Social factors associated with adherence/non adherence to Antiretroviral therapy among People Living with HIV/AIDS. The case study of three CTCs, Mwananyamala, Amana and Temeke in Dar es Salaam

Makishe, Ndekusara Benson (2013) Social factors associated with adherence/non adherence to Antiretroviral therapy among People Living with HIV/AIDS. The case study of three CTCs, Mwananyamala, Amana and Temeke in Dar es Salaam. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Since the introduction of free antiretroviral therapy in 2004, Tanzania has witnessed a significant decrease in HIV/AIDS morbidity for most of the patients who otherwise regarded themselves as on death sentence. However, antiretroviral therapy adherence poses great challenges not only to patients but also to the whole health care system. The study was conducted to assess the social factors associated with adherence or non adherence to antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV/AIDS. The study was carried out between October 2011 and February 2012. It involved a sample of 26 PLHA, who were receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 18 health care providers in selected three care treatment centers (CTCs) that were Mwananyamala, Amana and Temeke. The interview questions designed in form of open ended questions. The purposes of using such tools were to give the respondents a wide room of expressing their feelings, ideas and opinions about the issue. The study revealed that, the adherence rate was 73% although 27% of the respondents were not adhered. Demographic, economic, psychosocial, culture and beliefs were found to be associated to adherence to ART both positively and negatively in one way or another. Socio-economic factors were found to have concerns whereby most of the study respondents complained bitterly that they fail to attend at CTCs properly, take ARVs drugs in proper time and fail to follow doses as required due to poverty. Furthermore, the study revealed that despite of the government’s efforts on raising awareness about stigmatization, it is still high.. The study recommends to improve ART services by raising awareness concerning adherence, voluntary counseling and testing, home based care for those using the ARVs at their homes.

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