O Maduka1, C I Tobin-West. 1. Department of Community Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one of the world's most challenging pandemics. For treatment with Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) to be effective, high rate of adherence is essential. AIM: To demonstrate the effect of adherence counseling and text message reminders in improving patients' adherence to HAART. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A randomized control trial among non-adherents was carried out in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria between March and July, 2011. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients: 45 males (43.3%) and 59 females (56.7%) participated in the study. They were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received monthly adherence counseling and twice weekly short message reminders for four months, while the control group received only standard care. Self-reported adherence and CD4+ cell counts were measured pre- and post-intervention. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18. Risk rates, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test and Cohen's effect size were calculated. Level of significance was set at P = 0.05. RESULTS: At post-intervention, 76.9% of the intervention group and 55.8% of the control group achieved adherence (χ2 = 5.211, P = 0.022, RR = 0.75 (0.55-0.96), Cohen's w = 0.224). Also, median CD4+ cell count of the intervention group increased from 193 cells/ml to 575.0 cells/ml against 131.0 cells/ml to 361.5 cells/ml in the control group (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION:Adherence counseling and text message reminders improved adherence among HIV patients. Its adoption for HIV patient management is advocated.
RCT Entities:
CONTEXT: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one of the world's most challenging pandemics. For treatment with Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) to be effective, high rate of adherence is essential. AIM: To demonstrate the effect of adherence counseling and text message reminders in improving patients' adherence to HAART. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A randomized control trial among non-adherents was carried out in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria between March and July, 2011. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients: 45 males (43.3%) and 59 females (56.7%) participated in the study. They were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received monthly adherence counseling and twice weekly short message reminders for four months, while the control group received only standard care. Self-reported adherence and CD4+ cell counts were measured pre- and post-intervention. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18. Risk rates, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test and Cohen's effect size were calculated. Level of significance was set at P = 0.05. RESULTS: At post-intervention, 76.9% of the intervention group and 55.8% of the control group achieved adherence (χ2 = 5.211, P = 0.022, RR = 0.75 (0.55-0.96), Cohen's w = 0.224). Also, median CD4+ cell count of the intervention group increased from 193 cells/ml to 575.0 cells/ml against 131.0 cells/ml to 361.5 cells/ml in the control group (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Adherence counseling and text message reminders improved adherence among HIVpatients. Its adoption for HIVpatient management is advocated.
Authors: Nathan Georgette; Mark J Siedner; Brian Zanoni; Thobekile Sibaya; Carter R Petty; Stephen Carpenter; Jessica E Haberer Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2016-11
Authors: Edward J Mills; Richard Lester; Kristian Thorlund; Maria Lorenzi; Katherine Muldoon; Steve Kanters; Sebastian Linnemayr; Robert Gross; Yvette Calderon; K Rivet Amico; Harsha Thirumurthy; Cynthia Pearson; Robert H Remien; Lawrence Mbuagbaw; Lehana Thabane; Michael H Chung; Ira B Wilson; Albert Liu; Olalekan A Uthman; Jane Simoni; David Bangsberg; Sanni Yaya; Till Bärnighausen; Nathan Ford; Jean B Nachega Journal: Lancet HIV Date: 2014-11-24 Impact factor: 12.767