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Factors which affect optimal adherence to antiretroviral medications

Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has bought hope and reprieve in a previously
hopeless situation where there was no available drug to combat the virus with the result that
AIDS deaths from chronic, untreated HIV infection became the major cause of morbidity and
mortality especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the disease burden is highest. Since March 19,
1987, when the FDA approved Zidovudine for the treatment of AIDS, there has been great
improvement in the prognosis and quality of life of HIV infected persons especially in sub-
Saharan countries like Nigeria where the burden of HIV disease is high. Even though the
treatment of HIV looked promising to all HIV sufferers, there were strict requirements for taking
the ARVs, that meant patients had to be able to take the medication more than 95% of the
prescribed time. The requirements also involved strict dietary restrictions that further made
adherence to these medications very difficult indeed. In addition, the potential for side effects of
the medications and its requirement for life-style modifications like abstinence from excess
alcohol made sticking to the required regimen very cumbersome and rather patient unfriendly.
Therefore, as the use of ARVs became more popular and effective, so did the problem of nonadherence
continue to fester and deteriorate even further. Therefore, the problem of lack of
optimum adherence to ARVs is one that potentially threatens all the gains of the discovery and
use of potent, life-saving ARVs. Hence, there is now a need to look at how best to improve
adherence to ARVs in the most innovative, cost-effective and patient-friendly manner. This
study argues for the use of simple, locally-driven adherence strategies that overcome the low
literacy and excessive alcoholism that are major factors preventing optimal adherence to ARVs
amongst patients. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die intrede van anti-retrovirale behandeling het hoop en genade gebring aan ‘n voorheen
hopelose situasie waar daar geen behandeling beskikbaar was om die virus te beveg nie, wat
daartoe gelei het dat VIGS, as gevolg van MIV-infeksie wat nie behandel is nie, die grootste
oorsaak van sterftes in veral Sub-Sahara Afrika is. Sedert 19 Maart 1987, wanneer Zidovudine
goedgekeur is vir die behandeling van VIGS, is daar ‘n groot verbetering in die prognose en
kwaliteit van lewe van MIV-geinfekteerde mense, veral in Sub-Sahara lande soos Nigerië waar
die voorkoms van MIV hoog is. Hoewel de behandeling van MIV vir alle MIV-lyers belowend
gelyk het, was daar streng vereistes vir die neem van anti-retrovirale behandeling. Daar was ook
streng dieetkundige beperkinge wat die getrouheid tot die behandeling bemoeilik het. Die
moontlike newe-effekte van die behandeling en nodige leefstyl veranderinge, soos byvoorbeeld
weerhouding van oormatige alkohol gebruik, maak die behandeling redelik pasiënt onvriendelik.
Soos die anti-retrovirale behandeling meer gewild en effektief geraak het, het die probleem van
ongetrouheid ook toegeneem. Die probleem rondom ongetrouheid tot behandeling bedreig alles
wat deur die behandeling gebied kan word. Daar is nou ‘n behoefte daaraan om getrouheid tot
anti-retrovirale behandeling te bevorder in die mees innoverende, koste-effektiewe en pasiënt
vriendelike manier. Die studie beveel eenvoudige, plaaslik gedrewe getrouheid-strategieë aan
wat optimale getrouheid aan behandeling sal verseker.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4181
Date03 1900
CreatorsUsman, Samuel
ContributorsMunro, G. D., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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