Factors Influencing Adherence to Anti-retroviral Therapy in HIV Patients Registered at ART Center Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh

ABSTRACT

Context After introducing ‘Treat all policy’ in the country and free ART (Anti-retroviral therapy) for all patients the biggest challenge is to optimize adherence to therapy and ensure viral suppression. The present study is aimed to determine the adherence pattern of HIV positive patients at ART center, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh and to determine the factors influencing adherence. Methods and Material: This cross-sectional study was conducted in an ART Centre of a teaching hospi-tal. In this study 357 patients were interviewed using a modified version of ACTG questionnaire and ad-herence was calculated by pill count and recall method. Chi square test and logistic regression was done using SPSS. Results: Nearly 72% patients had optimum adherence. On univariate analysis the factors found signifi-cant were sex of the patient, the education, the socioeconomic status, financial constraints, family sup-port, WHO stage at diagnosis, alcohol addiction and tobacco addiction. On logistic regression four factors, having less than college education, WHO stage IV at diagnosis, alcohol intake and lack of family support were found to be predictors of non-adherence. Conclusions: Family support, treatment of alcohol addiction improving education and job opportunities for these patients will improve adherence in HIV positive patients.