Abstract:
Introduction: HIV/AIDS has no cure; however antiretroviral therapy is used to reduce the
viral load and improve the eminence of life of people living with HIV. Adolescence is
experienced occasionally to sexual high-risk behavior and a lack of engagement with
healthcare services that can influence adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Objectives to the study: This study intended to assess the level of adherence and factors
influencing adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV positive adolescents at Gitwe and
Ruhango district hospitals’ catchment area in Rwanda
Methodology: Non-experimental, descriptive cross sectional design using quantitative
approach was used. Stratified random sampling was used also to select 166 adolescents
among 283 HIV positive adolescents followed in 17 health facilities of Gitwe and Ruhango
district hospitals. A close ended questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data entrance and
coding were completed via SPSS, version 21. Data analysis was done using both descriptive
and inferential statistics with CI set at 95% and p-value >0.05. Ethical consideration was
maintained in this study where this study was conducted after obtaining approval from the
IRB at UR-CMHS and permission to collect data was also obtained from Gitwe and Ruhango
district hospitals.
Results: The study found unsatisfactory adherence among the participants where over half of
the adolescents (81.9%) were having poor adherence to ART, 16.3% were having moderate
while only 1.8% were having high adherence.
This study showed some factors which were influencing positively adherence to ART like the
extent to which the clinical staff helped the adolescents to take medication with a p=0.000
and the extent to which the parents/guardians helped the adolescents to take medication had
also a p=0.000, someone remembered the adolescents to take medication with a p=0.001.
This study also revealed some factors that were influencing adherence negatively like
missing of any prescribed drugs with a p=0.013, forgetfulness with a p=0.009, dosage too
complex with a p=0.044, isolated by family members with a p=0.012.
Conclusion: Poor adherence level was found. The planners and implementers of ART
need to set up programs for poor adherence predictor’s reduction.
