Clinical Non-adherence and Its Associated Factors Among HIV Positive Pediatrics Attending Care in South Gondar Zone Public Health Facilities, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021

Abstract Background: The most important factor in the success of HIV treatment is clinical adherence. Inadequate clinical adherence is one of the factors that affect the adherence level of highly active antiretroviral treatment and its effect on suppressed viral replication. Even though data from different settings are necessary to tackle it, pieces of evidence are limited especially in the case of clinical adherence level of HIV-infected children. Hence, this study aimed to assess clinical non-adherence level and its associated factors among HIV-positive children on HAART. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1 to August 30, 2021, among HIV-infected children on ART in South Gondar Zone. Data were entered into Epi Data Version 4.6 and analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 25. Binary logistic regression was implemented to assess the association of factors against the outcome variable and variables with p-values ≤ 0.25 in the bivariable analysis were entered into the multivariable analysis. Finally, variables with p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant factors.Result-out of 384 study participants, 383 were included in this study with a response rate of 99.7%. Nearly half of the study participants 190(49.6%) were girls. The majority, 291 (76%) of caretakers were biological mothers, and 203(53%) did not have treatment supporters. One hundred seventy-nine (46.7%) of caretakers did not disclose the status of the child about the illness. The overall prevalence of non-adherence among children on ART was 31.9 %( 95% CI: 27.2-36.6). Rural residency, diagnostic status non-disclosure, no adherence supporter, having no biological caretaker and comorbid illness were significantly associated with clinical non-adherence of HIV positive children.Conclusion-clinical non-adherence among children among HIV-positive children attending care in south Gondar zone health institutes is unacceptably high. Being rural residency, diagnostic status non-disclosure, no adherence supporter, having non-biological caretaker, and having comorbid illness were significantly associated with clinical non-adherence. Thus, attention shall be given to successful clinical adherence in HIV-positive children who uses the antiretroviral drug.