Explaining Adherence to HAART among Patients Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: Behavioral Theory Analysis

The number of Nigerians infected with the HIV infection in 2016 was about 3million, which was the second highest burden globally and accounted for 9% of the worldwide burden of the HIV/AIDS. The country ART programme which commenced in 2001 had adult coverage of 48.3% in 2014. Effectiveness of the antiretroviral drug regimens requires a very good level of adherence (95%) to suppress viral replication. Despite all the strategies to address the adherence barriers to HAART, the problems of poor adherence are ever-present. Factors determining adherence to HAART drug regimens have been studied in various population but little is known on this subject among PLHIV in Nigeria. Identifying and overcoming the factors that reduce adherence to combination antiretroviral agents is of utmost importance for prolonged viral load suppression. Very few of the strategies developed to mitigate the challenges of non-adherence were based on the theories of health behavior. However, behavioural theories, if adopted, could assist in the development of more effective interventions to improve treatment adherence. This crosssectional study was conducted to explain the dynamics of HAART adherence among Nigerians living with HIV/ AIDS; using behaviour change theories such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Health Belief Model (HBM).