HIV/AIDS: Research and Palliative Care (Jun 2024)

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

  • Masika LV,
  • Mboya IB,
  • Maro RA,
  • Mtesha B,
  • Mtoro MJ,
  • Ngowi K,
  • Mahande MJ,
  • Sumari-de Boer IM

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 245 – 257

Abstract

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Lyidia V Masika,1,2 Innocent B Mboya,1,3 Rehema Anenmose Maro,2 Benson Mtesha,2 Mtoro J Mtoro,1 Kennedy Ngowi,2 Michael Johnson Mahande,1,4 I Marion Sumari-de Boer1,2,5 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania; 2Data management Unit, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi, Tanzania; 3Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; 4Management and Development for Health, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; 5Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsCorrespondence: Lyidia V Masika, Email [email protected]: 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).Methods: 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.Results: 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.Conclusion: 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.Keywords: ARV Adherence, forgetting medication, skipping medication, viral load suppression, Tanzania

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