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Research Paper | Public Health | Gambia | Volume 11 Issue 12, December 2022 | Rating: 7.1 / 10
Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV Positive Patients in Central Hospital Warri, Delta State, Nigeria
Efe Clement ABEL | Daniel Afekhide ADEBAYO | Margaret Uche AFAM-OSEMENE | Hezekiah ADJEKETA | Kevin Enajemo EDI | Ngozi Peace ADIASOR | Patrick Gold OYIBO | Nyemike Simeon AWUNOR
Abstract: Adherence is the quantified level to which an individual follows a prescribed treatment and a low level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy(ART) adversely affects a patient?s treatment outcome and results in a rebound of plasma viraemia, development of resistant strains of HIV, more rapid immune deterioration, development of AIDS and death. This study is aimed at assessing the level of adherence to ART among HIV-positive patients assessing care in Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were obtained using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 23. A total of 303 persons were recruited for the study. The mean age of respondents was 36.2?10.8years. Less than half of the subjects (45.5%) were adherent to their ART. Among the non-adherent subjects, the common reasons reported for missing doses of ART were forgetfulness (50.9%), too busy with other things (43.6%) and away from home (35.8%). This study showed that adherence to ART among the study population was poor. Forgetfulness, too busy with other things and being away from home were the most common reason for non-adherence. It is, therefore, recommended that; regular health education should be organised for HIV patients on ART on the importance of being adherent to their ART, regular assessment of adherence to ART should be carried out and a method of reminding patients who are non-adherent to ART on the need to take their ART as at when due should be considered as part of the routine services provided by ART centres.
Keywords: Adherence, Antiretroviral therapy, HIV positive patients, Warri, Nigeria
Edition: Volume 11 Issue 12, December 2022,
Pages: 1 - 4