Enhancing Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among the Youth

Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi has approximately 300 youth (15- 24yrs) on ART. Viral load suppression for this group was 63 percent for the year 2016. Between 2016 and 2017, 40 percent of the youth initiated on care were lost to follow-up. The youth do not feel free to share their issues with clinicians and counsellors who are much older than them for fear of being condemned. Similarly, the counselling approach used is ‘old school’ and fails to attract the youth who would prefer interactive modern sessions that are more appealing to them (MacCarthy et al., 2018). The youth also lack peer mentors/counsellors and exposure to peer advocacy campaigns to encourage them in their journey towards viral suppression. Ignorance and poor attitude to ART also contribute to non-adherence as well as a lack of disclosure of their HIV status to their families and friends.

内罗毕姆巴加蒂区医院（Mbagathi District Hospital）目前约有300名15至24岁的青少年接受抗反转录病毒治疗（Antiretroviral Therapy, ART）。2016年，该群体的病毒载量抑制率为63%。2016至2017年间，新启动护理的青少年中有40%失访。由于担心遭到指责，这些青少年不愿向年龄偏大的临床医生与咨询师倾诉自身问题。与此同时，当前采用的咨询方式过于传统守旧，无法吸引偏好互动性更强、更具吸引力的现代化咨询形式的青少年群体（MacCarthy等，2018）。此外，该青少年群体缺乏同伴导师/咨询师，也未接触过可助力其实现病毒载量抑制治疗历程的同伴倡导活动。对抗反转录病毒治疗的认知不足与态度消极，同样会导致治疗不依从，以及不愿向亲友披露自身的HIV感染状况。