The effectiveness of social resource intervention to promote adherence to HIV medication in a multidisciplinary care setting in Kenya

Abstract

Adherence to HIV medication has a dramatic impact on morbidity, mortality and health in people living with HIV. Recent studies have demonstrated good adherence to HIV medication among people in sub-Saharan Africa, but few have investigated factors influencing adherence. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of social intervention strategies to enhance adherence to HIV medication. A cross-sectional design study was used to obtain data through self-administered questionnaires from 354 individuals who were prescribed HIV medication at nine satellite centres under the auspice of the Nazareth Hospital in Kenya. Binomial logistics were used to test the relationships between social support and its dimensions with adherence to HIV medication. Composite social support was predictive of adherence to HIV medication ( P < 0.05). Among the four dimensions of support, material and emotional support were the strongest predictors.