ABSTRACT
Background An insuffi cient number of health personnel and excessive workload havebeen common barriers for the provision of adequate HIV care in Thailand. HIV patients areoften discouraged when they experience medication side effects as they commence highlyactive antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Peer educators present a potential solution to thisproblem. This report focuses on patient satisfaction with the activities of peer educators.Method Two hundred and twenty three people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) wereenrolled into this study following initiation of HAART. A structured interview was used.Complete data of 219 participants at month 4, and 211 at month 12 after initiation ofHAART were collected. Focus group discussions were held in 4 selected hospitals.Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Paired t-tests were carried out to comparesatisfaction difference between month 4 and month 12. Content analyses of qualitativedata were done.Result The mean age of participants was 35 (range: 18-73 years) and 53% of them weremale. Their need for home visits by peer educators was higher at month 4 than at month12. Participants expressed a high satisfaction rate with peer educators (time provided;willingness to listen; ability to explain; convenience in making contact when necessary;client comfort in talking to them; attentive to the condition; and provision of help, adviceand encouragement in taking anteretroviral (ARV) medications at month 4 as well as month12.Conclusion Peer educator intervention could be successfully deployed to support PLHAand help them adhere to antiretroviral medication. Chiang Mai Medical Journal2009;48(3):95-104.