Self-management and home-based HIV/AIDS care in Tanzania

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a major contributor to the success of treating people with HIV/AIDS. This study aims to explore the degree to which human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency (HIV/AIDS) infected individuals, especially those who routinely visit antiretroviral clinics would prefer to receive their treatment at home rather than at the clinic.

Fifty semistructured and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Based upon systematic review of the literature on self-management of people living with HIV/AIDs, the authors developed specific questions that explored the respondents' views on self-management, adherence to ART, stigma and overall attitudes of their health-care providers.

The majority of the respondents reported learning about their HIV/AIDS status through voluntary testing, and that a majority of them preferred accessing care through their clinic. About half of them have informed their spouses or relatives about their HIV/AIDS status. They overwhelmingly were satisfied with services provided by their health-care providers. To better scale-up antiretroviral services, several studies have suggested that the government should play a major role in providing resources and income-generating programs to assist patients financially.

The findings lend credence to the impact of ART programs in improving and prolonging the lives of Tanzanian individuals living with HIV/AIDS. It is the hope that the global effort in this campaign, especially through the U.S. Presidential Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief will continue. The current proposal to defund this program should be reconsidered for the sake of millions of individuals living with HIV/AIDS globally.

This is a call to action by governments, nongovernmental organizations and the larger international community to harness resources to scale-up treatment for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

The burden of HIV/AIDS has complicated the current plight of patients. Expanding antiretroviral services will help reduce the excess death facing many developing and developed nations.

The knowledge gained in this study may benefit society by accessing how clinic and home-based care can be an effective tool of extending antiretroviral services to patients seeking care. While the geographically limited ample size makes generalizations to all of Tanzanian society impossible, nevertheless, the findings lend credence to the impact of ART programs in improving and prolonging the lives of Tanzanian. It is the hope that the global effort in this campaign will continue.