Masters Degrees (African Centre for HIV/AIDS Management)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (African Centre for HIV/AIDS Management) by browse.metadata.advisor "Munro, G. D."

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    Factors which affect optimal adherence to antiretroviral medications
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Usman, Samuel; Munro, G. D.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has bought hope and reprieve in a previously hopeless situation where there was no available drug to combat the virus with the result that AIDS deaths from chronic, untreated HIV infection became the major cause of morbidity and mortality especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the disease burden is highest. Since March 19, 1987, when the FDA approved Zidovudine for the treatment of AIDS, there has been great improvement in the prognosis and quality of life of HIV infected persons especially in sub- Saharan countries like Nigeria where the burden of HIV disease is high. Even though the treatment of HIV looked promising to all HIV sufferers, there were strict requirements for taking the ARVs, that meant patients had to be able to take the medication more than 95% of the prescribed time. The requirements also involved strict dietary restrictions that further made adherence to these medications very difficult indeed. In addition, the potential for side effects of the medications and its requirement for life-style modifications like abstinence from excess alcohol made sticking to the required regimen very cumbersome and rather patient unfriendly. Therefore, as the use of ARVs became more popular and effective, so did the problem of nonadherence continue to fester and deteriorate even further. Therefore, the problem of lack of optimum adherence to ARVs is one that potentially threatens all the gains of the discovery and use of potent, life-saving ARVs. Hence, there is now a need to look at how best to improve adherence to ARVs in the most innovative, cost-effective and patient-friendly manner. This study argues for the use of simple, locally-driven adherence strategies that overcome the low literacy and excessive alcoholism that are major factors preventing optimal adherence to ARVs amongst patients.