W Indian Med J
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The HIV prevalence in the Caribbean is estimated at 1.0% (0.9% - 2%) with 230,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS. HIV rates vary among countries with the Bahamas, Guyana, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago having HIV rates of 2% or above while Cuba's rate is less than 0.2%. However throughout the Caribbean, HIV rates are significantly higher among those groups most at risk such as commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men and crack/cocaine users. ⋯ Several challenges need to be addressed. These include reducing HIV stigma, strengthening national responses, scaling-up better quality prevention programmes with greater involvement of vulnerable populations, more supportive HIV policies and wider access to ARV treatment with better adherence. In addition, there needs to be improved coordination among PANCAP partners at the regional level and within countries.
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We aimed to describe the adherence patterns to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a cohort of HIV-infected children. ⋯ In resource-limited settings, psychosocial factors contribute significantly to nonadherence and should complement biomedical markers in predicting adherence to antiretroviral therapy in children.