Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and associated factors among children at the University of Gondar Hospital and Gondar Poly Clinic, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional institutional based study

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in suppressing viral replication and delaying the progress of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is related to optimal adherence. Adherence is a challenge in all HIV infected people on ART. It is especially a concern in children because of factors relating to children such as age, disclosure status of HIV sero status, and understanding of the medication. This study assessed the level of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and its associated factors among children in Gondar University Hospital and Gondar Poly Clinic, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutionally based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January-to March 2012. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants and a total of 342 study subjects were included in the study. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify associated factors with adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were computed to determine the level of significance. RESULTS: The overall ART adherence among children was found to be 90.4%. Age of the child [AOR = 0.37 (95% CI: 0.31, 0.46)], disclosure of the child’s HIV status to the child [AOR = 0.27 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.32)], and knowledge of caregivers about ART medication [AOR = 4.7 (95% CI (3.7, 5.6)], were independently associated with adherence. CONCLUSION: Adherence rate to ART was found to be high. Disclosure of the child’s HIV sero status to the child, the age of the child and the knowledge of the caregivers towards ART were factors associated with adherence.