Quality of care and adherence to antiretroviral drugs in specialized HIV services in Pernambuco/Brazil, 2017-2018

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate health care quality and medication adherence in people living with human immunodeficiency virus in specialized care services. This is a cross-sectional, evaluative study with a quantitative approach, carried out in ten services in Pernambuco. Two instruments validated and analyzed by statistical tests were used and 306 adults and their service managers participated. The quality standard was equivalent for most indicators. Only from the interior, the indicators referring to the availability of antiretrovirals and care in the absence of medication were associated with low adherence (p-value = 0.033 and p-value = 0.011), being the last predictor for low adherence. Services with insufficient quality standards showed a 19% higher occurrence of low medication adherence. 81% had low adherence to antiretrovirals. There is a deficiency in adherence to antiretrovirals, and those assisted in inland services have more complicating factors related to the quality of health care for satisfactory adherence.