title: Patient knowledge of HIV and its treatment in South Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) need to achieve a 90% adherence rate to ART in order to prevent disease progression and drug resistance. The patients' knowledge of ART and HIV is thus crucial to ensuring good adherence, decreased risk for drug resistance and cost-effective treatment for these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the knowledge of infected patients with regard to HIV and the ART they were receiving.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a comprehensive community health centre in a developing low socio-economic community near Cape Town, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative descriptive correlative research design was applied. A sample consisting of 200 (8.5%) respondents was selected from a population of 2349. A multiple-choice questionnaire, comprising 29 questions, including 14 critical knowledge testing questions, was used in individual interviews conducted by either the researcher or fieldworker who assessed the respondents' knowledge regarding various key aspects of HIV and ART.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Misconceptions regarding HIV and ART were revealed and scores for the 14 critical knowledge testing questions in the questionnaire revealed that 0% of the respondents had good knowledge, 20% had average knowledge and 80% had poor knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The respondents on ART in this particular community health centre had poor knowledge of HIV and ART. This may contribute to poor adherence rates, increased drug resistance, disease progression and increased costs for the government with regard to treating such patients. Increased attention needs to be given to patient education.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. laurenterblanche@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Terblanche
authors.forename: Ethelwynn L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Stellenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003710:Demography; D018450:Disease Progression; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents