Investigating adherence for people living with HIV and AIDS on ART in Durban, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

• Main Author: Dlomo, Nondumiso
• Other Authors: Eva, Gary
• Language: en _ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2010
• Subjects: HIV/AIDS > South Africa > KwaZulu-Natal; Adherence to treatment > South Africa > KwaZulu-Natal; Dissertations > Industrial Psychology; Theses > Industrial psychology; Assignments > Industrial psychology; Dissertations > HIV/AIDS management; Theses > HIV/AIDS management; Assignments > HIV/AIDS management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4156

Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. === ENGLISH SUMMARY: The study sought to investigate adherence for people living with HIV who are on ART. Since high levels of adherence of more than 95% are required to achieve the durable suppression of the viral load, the researcher finds it very important to find out whether the people are doing what is expected of them. While the rollout of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy has brought much excitement and hope to both patients and practitioners in South Africa, it has also brought many new questions and challenges, including adherence. Adherence is therefore very crucial to the success of ART. The research sought to investigate adherence in resource-poor settings. The research was conducted on patients attending Ithembalabantu clinic in Umlazi, Durban, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. Respondents were recruited as they come to the clinic to collect their medication. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative research was used to collect data in the study. The quantitative data involved 90 questionnaires. The qualitative data involved 15 semi structured interviews. The results indicated that adherence to ART is very high and satisfactory among the sample population with 79% who never skipped or missed their medication and 64% who indicated that they followed their specific schedule all the time; and 88% of the respondents were aware of the dangers of sleeping without a condom more especially while on ART. The results showed that there is a very high level of condom usage among the sample population. The respondents from the in-depth interviews indicated that participants are not affected by the factors that lead to poor adherence. The only problem that needs urgent attention is the importance of the knowledge of viral load and CD4 count. The participants seemed to be confused by the two and most of them did not know why they are measured. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het gepoog om vlakke van getrouheid aan volgehoue deelneming te ondersoek onder MIV positiewe persone wie antiretrovirale terapie (ART) ontvang. Omdat hoë vlakke van getrouheid van meer as 95% nodig is om duursame suppressie van die virale lading to bereik, voel die navorser dat dit baie belangrek is om uit te vind of persone doen wat van hulle verwag word. Terwyl die uitrol van ART opgewondenheid en hoop vir beide pasiënte en praktisyne in Suid-Afrika gebring het, het dit ook baie nuwe vrae en uitdagings gebring, getrouheid ingesluit. Getrouheid is dus beslissend vir die sukses van ART. Die navorsing het gepoog om getrouheid in hulpbron-swak areas te ondersoek. Die navorsing is uitgevoer op pasiënte wat die Ithembalabantu kliniek in Umlazi, Durban, Kwazulu Natal, Suid-Afrika bywoon. Respondente is gewerf soos hulle na die kliniek toe gekom het om hul medikasie te kry. Triangulasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsing is gebruik om data in te samel. Die kwantitatiewe data is deur vraelyste ingesamel en die kwalitatiewe data is deur 15 semigestruktureerde onderhoude ingesamel. Die resultate het gewys dat getrouheid aan ART hoog en voldoende onder die steekproek populasie is met 79% wie nooit hul medikasie gemis het, 64% wie aangedui het dat hulle hul spesifieke skedule heeltyd volg, en 88% van die respondente is bewus van die gevaar van seks sonder 'n kondoom, veral vir persone op ART. Die uitslae wys dat daar 'n hoë valk van kondoom gebruik onder die steekproef populasie is. Die respondente in die onderhoud groep is nie deur die faktore wat tot swak getrouheid lei geaffekteer nie. Die enigste probleem wat dringende aandag benodig is die belangrikheid van kennis van virale vrag en CD4 telling. Dit het voorgekom asof die deelnemers deur die twee verwar word en meeste van hulle het nie geweet waarom hulle gemeet word nie.