Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV positive adolescents at selected district hospitals'catchment area in Rwanda.

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.