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

Volume : VI, Issue : IV, 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 :

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≥95% significant. Data were analysed using SPSS and factors associated with poor-adherence accessed with ANOVA considering ρ≤0.05 significant. Of 69 HIV-infected on HAART for 37.48�32.97 months, 48(69.6%) were females and 21(30.4%) males with mean age of 42.41�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 (<95%). Among the assessed variables, sociodemographic factors, duration and knowledge on ART, CD4 count levels, stigma were insignificant. Factors related to treatment-regimens (≥3 ART tablets; χ2=5.08, ρ=0.042) and (≥4 other tablets; χ2=16.03, ρ=0.09) were determinants of poor-adherence to HAART.