Low rates of compliance with medication and disease knowledge is a major challenge to the effective management of most chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The reasons for non-compliance include factors such as complexity of treatment regimen, administration route, patient beliefs about therapy cost and other psychological factors. The objectives of this study were to assess the medication adherence and disease knowledge of HIV/AIDS patients before and after Clinical Pharmacist intervention. It was a prospective, interventional and community based study conducted for a period of 7 months in a selected community pharmacy. HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled by considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Assessment medication adherence and disease knowledge questionnaires were administered before and after Clinical Pharmacist intervention. Thirty eight patients completed the 2 months follow up study out of 42 enrolled patients. There was statistically significant improvement (P<0.001) in medication adherence score and HIV/AIDS knowledge level from baseline to final follow up. Comparison of various demographic factors like age, gender, diagnosis, duration of disease, and education status showed equal impact of pharmacist counseling on improvement of overall medication adherence and disease knowledge score. The non compliance reasons to stop/miss medication as told by patients were 26(68.42%) patients forgetfulness, 14(36.84%) high cost of medications, 22(57.89%) patients lack of access to hospital/drug store, 17(44.73%) patients lack of family support/Motivation. The finding of this study showed that a well-structured HIV/AIDS patient counseling by Clinical Pharmacist intervention will result in improved medication adherence and improves HIV/AIDS knowledge.
KEY WORDS: Compliance, Medication adherence, HIV/AIDS knowledge, patient counseling.