Magister Public Health - MPH (Public Health)

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Exploring the experiences and perceptions of adolescents and young adults of adherence to antiretroviral therapy treatment at a referral opportunistic infection clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Matikiti, Hardwicke; van Wyk, Brian
Background: The HIV pandemic continues to have a significant impact on global public health with approximately 39 million people infected with HIV. According to estimates, there are 1.65 million adolescents living with HIV worldwide, of which 85% live in sub-Saharan Africa. While HIV/AIDS-related mortality is decreasing for most age groups, it is not declining for Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) (aged 15–24 years). Poor adherence among AYAs contributes to the poor outcomes of HIV interventions. The aim of the current study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among AYAs at a referral Opportunistic Infection Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe. Methodology: The study employed qualitative methods, where data was collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 12 AYAs and 5 key informants at a referral Opportunistic Infection Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe. All the interviews were audio-recorded, and Shona recordings were translated to English before transcription. An inductive thematic analysis was done.