Poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and associated factors among people living with HIV in Eastern Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: Sustained adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy is necessary to suppress viral replication and improve immunological and clinical outcomes. Although different studies tried to identify factors affecting adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy, there are few studies after initiation of test and start strategy and the first-line drug regimen change in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and associated factors among people living with HIV in Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from 2 March 2020, to 30 March 2020. A total of 501 study participants were recruited using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews at the end of the clinic visit and a review of participants’ medical records. The level of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy was measured using the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. The score ranges from 0 to 8, and a score of less than 8 indicates poor adherence. The data were entered into EpiData and exported to STATA for further analysis. The binary logistic regression analysis model was employed to identify associated factors. The association was reported with an adjusted odds ratio and a 95% confidence level. The significance level was declared at p = 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 501 participants participated in the study, giving a response rate of 98.2%. The majority (314 or 62.7%) of study participants were females. The participants’ mean (standard deviation) age was 38.17 (8.75). The level of poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy was found to be 33.73% (confidence interval: 29.70, 38.00). Age category 35 to 44 (1.65 (confidence interval: 1.02, 2.69)), no shortage of highly active antiretroviral therapy (0.46 (confidence interval: 0.28, 0.75)), substance use (1.67 (confidence interval: 1.11, 2.25)), having moderate depressive symptoms (4.00 (confidence interval: 1.94, 8.48)), and moderate anxiety symptoms (5.22 (confidence interval: 2.31, 8.84)) were significantly associated with the poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy among adult people living with HIV. CONCLUSION: The level of poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy was found to be high in this study. Poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy was significantly associated with age, availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy drugs, substance usage, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Improving the adherence levels requires stringent counseling, assuring continuous drug availability, and timely screening and management of depression and anxiety.