Knowledge and Attitudes of HIV Infected Patients on the Adverse Effectsof Antiretroviral Medicines in Ghana

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is effective in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). However, Adverse Effects (AEs) to ART pose major problems and threaten adherence to therapy. We evaluated the knowledge and attitudes of patients to ART following routine adherence counselling and education in the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. This cross-sectional study was conducted by administering a questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge of AEs of antiretrovirals and attitude to AEs to 98 patients who were on antiretroviral therapy. A 3-point Likert-scale was used to assess knowledge of AEs of ART and a 5 point Likert-scale to assess attitudes to AEs. Mean rated scores for attitude to AEs were estimated and factor analysis was used to reduce the dimensions of the attitudes observed to identify relevant latent constructs. Sixty one percent of participants were females and most of the participants were aged 35-44 years (35%). Ninety nine percent of participants answered that they had been counselled on unpleasant effects of their medicines and 93% knew that all medicines could cause some unpleasant effects. Concerning attitude, 90% of study participants strongly agreed that they benefit from their medicines and get better taking them (mean rated score=4.87 ± 0.49) whilst 27% strongly agreed that medicines may have side effects (mean rated score=3.12 ± 1.55). Majority of the study participants (74%) strongly disagreed that there was no need to tell their doctor/pharmacist about AEs to antiretrovirals (mean rated score=4.60 ± 0.83). Factor analysis yielded two underlying dimensions (cognitive and behavioural/affective aspects) that described participants’ attitude towards AEs. Study participants rating for participants’ knowledge on AEs was good and exhibited positive attitudes to AEs of ART. Adherence counselling and education provided to PLWHA before initiation of antiretroviral therapy is beneficial and should be continued.