Factors associated with adherence to ARV treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in a rural area (Koula-Moutou) in East Gabon

• Published in: African journal of AIDS research : AJAR Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 51 - 57
• Main Authors: Mongo-Delis, Arnaud, Mombo, Landry E, Mickala, Patrick, Bouassa, Wenceslas, Bouedy, Wilfried S, M'batchi, Bertrand, Bisseye, Cyrille
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: South Africa Taylor & Francis 02.01.2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - drug therapy; Adherence; Adult; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Ambulatory Care Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral drugs; Antiretroviral therapy; antiretroviral treatment; Central Africa; Cohort Studies; Compliance; declarative and pharmacy-visit methods; Educational attainment; Educational Status; Evaluation; Female; Gabon; HIV; HIV-1 - drug effects; HIV-1 - isolation & purification; HIV-2 - drug effects; HIV-2 - isolation & purification; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Medical treatment; Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Patients; Pharmacy; Pharmacy - statistics & numerical data; Pilot Projects; PLHIV; Prescription drugs; quantitative and qualitative compliance; Rural areas; Rural communities; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment compliance; Vulnerability; Gabon; declarative and pharmacy-visit methods; PLHIV; Central Africa; antiretroviral treatment; quantitative and qualitative compliance
• ISSN: 1608-5906; 1727-9445
• DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2018.1552878

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of socio-clinical factors on adherence to antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in Koula-Moutou (a rural area of Gabon). Two adherence assessment methods based on patient declaration and compliance with pharmacy visits were used to determine qualitative and quantitative aspects of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The quantitative (82.2%) and qualitative (79.5%) adherences to ART declared by patients were higher than those obtained through pharmacy visit assessment methods (15.8% and 45.2%, respectively). Moreover, the declarative and pharmacy visit compliance methods showed fair agreement (quantitative Kappa = 0.317; qualitative Kappa = 0.311). A better quantitative or qualitative declarative adherence was associated with a lower level of education (P = 0.05 and P = 0.025 respectively). This study reported for the first time the factors influencing adherence to ART in a rural area of East Gabon. We recommend further investigations in a large cohort to better assess the impact of socio-clinical factors on ART adherence in a vulnerable group of patients.