Factors Associated with Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Rwanda: A Multi-site Study | USAID Health Care Improvement Portal
Follow Us HCI Project on FacebookHCI Project on Vimeo
Why Register?     Register      Login

Factors Associated with Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Rwanda: A Multi-site Study

Author(s): 
Jean-Baptiste R.
Organization: Quality Assurance Project/URC

Region and Country: Africa, Sub Saharan, Rwanda

Year: 
2008
Language: 
English
Description: 

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) will result in better health outcomes. However, studies investigating such adherence usually examine only part of adherence requirements: They study the number of pills taken, but not whether they were taken in accordance with other requirements, such as taking pills on a schedule and with food requirements. This study, conducted in 2004–2005 in four Rwandan health facilities, found indications that pill combination type was a more important indicator of adherence than the burden of having to take numerous pills. In addition, while 92–98% of study participants reported meeting pill-count requirements, only 69–73% met schedule and food requirements. The report details adherence by treatment type, and the analysis explains associations with such factors as social support and urban versus rural settings.