Abstract

EVALUATION OF ADHERENCE TO ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS ATTENDED IN A TESTING AND COUNSELING CENTER OF A BRAZILIAN MUNICIPALITY

Larissa Borges Soeiro, Zilanda Batista Soares de Oliveira, Nayana de Oliveira Souza, Daniela Amorim Melgaço Guimarães do Bem, João Alexandre Trés Pancoto* and Lorena Rocha Ayres

ABSTRACT

The increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections is associated with high transmission, low prevention, inadequate treatment and guidance. Among these infections, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stands out, considered one of the most prevalent diseases over the past few years. Antiretroviral therapy aims to block viral replication in the individual, thereby increasing their life expectancy. Adherence to drug therapy is of fundamental importance for the patient to have a successful treatment, therefore, the failure in this therapeutic scheme leads to increasingly drastic consequences for the patient, increasing the vulnerability to opportunistic diseases and often leading to death. Non-adherence to treatment is related to several factors, including the amount of pills taken in therapeutic regimens, forgetfulness and other sociocultural and psychosocial factors. The objective of this study is to evaluate adherence to the treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS treated at the Testing and Counseling Center in the municipality of Vitória- Espírito Santo (ES), recording the frequency of drug withdrawal from January 2017 to February 2018. Data were evaluated and analyzed through the socioeconomic and demographic profile of patients, in addition to analyzing the profile of drug use by patients through the amount of drugs withdrawn monthly. This way it was observed that among men and women, men are the most affected by the disease, in addition to being those most likely to abandon treatment.

Keywords: Adherence to treatment, Monitoring, HIV/AIDS, Antiretroviral therapy.