DETERMINANTS OF ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT ADHERENCE AMONG HIV/AIDS INFECTED ADOLESCENTS IN THIKA LEVEL 5 HOSPITAL
Teresia Wanjiru Kariuki - Scholar, Master of public health (epidemiology), Mount Kenya University, Kenya
Eliab Seroney Some - Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, Mount Kenya University, Kenya
George Kimanthi - Programme Manager, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, AMREF, Kenya
ABSTRACT
ART adherence rates in Kenya remain inconsistent especially amongst the young people. The study sought to establish the determinants of ART adherence among infected adolescents in Thika level 5 hospital. The research took place in Thika Level 5 hospital in Thika Sub-County in Kiambu County. The researcher used descriptive survey research design targeting 50 active HIV/AIDS infected adolescent outpatients aged between 10-19 years and health care providers (HCPs). The study used the Yamane’s formula (1967) to calculate the sample size of the adolescents. Simple random sampling design was used to select 187 adolescents. 25 HCPs working were purposively sampled for qualitative interviews. The research included the adolescent patients who are aged 10-19; years have been under ART in Thika Level 5 for more than one year. A questionnaire was used for the adolescents with interviews used for the HCPs. The quantitative data was analyzed through SPSS v20 for descriptive analysis with qualitative data analyzed through content analysis. The study found that majority of the respondents agreed that taking ART on schedule can help someone with HIV to prolong life. Majority of the respondents indicated that they had received adherence counseling before and after ART. The study concludes that there is poor drug adherence by adolescents under ART in Thika Level 5. The study further concludes that health literacy, clinical setting, food and nutrition and social support affects adherence to ART among infected adolescents in Thika level 5 Hospital. The study recommends counseling, positive living, formation of support groups, continued guardians support care and follows up. A study on the factors influencing HIV infection amongst the youth in Kenya is recommended.
