Abstract
Adherence to antiretroviral treatment guidelines is a significant challenge for children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Challenges such as a lack of understanding of the use of ART, HIV stigma, financial constraints relating to travelling to the clinic to get ART and poor patient-nurse relationships are components that affect ART adherence. Poor adherence to ART guidelines is common in children and adolescents living with HIV. As a result, achieving optimal care in children under ten years old can be difficult because they depend on caregivers, parents, and healthcare workers to care for them.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of adherence to the National Department of Health guidelines for children on ART, and to provide recommendations to PHC nurses and PHC managers facilitating compliance with record keeping and the management of adherence of the children on ART. The research design used in this study is a quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental design using a survey method. The researcher used a retrospective, non-experimental survey method. Purposive sampling was used; hence, the study focused on the clinical records of children under ten years of age on ART who met the inclusion criteria, with a sample size estimated to be 125 participants. The validity of the study was ensured by collecting data according to the data collection process and including all relevant participant information required by the data collection audit. Reliability was ensured by pre-testing the self-developed audit tool to ensure consistency of the intended results.
The researcher adhered to the following ethical principles: informed consent, beneficence and non-maleficence, privacy and confidentiality throughout the study. The findings of this study indicated that children did not honour follow-up dates, leading to poor adherence to ART guidelines and poor viral load suppression.