African health sciences
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African health sciences · May 2021
Factors affecting adherence to antiretroviral therapy among children and adolescents living with HIV in the Mbita Sub-County Hospital, Homa Bay- Kenya.
Adequate adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is key to the successful treatment of children and adolescents living with HIV. Continuous ART Adherence is the key factor for virologic suppression and stability of the immune system and prevents the occurrence of opportunistic infections. Children and adolescents struggle with adherence to ART for various reasons, including a poor psychosocial support system and clinic attendance. ⋯ The clinic attendance rate within the first 3 months, and Enhanced Adherence Counseling (EAC) were significant predictors of viral suppression, and therefore adherence to antiretroviral therapy.
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African health sciences · May 2021
Short report: knowledge and perceptions of health workers that strengthen adherence for paediatric and adolescent clients on the intensive adherence counselling program in Kampala, Uganda: a qualitative study.
Health care workers (HWs) support HIV positive children and adolescents with detectable HIV viral loads on the intensive adherence counselling (IAC) program to achieve viral suppression through individual adherence counselling. Low re-suppression rates of 23% showed low program effectiveness in fifteen public health facilities. ⋯ HWs are knowledgeable about the IAC program and client specific barriers should be addressed to improve viral suppression for children.
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African health sciences · May 2021
The utility of a modified WHO TB screening tool among children at a Botswana child welfare clinic.
In high TB/HIV settings, the increased risk for TB amongst children exposed to HIV has been established through biomedical tests. Screening HIV exposed children for TB can improve early childhood TB detection and treatment. ⋯ Integrating HIV variables in the existing WHO screening tool for childhood TB can be useful in early detection and treatment of TB in HIV exposed children in resource limited settings.