Abstract

KASIMONJE, Bahati; SHAMU, Tinei; MUDZVITI, Tinashe  and  LUETHY, Ruedi. Group counselling for adherence support among young people failing first-line antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe. South. Afr. j. HIV med. (Online) [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.1, pp.1-7. ISSN 2078-6751.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v22i1.1292.

BACKGROUND: Sub-optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is reportedly worse amongst young people living with HIV (YPLHIV). Group adherence counselling can be useful to improve adherenceOBJECTIVES: We evaluated an enhanced adherence counselling group intervention (EACGI) amongst YPLHIV failing a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NNRTI)-based first-line ART regimenMETHOD: This was a retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data of YPLHIV failing NNRTI-based first-line ART. Patients with confirmed virological failure were referred for EACGI, a 12-week curriculum of weekly, 1.5-h sessions accommodating 8-15 people per group. It aimed to facilitate readiness to switch to second-line ART and improve adherence through a mental health intervention. Viral loads of HIV were measured pre-EACGI; at baseline; 3, 6 and 12 months post switchRESULTS: Fifty-seven patients aged 13-25 years were invited to EACGI and followed for up to 48 weeks. Thirty-three (58%) patients attended at least four sessions, whilst 24 (42%) attended none. Amongst those who attended none, two (8%) were transferred out, three (13%) were lost to follow-up and two (8%) had died by week 48 of follow-up, whilst all who attended were still in care. By week 48, amongst patients still in care, 29%, 44% and 67% of those who attended no sessions, 4-9 and 10-12 sessions, respectively, had viral loads of < 50 copies/mLCONCLUSION: An EACGI is a promising intervention for YPLHIV failing ART prior to treatment switch, leading to improved adherence. This study's findings support the need for further enquiry into rigorous, evidence-based multilevel adherence interventions that are acceptable and effective for YPLHIV

Keywords : enhanced adherence counselling; adolescents; mental health; antiretroviral therapy; virological failure.

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