Factors associated with antiretroviral therapy adherence among HIV infected men at Chilomoni Health Centre in Blantyre District
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Date
2014-12-01
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Abstract
Low adherence to anti retro viral therapy (ART) increases morbidity and mortality rates among AIDS patients and promotes the emergence of ART resistance. Little is known regarding factors associated with adherence to ART among HIV-infected men at Chilomoni Health Centre in Blantyre District where the research was done. The purpose of the study to explore factors associated with adherence among HIV-infected men receiving Anti retro viral Therapy at Chilomoni Health Centre in Blantyre District. A quantitative cross sectional study was conducted to explore factors associated with adherence among HIV-infected men receiving Anti retro viral Therapy at Chilomoni Health Centre in Blantyre District and permission was granted by relevant authorities to conduct the study. Between May 19 to July 07 2014, 237 HIV-infected men were systematically randomly sampled from all HIV-infected men attending ART clinic at Chilomoni Health Centre. They gave a written consent before joining the study. Two hundred thirty seven questionnaires were completed at the clinic before the respondents left for home and were personally collected by the researcher. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data. This study found that there are variations in respondents’ knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the importance of adhering to Anti retro viral therapy. Most of the HIV-infected men (83.3%) had positive perception about patient level factors affecting their adherence to ART, medication level factors helping them to adhere to ART and the clinic level factors making it possible for them to adhere to ART. The respondents perceived that they received adequate support for them to adhere to ART. However, all the respondents 100% were not adhering to ART. In conclusion, it has been observed that despite HIV-infected men having knowledge on HIV and AIDS and the importance of adhering to ART, perceiving positively to patient, medication and clinic level factors and receiving support from family, friends and health care workers they are still not adhering to ART.