Forgetting to Take Medication, Treatment Adherence and Their Relationship with Viral Load Suppression Among People Living with HIV in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Forgetting to Take Medication, Treatment Adherence and Their Relationship with Viral Load Suppression Among People Living with HIV in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is crucial for virological suppression and positive treatment outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV), but remains a challenge in ensuring patients achieve and sustain viral load suppression. Despite the recommended use of digital tools medications uptake...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:HIV/AIDS (Auckland) Vol. 16; pp. 245 - 257
Main Authors: Masika, Lyidia V, Mboya, Innocent B, Maro, Rehema Anenmose, Mtesha, Benson, Mtoro, Mtoro J, Ngowi, Kennedy, Mahande, Michael Johnson, Sumari-de Boer, I Marion
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2024
Dove
Dove Medical Press
Subjects:
ARV Adherence
Basic Medicine
Breast feeding
Drugs
Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi
forgetting medication
Health Sciences
Highly active antiretroviral therapy
HIV (Viruses)
HIV patients
Hälsovetenskap
Medical and Health Sciences
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper
Missing persons
Original Research
Patient compliance
Pregnant women
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Samhällsfarmaci och klinisk farmaci
skipping medication
Social and Clinical Pharmacy
Tanzania
viral load suppression
Tanzania
ARV Adherence
viral load suppression
forgetting medication
Tanzania
skipping medication
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Summary:Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is crucial for virological suppression and positive treatment outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV), but remains a challenge in ensuring patients achieve and sustain viral load suppression. Despite the recommended use of digital tools medications uptake reminders, the contribution of forgetting to take medication is unknown. This study investigated the contribution of forgetting to take medication on the total missed medication and its effects on detectable viral load (VL). This mixed-method research was conducted among children, adolescents, pregnant, and breastfeeding women living with HIV on ART in northern Tanzania. Forgetting to take medication constituted reporting to have missed medication due to forgetfulness. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to determine the contribution of forgetting medication intakes on total missed medication and other factors associated with having a detectable VL. Of 427 respondents, 33.3% were children, 33.4% adolescents, and 33.3% pregnant and breastfeeding women, whose median age (interquartile range) was 9 (7-12), 18 (16-18), and 31 (27-36) years, respectively. Ninety-two (22.3%) reported missing medication over the past month, of which 72 (17.9%) was due to forgetting. Forgetting to take medication (AOR: 1.75 95% CI: 1.01-3.06) and being on second-line regimen (AOR: 2.89 95% CI: 1.50-5.55) increased the chances of a detectable VL, while females had lower chances of detectable VL (AOR: 0.62 95% CI: 0.41-0.98). The themes on the reasons for forgetting to take medication from qualitative results included being busy with work and the importance of reminders. Forgetting to take medication is common among PLHIV and an important predictor of a detectable VL. This calls for the use of automated short message services (SMS) reminders or Digital Adherence Tools with reminders to improve and promote good ART adherence among PLHIV.
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ISSN:1179-1373
1179-1373
DOI:10.2147/HIV.S452875