Abstract Background Adolescents living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to disruptions caused by public health emergencies. This study assessed the perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors on adolescents living with HIV aged 10–15 years and their families in Vietnam. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 587 adolescents living with HIV 10–15 years who were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at five central and provincial hospitals between June 2020 and December 2021 using a structured questionnaire. Perceived impacts of COVID-19 across multiple life domains were measured using a five-point Likert scale. To identify associated factors chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Overall, 35.9% of participants reported a significant overall perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among adolescents residing in Ho Chi Minh City the odds of experiencing a significant overall perceived impact were higher compared to (aOR 18.8, 95% CI 5.9–60.0), Quang Ninh (aOR 5.9, 95% CI 1.2–28.6) and other provinces outside the hospitals’ catchment areas (aOR 4.9, 95% CI 1.6–14.9). Increased odds were also found among those taking ART twice daily (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.5); those living in households with 3–4 members (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3–6.5) or ≥ 5 members (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1); those without home ownership (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.3); and those whose caregivers reported a need for social support (aOR 4.6, 95% CI 2.8–7.7). Conclusions Substantial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported among adolescents living with HIV and their families, underscoring the vulnerability of this population during public health emergencies. Interventions addressing both individual- and family-level needs are needed to strengthen resilience and mitigate the effects of future pandemics.
Tran et al. (Tue,) studied this question.