Factors Affecting Adherence to Anti-Retroviral Therapy Among Persons Living with HIVAIDS At St. Martin De Porres Hospital- Agormanya

Abstract

Introduction: The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has brought a lot of hope to many afflicted with HIV. With ARTs, HIV has moved from a stage of destructive illness to that of a chronic one. As a chronic illness, it requires a lifetime management on anti-retroviral therapy hence adherence to medications is therefore very important. This study therefore was intended to find out the adherence level to anti-retroviral medications among persons living with HIV/AIDS at the St. Martin de Porres' hospital at Agormanya and to determine the various factors that affect it. Methods: A cross-sectional study utilizing quantitative methods was done. A structured questionnaire partly adapting a standard validated one based on the Morisky 8-point Medication Adherence score was used. Data were collected through a face-to-face exit interview with the respondents. Two hundred and ten (210) respondents were selected by systematic random sampling. Pre-coded questionnaires were administered to collect data. Frequency and analytical tables were drawn. The percentage adherence was calculated using the Morisky scale. Pearson' s Chi square test and binary logistic regression models were used to analyse the association between adherence and the independent variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: The adherence calculated in this study was 72.6% using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS). On bivariate regression analysis the following factors showed statistical significance: cohabitation (OR 11.9,95% CI 2.6 - 55.4; p:S 0.001) side effects of the medications (OR 2.7,95% CI 1..4 - 5.4; p:S 0.001), privacy in the pharmacy (OR 0.2, ,95% CI 0.1 - 0.4; p:S 0.001), privacy in the laboratory (OR 0.2,95% CI 0.1 - 0 .. 4; p:S 0.001) and waiting for long hours (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 - 0.8; P :s 0.001). After adjusting for all possible confounders, cohabitation (OR 11.9.95% CI 2.6 - 55.4; P ~.OOl) was the only factor that had statistical significance of all the factors studied. CONCLUSION: The adherence in this study was found to be 72.6%. Cohabitation (OR 11.9,95% CI 2.6 - 55.4; P 50.01) is the only factor showed strong statistical significance.