Volume : 6, Issue : 4, April - 2017

Determinants of Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy among people attending a Public HIV Clinic in Ghana

Norah Lucky Katende Kyenda, Ellen Sam, Teke Apalata

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Major determinants of survival in HIV-1-infected on HAART are adherence, baseline CD4 count, AIDS-defining illness and drug-resistance. Poor-adherence increases the risk of death in HIV-1-infected. Adherence-rates to HAART and determinants thereof among HIV/AIDS were measured using a cross-sectional study and a standardized-questionnaire using face-to-face interviews. Pill-count was conducted and adherence-rates calculated, considering p&ge;95% significant. Data were analysed using SPSS and factors associated with poor-adherence accessed with ANOVA considering &rho;&le;0.05 significant. Of 69 HIV-infected on HAART for 37.48&plusmn;32.97 months, 48(69.6%) were females and 21(30.4%) males with mean age of 42.41&plusmn;8.92 years. 53.2% and 40.4% of HIV-infected were on WHO stage 1 and 3 respectively. Of 69 patients, 46(66.7%) had a poor adherence-rate (&lt;95%). Among the assessed variables, sociodemographic factors, duration and knowledge on ART, CD4 count levels, stigma were insignificant. Factors related to treatment-regimens (&ge;3 ART tablets; &chi;2=5.08, &rho;=0.042) and (&ge;4 other tablets; &chi;2=16.03, &rho;=0.09) were determinants of poor-adherence to HAART.</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;&#10;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>