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Improving Adherence to Anti Retroviral Treatment in Children in Resource-Limited Settings. Blasco P 1 , Breitenecker F 1 , Fontaine C 1 , Seangkla P 2 , Ruthaiwat J 2. 1 : Medecins Sans Frontières France, Surin. E-mail : msfsurin@loxinfo.co.th. 2 : Surin Provincial Hospital (Thailand).
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Improving Adherence to Anti Retroviral Treatment in Children in Resource-Limited Settings Blasco P1, Breitenecker F1, Fontaine C1, Seangkla P2, Ruthaiwat J2. 1 : Medecins Sans Frontières France, Surin. E-mail : msfsurin@loxinfo.co.th 2 : Surin Provincial Hospital (Thailand)
BACKGROUND The ability of HIV-infected children to adhere to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) is essential to delay resistance and to ensure lifelong effective treatment. But giving ART to children is challenging, especially in resource-limited settings. There are a lack of caregivers for orphaned children; a lack of pediatric treatment formulations; and privacy issues when medications must be taken at school. Interventions to enhance adherence is therefore essential for treatment outcomes.
SETTING A collaborative project between the Provincial Hospital of Surin (Thailand) and Medecins Sans Frontières France was launched in June 2001, with the objective of providing ART to children. As of September 2003, 77 children had started ART.
STUDY AIMS • Describe the adherence interventions • To measure the adherence to ART in children.
ADHERENCE INTERVENTIONS (1) 1) A systematic home visit done before starting ART to identify a care giver; 2) Education sessions provided by a trained nurse to children and caregivers (parents or relatives). Prior to the start of ART, a group session (5-6 children and their caregivers) is initiated and followed by an individual session one week later. The commitment for long-term treatment is discussed. 3) On the day when ART is prescribed, the educator explains how to take the drugs using an individualised daily schedule and instructions in case of side effects.
ADHERENCE INTERVENTIONS (2) 4) At each follow up visit, adherence is evaluated by self-report. The educator also tries to identify potential factors leading to non-adherence and accordingly discusses adapted solutions. 5) Group talks between caregivers and children under ART to discuss barriers to adherence and side effects. 6) Educational games 7) A hotline to answer questions. 8) Home visits done at the beginning of the ART and when the regimen is changed.
METHOD to MEASURE ADHERENCE • Adherence reported by the caregiver measured by the % of doses missed during the last 3 days. [mean over 3 months at the beginning (M1-3) and at 12 months treatment (M11-13)]. • 66/77 children reached 1-3 months of treatment and therefore were included in the study.
1-3 months of ART (n=66) 12 months of ART (n=47*) Adherence >95% 45 (68,1%) 43 (91,5%) Adherence 80-95% 7 (10,6%) 3 (6,3%) Adherence <80% 14 (21,3%) 1 (2,2%) MEASURE OF ADHERENCE * : Among the 66 children who have been their adherence measured at 1-3 month only 47 have been assessed at M12 (13 didn’t reached 12 months treatment, 4 died and 2 stop their treatment).
CONCLUSION • Adherence problems in our HIV-infected children population treated with Antiretroviral occur more commonly at the beginning of the treatment. • Regular assessment of adherence, especially at the beginning of the treatment, allows the prompt identification and planned intervention for non-adherent children on ART.