Fear of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) to HAART among Adult HIV/AIDS Patients in FMC, Makurdi, North Central, Nigeria

Author(s): Samuel Olusegun Itodo, Paul O. Okonkwo, Asalu Adedayo, Emmanuel Olumuyiwa Onifade, Nwoke Obinna Chidubem, Stephen Olaide Aremu, Onyekachi Ezekiel Ekowo, Anonde Chinedu Matthew, Joseph Aondowase Mamfe

Aim and Objective: To evaluate the fear of ADRs to HAART among adult HIV patients who enrolled in free HIV care in Makurdi, Northcentral, Nigeria. Methodology: The study was conducted among adult naive HIV-positive patients attending HIV clinic at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi, Northcentral, Nigeria. We employed structured questionnaires and records from patients’ folders and databases to obtain appropriate information (gathered by experts who were key-informant interviewers in conjunction with trained HIV counselors) about the various types of fears exhibited by adult HIV patients at the initiation of ART. Study participants were drawn from the population of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Makurdi and its environs using 150 recruited patients. Results: Of the 150 respondents who participated in the study, forty (40) were males (M) and one hundred and ten (110) were females (F); ratio1M/2.75F. The majority of the respondents were in the low socio-economic class (62%). While 31.3% of the respondents stopped at secondary school level, 33.3% of them had post-secondary education. Fear ADRs to HAART was reported by 19(12.67%) patients. This was only superseded by fears related to both the direct and indirect cost of treatment, majorly the fear of not having enough money to maintain self while on ARVs, 39 (26%) and the fear of inability to pay their children’s school fees, 29(19.33%). Conclusion: The study revealed that fear of ADRs to HAART, apart from fear of stigmatization and the psychological trauma accompanying this illness, is being expressed by HIV-positive patients. This could be a major barrier to enrolment into free HIV care services among PLWHA. Further studies, therefore, may be needed in this area to ascertain the contribution of fear of ADRs to HAART as barrier to enrolment. Health care providers (HCPs) should help allay the fear of ADRs to HAART among PLWHA to achieve optimum enrolment into free HIV/AIDS care in Makurdi.

Anti-retroviral Drugs, People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), Clients Fear, HIV Patients, Barriers, Middle Belt

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