Factors Influencing Adherence To Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living With Hiv And Aids In Koforidua Regional Hospital

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

HIV and AIDS is one of the major public-health problems worldwide which affects mostly people who are at the utmost productive stage of life. Out of the estimated 36.7 million people living with HIV and AIDS globally as at the end of 2015, 71% live in sub Saharan Africa. Antiretroviral therapy averted 5.5 million deaths in low- and middleincome countries during the peak in 1995 until 2012. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for most of those lives saved; it keeps people productive. HIV has become a chronic manageable disease. However, ensuring that People living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) receive and adhere to their highly active ART poses a challenge to the treatment efficacy.

Methods:

780 PLHIV (25.6% males, 74.4% females) aged 15 years and above who have been on ART from June 2014 to June 2016 at KRH were selected for the study. The level of adherence to medication was determined for each person using Patient Attendance-based Defaulting (PAD) measures. Association between adherence and CD4 count was determined using chi Square.

Results:

Out of 780 PLHIV who were on ART medication, 428 (54.9%) demonstrated optimal adherence, 154 (19.7%) had Sub-optimal adherence and 198 (25.4%) had poor adherence. The average adherence level was 75%. The study revealed that socio demographic variables had no relationship with PLHIV adherence to their medication regimen P (> 0.05). It was also established that there is significant association, P (0.002) between adherence and CD4 count level.

Conclusion:

The average adherence level at ART center in Koforidua Regional Hospital is sub-optimal adherence. Increase adherence among PLHIV, has a resultant increase in the level of CD4 count cells. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, adherence, ARV’s, PLHIV, CD4 count cell.