Patterns of adherence to scheduling and dietary instructions among patients on antiretroviral therapy in Pretoria, South Africa

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 108; no. 9; pp. 582 - 588
• Main Authors: Adefolalu, Adegoke O., Nkosi, Zerish Z., Olorunju, Steve A. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01-09-2014
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases of the digestive system; Drug Administration Schedule; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - psychology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Medication Adherence - psychology; Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Socioeconomic Factors; South Africa - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; South Africa; Africa; Medication adherence; Dietary instructions; Dosing instructions; Antiretroviral therapy; Human; Immunopathology; Antiretroviral agent; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Adhesion; Infection; Drug compliance; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Diet therapy; Viral disease; Antiviral; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/tru116

Background
Adherence in antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the extent to which the HIV-infected person's behavior corresponds to the prescribed medical advice in terms of using antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Adherence includes acts such as following instructions regarding dietary or fluid restrictions and taking medications at the prescribed time. This study aimed to determine the extent to which persons on ART followed the scheduling and dietary instructions of their ARV drugs.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional descriptive study among 232 adult HIV-infected persons on ART using the AIDS Clinical Trials Group questionnaire.
Results
Based on self-reported adherence, 89.6% (208/232) of the participants reported complete adherence with regards to taking their prescribed medications. The specific dosing schedule of their ARV drugs was strictly followed by 47.4% (110/232) of the participants. Of the 146 patients with specific dietary instructions on how to take their ARVs, only 43.1% (63/146) followed them all of the time, 10.9% (16/146) never followed these instructions and 45.8% (67/146) partially followed these instructions. Participants who were unemployed were twice more likely to adhere to ART dosing schedules compared to others (OR=1.75; CI: 1.03–2.96; p=0.05).
Conclusions
Participants in this study were adherent to taking prescribed medications only. They were found to be non-adherent to instructions regarding dietary or fluid restrictions and medication prescription time.