Objective: To investigate adherence and the influence factors among patients who are on antiretrovirus therapy (ART) of 3 provinces in China.
Methods: This study selected 18-year-old and older AIDS patients as the survey objects who initiated anti-retrovirus therapy between April and September of 2014 and kept on the treatment for one year in Yunnan,Sichuan,and Hu'nan province. Information of demography, treatment and social support was collected by questionnaires. Adopt SSRS questionnaire to calculate the information of objective support, subjective support and utilization of social support. χ(2) test and logistic regression were performed to examine relationships between factors and adherence.
Results: A total of 386 patients with medication were investigated. Among them, there were 365 (94.6%) cases who were compliant to the ART, and 357 (92.5%) cases can take their pills on time, and 29 (7.5%) cases take their medication in excess of the prescribed time more than two hours. Social support score was 27.2 ± 7.3, including objective support score (5.6 ± 2.7), subjective support score (16.1 ± 4.8), and utilization of social support (5.5 ± 1.9). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that adherence was significantly associated with the correct cognition of medication (OR (95%CI): 3.24 (1.17-9.00)), the self-awareness of the drug regimen was not complexity (OR (95%CI): 9.34 (3.27-26.68)), taking medication 1 time a day (OR (95%CI): 4.00 (1.35-11.84)), and the batter utilization of social support (OR (95%CI): 1.49 (1.06-2.01)). Married/cohabiting or farmers tend to be nonadherenced, while the OR (95%CI) was 0.24 (0.08-0.67) and 0.23 (0.08-0.69), respectively.
Conclusion: The patients among these provinces were compliant to the ART, and most of them can take their pills on time. The social support score of these patients was lower than normal person. Participants who have correct cognition of medication, thinking their drug regimen was not complexity; Taking medication 1 time a day or have high level of utilization of social support showed a significantly higher level of self-reported adherence.