Attitudes to directly observed antiretroviral treatment in a workplace HIV care programme in South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate attitudes to directly observed antiretroviral therapy (DOT ART) among HIV infected adults attending a workplace HIV care programme in South Africa.


METHODS
Clients attending workplace HIV clinics in two regions were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
100 individuals (99% male, mean age 40.2 years) participated, 61% were already taking ART by self administration. 71% had previous tuberculosis (TB) with the majority having received DOT for TB. 65% of individuals indicated that they would not like to receive ART by DOT-the main reason given was a desire to take responsibility for their own treatment. This contrasted with 79% who thought TB treatment by DOT a good idea. On questioning about disclosure, 70% reported disclosure to their sexual partners and 21% to fellow workers. 78% of individuals indicated willingness to support someone else taking ART.


CONCLUSIONS
ART by DOT was not an immediately popular concept with our patients, primarily because of a desire to retain responsibility for their own treatment. More work is needed to understand what key elements of treatment support are needed to promote adherence.
Page-Shipp
Liesl S
LS
Aragon Consulting, Craighall, South Africa. liesl@aragonconsulting.co.za
Charalambous
Salome
S
Roux
Surita
S
Dias
Belinda
B
Sefuti
Clement
C
Churchyard
Gavin J
GJ
Grant
Alison D
AD
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa; D017132:Workplace
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents