Adherence to antiretroviral therapy of outpatient HIV/AIDS patients in Muong La district general Hospital, Son La province in 2019 and some factors associated

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional study to describe antiretroviral (ARV) treatment adherenceand and investigated factors affecting on 211 outpatient clinics who have been on ART for 3 months or more at Muong La district general hospital, Son La province in 2019. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure treatment adherenceand. The results show that the percentage of
outpatient adherence to antiretroviral therapy (VAS≥95) was not high, accounting for 59.7%.  Adherence to antiretroviral therapy was among female (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.09-5.97); Kinh (OR = 10.60; 95%CI: 1.32-85.27); income from1,000,000VND/month-3,000,000VND/ month (OR=10.50; 95%CI: 1.15-96.07);
number of CD4 over 350 (OR=7.72; 95%CI: 1.75-34.12); HIV stage without symptoms (OR = 7.89; 95% CI: 2.41-25.90); heavy alcoholism (OR = 10.18; 95% CI: 2.53-41.00). Therefore, the ARV treatment program should focus on counseling on adherence to treatment, especially in patients who are men, Thai ethnic people, and low-income subjects. It is necessary to closely
monitor patients who are still heavy alcoholic behaviors, with CD4 count below 350, early symptomatic phase.