The determinants of adherence to ART medication refill pick up in the regional hospital HIV clinics at the Sekhukhune district, Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

South Africa has been reported to have high burden of HIV and is currently running the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme globally which incorporates the test and treat policy. However, adherence to ART is particularly crucial for the optimal health outcomes of patients with HIV. Prior studies on ART adherence have focused on pill count and patient’s self-reporting while few literatures focused on the ART medication refill pick up to measure adherence. Evidence suggests that there are barriers to medication adherence in many parts the country. Furthermore, factors such as socio-demographic and patient’s characteristics have been found to be associated with ART adherence. However, the prevalence and determinants of medication refill pick-up have been under studied in South Africa.