Compliance to antiretroviral medication as reported by AIDS patients assisted at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Compliance to antiretroviral medication is a problem for AIDS patients. Compliance can be influenced by the characteristics of the therapeutic program, by the health guidance professionals, by the patient, and by society in general. A group of 139 Brazilian AIDS patients from the Infectious-Parasitic Diseases day clinic at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul were interviewed from September 27, 1999 to January 21, 2000. We identified and evaluated the frequency of noncompliance to antiretroviral medication, as well as the associated motives. Those who ingested 80%, or more, of prescribed dosages during the week previous to the interview were considered compliant. Among the patients interviewed, 70% mentioned loss or misplacement of medicine, and 63% were considered compliant. Average compliance was 75.8%, with no difference between the sexes. The reasons given for non-compliance were: absent-mindedness or forgetfulness (67.7%), lack of medicine (41.9%), side effects (21.5%), complexity of prescribed regimens (12.9%), fatigue (9.7%), and voluntary interruption (7.5%). The non-compliance observed among these patients indicates that health service personnel should promote activities to recuperate these therapeutic programs, employing methodologies appropriate to the characteristics of this population.
Monreal
Maria Tereza Ferreira Duenhas
MT
Department of Food Technology and Public Health, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. monreal@laser.com.br
da Cunha
Rivaldo Venâncio
RV
Trinca
Luzia Aparecida
LA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D016312:Treatment Refusal
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents