No abstract

INTRODUCTION: In Ethiopia, Antiretroviral Therapy is given free of charge. Lifelong adherence to ART is crucial to upgrade the patient’s health condition and to safeguard the growth of mutated strains of the human immune deficiency viruses that are ART resistant. A person with ART-resistant strains of HIV can spread these to other people, who need more expensive ART with more serious side effects. This study aims to assess the proportion of adherence to ART and identify possible factors related to non-adherence to ART among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Selected Public Hospital of Addis Ababa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with adults living with HIV receiving free ART at the Selected Public Hospital of Addis Ababa from March to May 2020. Three hundred and eighty-two PLHIV were interviewed using an anonymous questionnaire. The estimation of the adherence rate was based on the information provided by the PLHIV about the intake of medicine during the previous four days. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 statistical software. Frequencies, proportion, mean, and standard deviation, were calculated and used to describe the study. Data was presented by tables and graphs. In order to assess the relationship of independent variables with ART adherence, bivariate, and data analysis were conducted using chi-square tests, and univariate logistic regression for categorical independent variables was used for data analysis. Frequencies and distribution of each variable were calculated by conventional statistical methods. A p-value < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Conclusion: In conclusion, the result was that 86.9% of the participants had optimal adherence and 13.1% had sub-optimal adherence. Our result showed that age, marital status of respondents, and average monthly income are associated with suboptimal adherence to ART. Other factors such as sex, duration of ART, and the use of adherence reminders were not related to ART non-adherence. In order to increase the degree of adherence to ART, strategies should develop on the basis of the findings.