Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is a powerful predictor of survival for People Living With HIV/AIDS

Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is an important survival factor for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). However, patients on ART in Kenya still miss routine check-ups, and get lost to follow up. Research on the factors influencing ART adherence among different populations in Kenya have yielded inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between patient factors and adherence to ART by adults living with HIV/AIDS in Kisumu County, Kenya. Facility based crosssectional survey was carried out on patients receiving ART from all the seven SubCounties in the County. Systematic random sampling was used to recruit a sample of 386 patients. Data collection tools were pre-tested and piloted to ensure validity and reliability. Chi-square statistic was used to analyze the data at α=.05. Findings indicated that the relationship between age and ART adherence was statistically significant (χ 2 = 8.064, df= 2, p = 0.034). Similarly, the relationship between alcohol use and ART adherence was statistically significant (χ 2 = 5.331, df = 1, p = 0.009). Knowledge of ART also had a statistically significant relationship with ART adherence (χ 2 = 7.799, df = 1, p = 0.0028). However, marital status, level of education, employment status, stigma, and psychosocial support did not exhibit statistically significant relationships with ART adherence. The study concludes that patient age, use of alcohol and knowledge of ART are patient factors related to ART. It is recommended that these factors should be considered in the treatment of PLWHAs to ensure ART adherence. © 2018 Elixir All rights reserved. Elixir Psychology 121 (2018) 51503-51508 Psychology Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com (Elixir International Journal) Maurine Ng’oda et al./ Elixir Psychology 121 (2018) 51503-51508 51504 factors and adherence to ART by adult PLWHAs living in Kisumu County, Kenya.