Psychosocial challenges and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive adolescents attending an ART center in Kano, northwestern Nigeria
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2015, Vol 4, Issue 10
Abstract
Background: HIV-infected adolescents confront numerous psychosocial stressors in addition to coping with the develop - mental challenges of normal adolescent children. These may adversely affect their adherence to antiretroviral treatment. Objective: To determine the psychosocial challenges of HIV-positive adolescents in Kano, Nigeria, and how they influ - ence their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Materials and Methods: Using descriptive cross-sectional design, we studied a random sample of 400 HIV-positive adolescents attending the ART center in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 16.0, computer statistical software. Result: The mean age of the adolescents was 14.9 ± 3.15 years ; majority of them were female subjects (54.8%) and from polygamous family setting (57.5%). More than half (54.5%) of them reported being anxious or depressed most of the times, commonly from fear of death (51.4%) or associated stigma (24.3%). Furthermore, 52.0% of them had lost a parent or spouse to HIV infection and about one-tenth reported being discriminated upon. More than one-third (38.5%) of them were out of school, of which 56.5% of them dropped out because the parents/guardians could not afford the combined burden of hospital costs and school. Most of them (90.5%) adhered well to prescribed medications. On multivariate anal - ysis, anxiety or depression, loss of parent or spouse, and avoidance by friends/colleagues emerged as the independent psychosocial predictors of the adolescents’ adherence to ART. Conclusion: HIV-infected adolescents have varied and sensitive needs that must attract high-level understanding of program managers and the social environment to achieve an optimum level of adherence for ART
Authors and Affiliations
Umar Muhammad Lawan, GboluwagaTaiwo Amole, Mahmoud GamboJahun, Janet EneAbute
Keywords
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- EP ID EP164161
- DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2015.27042015297
- Views 133
- Downloads 0
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