Association Between Socio-Demographic Factors and Adherence to Treatment by HIV Patients Undergoing Anti-Retroviral Treatment at The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Adherence has been shown to be a major predictor of viral suppression of HIV replication, emergence of ART drug resistance, disease progressions, and death. This study examined the association between demographic factors and adherence to treatment (clinic appointment and drug prescription) by HIV patients undergoing ART in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. The study further examined the reasons for non-adherence to treatment. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was adopted for the study and a structured questionnaire used to elicit information from four hundred respondents who fits into the inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and tables where used to analyze and present data collected on demographic characteristics. The association between respondents’ demographic characteristics and adherence to clinic appointment and prescribed drugs were analyzed inferentially using Pearson Chi-square test of association. Older HIV patients were found to adhere to clinic appointment and drug prescription than the younger patients. However, females were found to adhere to treatment more than the males. Furthermore, level of education was found to determine or influence adherence as HIV patients with formal education had higher adherence rate than those without formal education. Top on the list of the reasons for non-adherence to clinic appointment were distance, forgetfulness, cost of prescribed drugs, fear of been seen and religious beliefs. There is need for quality counseling for HIV patients undertaking ART to understand the implication of non-adherence. The government and health centers should give priority to improving adherence level to ART programme through free drug provision and constant follow up on HIV patients. Furthermore, the campaign against the stigmization of HIV patients should be intensified.