Table 5.
Practice of PLHIV towards antiretroviral therapy (n = 165).
| Variables | Frequency (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |
| (1) Where do you store your ART at home? | ||
| Hidden and out of sight | 83 (50.3) | 81 (49.1) |
| Convenient storage but not necessarily as recommended by the dispenser | 11 (6.7) | 154 (93.3) |
| Storage that can help to remember daily schedule but not necessarily as recommend by dispenser | 12 (7.3) | 153 (92.7) |
| Suitable storage as recommended by the manufacturer | 50 (30.3) | 115 (69.7) |
| Storage out of the reach and sight of children | 9 (5.5) | 156 (94.5) |
| (2) How do you store your ART at home? | ||
| By transferring to other plastic packaging | 110 (66.7) | 55 (33.3) |
| In its original carton or plastic packaging or bottle | 55 (33.3) | 110 (66.7) |
| (3) You just remembered that you forgot to take your evening ART medication dose yesterday. You would: | ||
| Skip the dose of ART medication you missed | 124 (75.2) | 41 (24.8) |
| Take the missed ART medication dose right now only if it is not too close to the time of next dose | 34 (20.6) | 131 (79.4) |
| Wait and take 2 doses of ART medication this evening | — | 165 (100) |
| Not missed | 6 (3.6) | 159 (96.4) |
| (4) If you ran out of your prescription for your ART medication you would: | ||
| Borrow from friends | 132 (80) | 33 (20) |
| Call and ask for refills | 1 (0.6) | 164 (99.4) |
| Wait until your next appointment to get a new prescription | — | 165 (100) |
| Others | 39 (23.6) | 126 (76.4) |
| (5) Where do you find out information about your ART? | ||
| Referring physician | 107 (64.8) | 58 (35.2) |
| Internet | 25 (15.2) | 140 (84.8) |
| Patient information leaflet | 20 (12.1) | 145 (87.9) |
| ART dispensing staff | 145 (87.9) | 20 (12.1) |
| Other patients living with HIV | 56 (33.9) | 109 (66.1) |
| HIV/AIDS organizations | 9 (5.5) | 156 (94.5) |
| Others | 2 (1.2) | 163 (98.8) |
| (6) Have you ever increased or decreased the dose of your ART? | — | 165 (100) |
| (7) Have you ever practiced self-medication? | 151 (91.5) | 14 (8.5) |
| If yes, what type of drugs have you already taken in self-medication? | ||
| Antibiotics | 47 (28.5) | 118 (71.5) |
| Antipyretics | 108 (65.5) | 57 (34.5) |
| Drugs to relieve gastric acidity | 27 (16.4) | 138 (83.6) |
| Painkillers (analgesics) | 69 (41.8) | 96 (58.2) |
| Herbal and ayurvedic drugs | 4 (2.4) | 161 (97.6) |
| Others | 2 (1.2) | 163 (98.8) |