Charlotte Dyrehave1, Dlama Nggida Rasmussen2, Bo Langhoff Hønge3, Sanne Jespersen4, Faustino Gomes Correia5, Candida Medina5, Christian Wejse6, Lotte Rodkjaer7. 1. Bandim Health Project, In-depth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark chrhns@rm.dk. 2. Bandim Health Project, In-depth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark. 3. Bandim Health Project, In-depth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. 4. Bandim Health Project, In-depth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. 5. Centro de Tratamento Ambulatorio(CTA), Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. 6. Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Centro de Tratamento Ambulatorio(CTA), Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Centres of Global Health, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. 7. Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor treatment adherence is a main barrier for effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally. HIV-related knowledge may affect understanding and utilization of HIV medical information, hence limited health literacy is a known barrier to treatment adherence. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 494 HIV-infected individuals from the Bissau HIV Cohort in Guinea-Bissau. They completed a questionnaire designed for assessment of adherence and HIV-related knowledge. RESULTS: A majority were female, 41% were illiterate, 25% did not take the medicine during the last 4 days, and 23% skipped their medicine during weekends. The most frequent reasons for not taking medicine were simply forgetting, side effects, lack of food, and being too ill to attend the clinic. Nonadherent patients had a lower level of HIV-related knowledge. CONCLUSION: Main barriers for nonadherence were side effects, food insecurity, and simply forgetting. Lack of HIV-related knowledge about ART and HIV may be a barrier to nonadherence.
BACKGROUND: Poor treatment adherence is a main barrier for effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally. HIV-related knowledge may affect understanding and utilization of HIV medical information, hence limited health literacy is a known barrier to treatment adherence. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 494 HIV-infected individuals from the Bissau HIV Cohort in Guinea-Bissau. They completed a questionnaire designed for assessment of adherence and HIV-related knowledge. RESULTS: A majority were female, 41% were illiterate, 25% did not take the medicine during the last 4 days, and 23% skipped their medicine during weekends. The most frequent reasons for not taking medicine were simply forgetting, side effects, lack of food, and being too ill to attend the clinic. Nonadherent patients had a lower level of HIV-related knowledge. CONCLUSION: Main barriers for nonadherence were side effects, food insecurity, and simply forgetting. Lack of HIV-related knowledge about ART and HIV may be a barrier to nonadherence.
Authors: Thomas Engell-Sørensen; Andreas Rieckmann; Candida Medina; David da Silva Té; Amabelia Rodrigues; Ane Bærent Fisker; Peter Aaby; Christian Erikstrup; Sanne Jespersen; Christian Wejse; Bo Langhoff Hønge Journal: Infection Date: 2021-02-02 Impact factor: 3.553
Authors: Ditte Steiniche; Sanne Jespersen; Christian Erikstrup; Henrik Krarup; Aase Handberg; Lars Østergaard; Thorny Haraldsdottir; Candida Medina; Faustino Gomes Correira; Alex Lund Laursen; Morten Bjerregaard-Andersen; Christian Wejse; Bo Langhoff Hønge Journal: Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg Date: 2016-04 Impact factor: 2.184
Authors: Sanne Jespersen; Bo Langhoff Hønge; Candida Medina; David da Silva Té; Faustino Gomes Correira; Alex Lund Laursen; Christian Erikstrup; Lars Østergaard; Christian Wejse Journal: J Int AIDS Soc Date: 2015-09-29 Impact factor: 5.396