Services on Demand
Article
Indicators
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
Share
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
On-line version ISSN 2071-2936
Print version ISSN 2071-2928
Abstract
KASWA, Ramprakash and DE VILLIERS, Marietjie. Primary health care providers' views on managing substance use among people living with HIV. Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med. (Online) [online]. 2023, vol.15, n.1, pp.1-11. ISSN 2071-2936. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3984.
BACKGROUND: The growing culture of substance use among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) is a serious threat to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic. As the gatekeepers of comprehensive care, primary care providers are responsible for screening, assessing, and managing individuals who use substances AIM: This study aimed to evaluate primary care providers' views and approaches to substance use management among PLWH who attend primary care services in Mthatha SETTING: This study was conducted at Ngangelizwe and Mbekweni Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the Eastern Cape province's King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) sub-district municipality METHODS: This qualitative phenomenological study involved the views of primary care providers. This study included 32 primary health care (PHC) providers. All participants were female except one male with a mean age of 48.6 years (range 27-64 years). Semi-structured interviews were conducted until saturation of the theme was reached. Then, the data from the transcribed interview were analysed with a thematic framework RESULTS: Substance use among PLWH was reported to be associated with poor clinical outcomes and disruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. The significant barriers reported for substance use management in PHC settings were a lack of resources, skilled providers and poor community participation CONCLUSION: Substance use management programmes are not commonly offered in PHC because of the lack of human and infrastructural resources, the lack of skilled providers and poor community engagement CONTRIBUTION: This study provides a context-specific PHC providers' approach to substance use management
Keywords : primary health care workers; HIV; CHC; PLWH; adherence; substance use.