SOCIAL-COGNITIVE AND DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE TO ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART) IN PERSONS INFECTED WITH HIV
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Author(s):
DR RAZI FARAZ KHAN
Vol - 8, Issue- 1 ,
Page(s) : 200 - 207
(2017 )
DOI : https://doi.org/10.32804/IRJMST
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Abstract
Medication-taking is an essential component of self-management in HIV/AIDS. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a key component of improving health outcomes of HIV-positive individuals. Antiretroviral therapy is the combination of drugs designed to inhibit the proliferation of HIV, improve the patient’s immunological status, and prolong life. The term ‘medication adherence’ in HIV/AIDS care specifically refers to the ability of the person living with HIV/AIDS to be involved in choosing, starting, managing and maintaining a given therapeutic combination medication regimen to control viral (HIV) replication and improve immune function. Determinants of adherence : complexity and duration of treatment, characteristics of the illness, iatrogenic effects of treatment, costs of treatment, characteristics of health service provision, interaction between practitioner and patient, and socio-demographic variables. These serve as helpful heuristic both for understanding non-adherence and for addressing it.
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