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Starting treatment

Linkage to care

What to understand when entering or returning to HIV care.

Publisher
The Bach Foundation
Audience
Public · Professional · Research
Last reviewed
18 August 2026
Status
Source-linked
Jurisdiction
Global context; local guidance may vary

Essential answer

Linkage to care is part of the Center’s starting treatment record.

Current guidance supports timely antiretroviral treatment for people diagnosed with HIV. Individual regimen and timing decisions still require clinical assessment, baseline information and local availability.

Complete public explanation

What to understand when entering or returning to HIV care.

Use the information with its source date, population and jurisdiction. A general explanation cannot determine an individual’s diagnosis, eligibility, regimen or legal obligations.

Key considerations

  • Treatment goals include durable viral suppression, immune protection and prevention of transmission.
  • Baseline evaluation informs regimen choice and monitoring but should not create avoidable delay.
  • Shared decision-making includes preferences, pregnancy potential, comorbidities, interactions and access.
  • A public page should never instruct someone to stop or switch prescribed treatment.

Research and evidence questions

01Which service models support same-day or rapid initiation safely?
02How can linkage and retention improve after diagnosis?
03Which measures capture quality of life as well as viral suppression?
04How can access gaps be reduced across populations?

Professional and academic evidence

Professional interpretation of linkage to care adds study design, population, comparator, outcomes, statistical methods, limitations, conflicts, guideline adoption, geographic applicability, replication and integrity status.

Evidence record fields for Linkage to care
FieldWhat the Center displays
Meaning and scopeDefinition, mechanism, intended use and what should not be inferred.
Population and jurisdictionAge, sex and gender, geography, HIV subtype, clinical context and issuing authority.
OutcomeClinical, virologic, diagnostic, public-health or implementation outcome and follow-up.
ProvenanceOriginal source, identifier, version, funding, conflicts, access date and review.
IntegrityProtocol changes, corrections, expressions of concern, retractions and later evidence.

Principal sources and evidence gateways

Links checked 18 August 2026
01
WHO updated recommendations on HIV clinical managementWorld Health Organization · Guideline · Access checked 18 Aug 2026
02
Clinical guidelines for HIV prevention and treatmentNIH Clinicalinfo · Guideline · Access checked 18 Aug 2026
03
Global HIV & AIDS statistics — 2025 reporting yearUNAIDS · Dataset · Access checked 18 Aug 2026
Additional permanent evidence gateways