title: Religiosity and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among patients attending a public hospital-based HIV/AIDS clinic in Uganda.
abstract: In Uganda, the prevalence of non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) by HIV/AIDS patients remains high and sometimes this is blamed on patients' religious behavior. A descriptive design was used to examine the relationship between religiosity and ART adherence in a sample of 220 patients attending a HIV/AIDS clinic in a Ugandan public hospital. Participants who self-identified as Pentecostal and Muslim had the highest percentage of members with high religiosity scores and ART adherence. Among Muslim participants (34), 82% reported high religiosity scores and high levels of ART adherence. Of the fifty Pentecostals participants, 96% reported high religiosity scores and 80% reported high levels of ART adherence. Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between ART adherence and religiosity (r = 0.618, P ≤ 0.01). Therefore, collaboration between religious leaders and HIV/AIDS healthcare providers should be encouraged as one of the strategies for enhancing ART adherence.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nurse, Infectious Diseases, Mulago National Referral and Teaching Hospital, P. O. Box 5114, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Rita N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kisenyi
authors.forename: Joshua K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Muliira
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ayebare
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002835:Christianity / Q000523:psychology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D029221:Faith Healing; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013140:Spiritualism; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents