Acceptability of obtaining hair samples for assessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposure amongst alcohol drinking ART recipients in Tshwane, South Africa

AIDS Care
Connie T KekwaletsweNeo K Morojele

Abstract

To achieve the maximal therapeutic benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART), high adherence is required. In South Africa, ART recipients are usually counselled by their health care providers to stop drinking alcohol, as heavy alcohol use compromises ART adherence. Patients who continue drinking alcohol tend to hide their alcohol-related adherence challenges from their health care providers. Objective measures of ART adherence/exposure may help to better identify drinkers who could benefit from ART adherence enhancement interventions. To evaluate the acceptability of collecting hair samples to objectively assess ART exposure among alcohol drinkers, we conducted four mixed-gender focus group discussions (FGDs) with alcohol drinking ART recipients at two ART sites in Tshwane, South Africa. Data were analysed using content analysis. ART recipients found hair sample testing for ART exposure to be novel and therefore expected that some ART recipients would initially be hesitant to provide a sample. Participants thought that the acceptability of hair sample collection could be enhanced by providing a full explanation of how the hair sample would be obtained and what the testing would entail. Participants also viewed hair sample testin...Continue Reading

References

Apr 22, 2011·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Monica GandhiRuth M Greenblatt
Apr 1, 2014·BMC Infectious Diseases·Jaime E Ordóñez, John J Orozco
Apr 4, 2014·Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes : JAIDS·Matthew D HickeyMonica Gandhi
Dec 16, 2016·African Journal of AIDS Research : AJAR·Sebenzile NkosiNeo K Morojele
Sep 12, 2017·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Delphine CappelleAlexander L N van Nuijs
Jan 31, 2018·Current HIV/AIDS Reports·Jose R Castillo-Mancilla, Jessica E Haberer

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