Delay to access antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV/AIDS in Potchefstroom.
Date
2011-11-11
Authors
Semakula, Diriisa
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Abstract
Background: The government of South Africa rolled out free anti-retroviral treatment in 2004 but many people living with HIV still present late for treatment while others choose to die rather than accessing this free treatment. This qualitative study was done at Potchefstroom Provincial Hospital Wellness Clinic to establish why many people living with HIV in Potchefstroom present late for treatment.
Aim: To establish why people living with HIV/AIDS in Potchefstroom delay in accessing antiretroviral therapy.
Objectives: 1.To conduct interviews with selected patients, in order to understand why they delayed accessing antiretroviral treatment.
2. To assess the demographics of patients who delayed in accessing antiretroviral treatment.
Methods: This is a qualitative study carried out at the Wellness clinic of the Potchefstroom provincial hospital in the North West province of South Africa. Eight adult participants (3 females and 5 males) were interviewed individually in English, in one-on-one free attitude interviews and the conversations were audio-taped by the researcher. All the respondents were from the nearby black township of Ikageng. The respondents were selected after meeting the inclusion criteria of the study. The researcher asked the respondents to freely describe the reasons why they started antiretroviral treatment late. In addition, a semi-structured open ended questionnaire was also used by the researcher to prompt responses. Interviews went on until saturation point was reached.
The audio-taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and the responses were analyzed. Responses from the different participants which bore similarity were assigned a similar color code. By using the cut and paste method, all responses bearing the same color code were pasted on one page resulting into the themes.
Results: Four broad themes emerged as the reasons responsible for the late accessing of ART by the respondents. These themes were: 1. Stigma and discrimination, 2. Ignorance and lack of perceived risk of infection, 3. Denial, and 4. Health care system constraints.
Conclusions: This small study though not exhaustive by any means, has highlighted some of the reasons why people living with HIV present late for help. The study was done using participants from only one peri-urban population. It is therefore not easy to generalize the results to the whole of South Africa, a country with a lot of social and economical diversities among its people. A bigger study over a wider geographical area might reveal different findings.