Late presentation to care for HIV infection in Croatia and the effect of interventions during the Croatian Global Fund Project

There are limited data on how HIV prevention interventions affect individuals presenting to care in settings with a low-level HIV epidemic. We examined whether interventions undertaken during the Croatian Global Fund Project in 2004-2006 had an influence on patients entering care. The number of men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting in 2004-2006 (n=86) was 59% higher than in 2001-2003 (n=54); in heterosexual patients the increase was 14% (n=51 in 2001-2003; n=58 in 2004-2006). MSM presented at a younger age (median 32 years) in 2004-2006 than in 2001-2003 (median 36 years). Late presentation to care was found in 28% of MSM and in 59% of heterosexual patients in 2004-2006. MSM were less frequently late presenters in 2004 2006 compared with 2001-2003 ( odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.24 to 0.99; P=0.046). Additional strategies for earlier initiation of care must be developed for MSM and particularly for heterosexual patients.