Management Outcomes of HIV/aids Patients on Haart in a Secondary Health Institution in North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The effectiveness of HIV/AIDS patients' management depends critically on the efficacy of the antiretroviral drugs against the virus and adherence to medications. Objective: This study examined mortality rate, pattern of clinical presentation and therapeutic management among 213 HIV/AIDS patients in Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Methods: Structured questionnaire, personal interview and patients' hospital records were used to evaluate patients' factors affecting medication adherence and treatment outcomes. Results: Youth between the ages of 16 and 40 years with mean age of 37.04 years were most vulnerable to HIV infections. Prolonged fever, general body weakness, chronic diarrhoea and persistent cough ranked highest among the clinical signs and symptoms presented by the patients. Mortality rate of 5.2% observed was significantly lower than those reported earlier in Nigeria and other parts of the world. Finance has a significant effect on the patients' treatment outcomes, while poverty contributed immensely to the treatment failure. Conclusion: It is therefore recommended that the Nigeria government, faith based organizations and other stakeholders should strengthened their support on palliative care for HIV/AIDS patients in Nigeria in order to improve their drug adherence, quality of life and life expectancy.