Afe AJ, Motunrayo and Ogungbade GO
Background: The number of Nigerians infected with the HIV infection in 2016 was about 3 million, which was the second highest burden globally and accounted for 9% of the worldwide burden of the HIV/AIDS. The country ART (antiretroviral therapy) programme which commenced in 2001 had adult coverage of 48.3% in 2014. Effectiveness of the antiretroviral drug regimens requires a very good level of adherence (95%) to suppress viral replication. Despite all the strategies to address the adherence barriers to HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), the problems of poor adherence are ever-present. Factors determining adherence to HAART drug regimens have been studied in various population but little is known on this subject among PLHIV (people living with HIV) in Nigeria. Identifying and overcoming the factors that reduce adherence to combination antiretroviral agents is of utmost importance for prolonged viral load suppression. Very few of the strategies developed to mitigate the challenges of non-adherence were based on the theories of health behavior. However, behavioural theories, if adopted, could assist in the development of more effective interventions to improve treatment adherence. This cross-sectional study was conducted to explain the dynamics of HAART adherence among Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS; using behaviour change theories such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods: This was a questionnaire-based study using closed ended-questionnaires administered by the on the 225 participants. Findings: There were more female (181, 80.40%) than male (19.6%) living with HIV infection among the respondents. More than half, (139, 61.7%), of the respondents were married while less than a fifth (66; 29%) were singles About 96% of the respondents were literate with 2.7% illiteracy rate. Employment rate was also more than half (59%) while the unemployed rate was about 31.6%. Most (202, 89.8%) were of the Christianity faith TPB model factors such as the ability to set realistic goals and objectives with respect to medication adherence and meet such goals did not have any significant association with adherence (P 0.001) among the PLHIV. Likewise other TPB factors like determination and self-discipline to adhere to medications (HAART) did not have statistical association with HAART adherence. On the other hand, Health Believe Model (HBM) components such as the believes that adherence to HAART improves HIV patent's health condition (P=0.004),adherence to HIV medication is feasible in the Nigerian context (P=0.00), refusal to adhere to HAART is a serious health risk for the HIV patient (P=0.00), non-adherence to HAART is life threatening for the HIV patient(P=0.00), non-adherence to HAART can lead to AIDS faster (P=0.00) and the consequences of non-adherence to HAART are severe (P=0.00) all show significant statistical association with HAART adherence .Also significant statistical association was found between HAART adherence and other health believes like adherence to HAART is beneficial (P=0.00). Conclusion: Unlike the theory of planned behaviour, health believes Model was most suited to explaining or predicting patterns of HAART adherence behaviour among Nigerians PLHIV. However, for the model to be most effective it would need to be integrated with other models that take into account the environmental context and recommend strategies for change.
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