HIV Care and Treatment Beliefs among Patients Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) in Oromia, Ethiopia.
To better understand patient beliefs, which may influence adherence to HIV care and treatment, we examined three dimensions of beliefs among Ethiopian adults (n = 1177) initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). Beliefs about benefits of ART/HIV clinical care were largely accurate, but few patients believed in the ability of ART to prevent sexual transmission and many thought Holy Water could cure HIV. Factors associated with lower odds of accurate beliefs included advanced HIV, lack of formal education, and Muslim religion (benefits of ART/clinical care); secondary or university education and more clinic visits (ART to prevent sexual transmission); and pregnancy and Orthodox Christian religion (Holy Water). Assessment of patient beliefs may help providers identify areas needing reinforcement. In this setting, counselors also need to stress the benefits of ART as prevention and that Holy Water should not be used to the exclusion of HIV care and ART.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Urban Public Health, Hunter College, City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10035, USA. otymejcz@hunter.cuny.edu.
Olga
O
Tymejczyk
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Susie
S
Hoffman
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Urban Public Health, Hunter College, City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10035, USA.
Sarah Gorrell
SG
Kulkarni
ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Tsigereda
T
Gadisa
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Maria
M
Lahuerta
HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Robert H
RH
Remien
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Batya
B
Elul
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Wafaa
W
El-Sadr
ICAP-Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Zenebe
Z
Melaku
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Urban Public Health, Hunter College, City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10035, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.|HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Denis
D
Nash
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012067:Religion; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D016903:Drug Monitoring
Antiretroviral treatment (ART); Beliefs; Counseling; Ethiopia; HIV/AIDS