Antiretroviral Treatment and Follow-up of HIV-Infected Patients by Health Care Providers in South African Public Primary Health Care

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV became available in the South African public health sector in 2004. Medical treatment in public primary health care (PHC) clinics is dependent on nurses and auxiliary staff. The aim of this descriptive study was to describe practice patterns and perceptions of health care providers (HCPs) regarding treatment of HIV-infected patients on ART, drug adherence, and patient education in a public PHC setting in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Personal interviews, using a structured questionnaire, were conducted with all HCPs (N=43) working with the ART program at 7 PHC clinics. Insufficient training was expressed as a major concern. Medication adherence was believed to be the most important aspect of care to discuss with HIV-infected patients. HCPs perceived that patients had few side effects. HCPs faced challenges with heavy workloads, lack of sufficient human resources and training, and time constraints.

Key words: ART program, HIV, primary health care, resource-constrained settings, South Africa, treatment follow-up