<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find out the current coverage of antiretroviral
therapy (
ART ) among
HIV positive subjects and to identify the major influential factors associated with the participation in
ART among them.</p><p><b>
METHODS </b>291
HIV positive subjects from 6
methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in Guangxi and Yunnan province were surveyed by
questionnaires .</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>217
males (74.6%) and 74
females (25.4%) were under investigation, with the average age of 38.4 +/- 5.9. Most of them received less than senior
high school education , married and unemployed. Results from the single factor
logistic regression analysis showed that working status,
living alone ,
self -reported
history of
drinking alcohol in the last month, negative
attitude towards MMT among
family members ,poor
self -reported
compliance to MMT in the last month,lack of
incentives in the MMT clinics, reluctance on
disclosure of their own
HIV status, good
self-perception on their
health status , lack of
communication on
ART related topics among
family members in the last 6 months, lack of correct
attitude and
knowledge on
ART etc. appeared as the main factors that influencing the participation in
ART program among the
patients . Data from the multivariate
logistic regression analysis showed that factors as
living alone , unwilling to tell others about the status of
HIV infection , poor
self-perception on
HIV infection , lack of discussion of
ART related topics within
family members in the last 6 months and poor
awareness towards
ART among the
family members etc., were associated with the low participation rate of
ART . Conclusion Strengthening the publicity and
education programs on
HIV positive
patients and their
family members at the MMT clinics seemed to be effective in extending the
ART coverage.
Attention should also be paid to increase the
family support to the
patients .</p>