime (OR: 2.54 P < 0.001). Conclusions: While the process of providing health care services to such patients has improved in recent years, it is far from the expected level and the overall coverage is very low. Planning for the appropriate supply and distribution of Health Care Workers (HCWs) and specialized facilities, provision of drugs, continuous education of HCWs, improvement of registration and reporting of HIV/AIDS can enhance the provision of healthcare services to these patients.