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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Amplifying and Quantifying HIV-1 RNA in HIV Infected Individuals with Viral Loads Below the Limit of Detection by Standard Clinical Assays
13:58

Amplifying and Quantifying HIV-1 RNA in HIV Infected Individuals with Viral Loads Below the Limit of Detection by Standard Clinical Assays

Published on: September 26, 2011

Viral load suppression and associated factors following enhanced adherence counseling among people living with

Teshome Nadew1, Tadesse Mamo Dejene2, Abraraw Gebre3

  • 1Department of Health, North Shoa Zonal Health Office, Debre Birhan, Ethiopia.

BMC Infectious Diseases
|July 21, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Enhanced adherence counseling (EAC) improved viral load suppression in 64.3% of people living with HIV. Factors like alcohol use, khat chewing, and poor adherence negatively impacted viral load suppression rates.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • HIV/AIDS Management

Background:

  • Persistent enhanced adherence counseling (EAC) is crucial for viral load suppression in HIV clients, especially those with viral loads over 1000 copies/ml.
  • Adherence counseling aims to improve treatment adherence and achieve optimal viral load suppression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness of enhanced adherence counseling (EAC) in achieving viral load suppression among ART clients.
  • To identify factors associated with viral load suppression after EAC intervention.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study analyzed 409 records of people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolled in EAC from July 2018 to June 2023.
  • Data were collected using Kobo Collect and analyzed with Stata 14.1, employing binary and multivariable logistic regression.
  • Factors associated with viral load suppression were identified using odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

  • The viral load suppression rate following EAC was 64.3% (95% CI: 59.3-68.5), falling short of the WHO target of 70%.
  • Factors significantly associated with lower viral load suppression included poor drug adherence (AOR 0.21), being single (AOR 0.33), residing in rural areas (AOR 0.35), alcohol consumption (AOR 0.53), and khat chewing (AOR 0.22).

Conclusions:

  • Unsuppressed viral load post-EAC is linked to alcohol use, khat chewing, marital status, poor adherence, and rural residence.
  • Healthcare providers should prioritize clients with low adherence and address behavioral factors to improve viral load suppression.
  • Multidisciplinary teams should focus on optimizing EAC strategies to meet global HIV treatment targets.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdherenceAntiretroviral treatmentCounselingEthiopiaViral load suppression

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