Factors affecting adherence to ARV of HIV-infected adolescents at the Outpatient Clinic, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital in 2022-2023

Abstract

Objectives: (1) Describe the characteristics of pediatric patients and treatment adherence of HIV-infected adolescents at the Outpatient Clinic of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital in 2022-2023; (2) Analysis of some factors affecting adherence to ARV treatment of HIV-infected adolescents. Research subject and method: The study was carried out on 222 HIV-infected adolescents who met the research criteria to visit the Outpatient Clinic of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital in 2022-2023 by cross-sectional descriptive research method. Results: The treatment adherence rate of adolescents accounted for 84.2%. Some factors affecting adherence to ARV treatment of HIV-infected adolescents include: children who attended counselling classes at the clinic were 2.32 times more compliant than children who did not (p<0.05); educated children with the same level of education as the age group of ARVs are 3.46 times higher than the age group with no education equivalent to the age group (CI95% 1.39-8.57, X2=7.87, p=0); children whose HIV status was fully disclosed at 10-12 years of age had higher adherence rates than children whose HIV status was revealed at other time points, this result is statistically significant (X2=10.5, p<0.05); the primary caregivers participating in the study who knew well about HIV/AIDS helped children to adhere to ARV treatment higher than those whose primary caregivers lacked knowledge about HIV/AIDS, this result is statistically significant (X2=6.5, p<0.05). Conclusion: The ARV adherence rate of adolescents accounts for 84.2%, this rate is not high. A number of factors increase the rate of treatment adherence: children become infected at 10-12 years of age, children attend HIV counselling classes, educational attainment equivalent to age, caregivers' knowledge of HIV main squirrel.