HIV/AIDS: Research and Palliative Care (Aug 2021)

Levels of Adherence and Associated Factors Among Children on ART Over Time in Northwest, Ethiopia: Evidence from a Multicenter Follow-Up Study

  • GebreEyesus F,
  • Mitku D,
  • Tarekegn T,
  • Temere B,
  • Terefe T,
  • Belete A,
  • Legas G,
  • Feleke D,
  • Taye MG,
  • Baye N,
  • Admasu F,
  • Dagnew E,
  • Liyeh T,
  • Jimma M,
  • Chanie E

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 13
pp. 829 – 838

Abstract

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Fisha GebreEyesus,1 Dagninet Mitku,2 Tadesse Tarekegn,1 Bogale Temere,1 Tamene Terefe,1 Amsalu Belete,2 Getasew Legas,2 Dejen Feleke,2 Moges Gelaw Taye,2 Nega Baye,2 Fitalew Admasu,2 Enyew Dagnew,2 Tewachew Liyeh,2 Melkamu Jimma,3 Ermias Chanie2 1Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wolkite University, Wolkite, Ethiopia; 2DebreTabor University, DebreTabor, Ethiopia; 3Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Assosa University, Assosa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Fisha GebreEyesus Email [email protected]: Despite the increased availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), its success depends on a high level of adherence to a life-long antiretroviral therapy. However, the extent and factors associated with adherence to ART are not well known, especially in the current study setup. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence and associated factors among children on ART in Northwest, Ethiopia.Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children receiving ART at South Gondar public hospitals. Children receiving ART from January 1, 2015, to November 30, 2020, were included in the study. A computer-generated simple random sampling technique was employed. The data were entered into the EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by STATA 14 statistical software. Bivariable logistic regression was fitted for each predictor variable. Moreover, those variables having a p-value ≤ 0.25 in bivariate analysis were fitted into a multivariable logistic regression model. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare significance.Results: A total of 363 HIV-infected children were involved in the study. From 363 HIV-infected children, the level of adherence to ART was found to be 78.2%, 95% CI (73.6, 82.2). TB co-infection [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.8, 95% CI (1.41, 10.1)], short duration on ART (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI (1.60, 7.20)), treatment failure (AOR = 10.2, 95% CI (3.95, 26.2)), and Zidovudine containing ART regimen (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI (1.1, 10.9)) were significant predictors of poor adherence.Conclusion: The current study showed that the level of adherence to ART was found to be low TB co-infection, short duration of ART, Zidovudine-containing ART regimen, and treatment failure were found to be significantly associated with poor adherence. Further studies on adherence rate and its determinants with multiple adherence measurements using prospective and multicenter studies were recommended.Keywords: adherence, ART, children, Ethiopia

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