Abstract:

Tanzania has an ambitious plan of putting more than 400,000 people living with HIV/AIDS on ARVs within a five year period, 65,150 will be treated by 2005. There is lack of proper documentation on ARV treatment adherence and possible factors contributing to ARV non-adherence in Tanzania. However studies in other countries have described a range of factors affecting ARV treatment adherence at various levels. The current studies was to assess factors leading to non-adherence to ARV’s among people living with HIV AIDS who are receiving the drugs for free attending at Babati hospital in Babati district. A descriptive cross section studies using structural questionnaire by interviewing people living with HIV and who are on ARV therapy for more than one month. Data was analyzed using SPSS.

Outcome: In 300 patient enrolled in this study only 84 (28%) was not adherent this was due to busy schedule 22.7% cannot take pills in the public 10.7% travelled to other areas far from home 9.5% there were non adherent due to other believes e.g. religious or traditional.

Conclusion: The key factors associated with non-adherence to ARVs are being busy, cannot take pills in the public, away from home, simply forgetting and due side effect of the drugs, they were no any relation with other believes like religion and traditional and I recommended that to employ adequate number of well trained staffs, increase the access to ART clinics as well as improving facility, infrastructure and laboratory services and establish reliable drug supply also further study explore multiple target intervention to resolve the barrier of adherence.