Determination of commonly reported side effects and their management among HIV patients receiving antiretroviral drugs in Dar es Salaam region

Abstract

The Human Immunodeficiency Virusl Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic poses one of the greatest challenges to global public health. Sub Saharan Africa is the world's most severely affected region. There were an estimated 34-46 million people living with HIV/AIDS globally in 2003. Two thirds of the global total number of people living with HIV/AIDS live in Africa. Tanzania is one of the countries affected severely by HIV I AIDS epidemic in sub Sahara African countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it was estimated that there were 1,810,000 people living with HIV in mainland Tanzania in the year 2003. The introduction of HAART in developed countries has resulted in dramatic reduction in AIDS related morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV. However, ARV drugs are complicated and difficult for patients to follow as they can have serious side effects. Increased experience with HAART has led to detection of drug toxicities that may compromise adherence and necessitate discontinuation of treatment and alteration of effective regimens. In Tanzania, the experience with ART is very limited as there is yet no information that have been documented on patients' experience in terms of side effects A cross sectional study was conducted in Dar es salaam region in the three district hospital of Mwananyamala, Temeke and Amana to determine the commonly reported side effects and their management among HIV patient receiving ARV