Peer counselors' role in supporting patients' adherence to ART in Ethiopia and Uganda
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19443263 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Annelie K Gusdal (0000-0002-6448-5866, Karolinska Institutet, corresponding author), Celestino Obua (0000-0001-6949-3059, Makerere University), Tenaw Andualem (c Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems , Management Sciences for Health , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia), Rolf Wahlström (Karolinska Institutet), John Chalker (0000-0002-3282-9900, Management Sciences for Health), Grethe Fochsen (Karolinska Institutet), on behalf of the INRUD-IAA project on behalf of the INRUD-IAA project (e The International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs Initiative on Adherence to Antiretrovirals), on behalf of the INRUD-IAA project (eHealth Initiative) |
| Year | 2011 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 657-662 |
| Publication date | 2011-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | AIDS Care (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09540121.2010.532531 |
| PMID | 21347887 |
| OpenAlex | W2060909150 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 20 |
| References cited | 19 |
Our aim was to explore peer counselors' work and their role in supporting patients' adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in resource-limited settings in Ethiopia and Uganda. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 79 patients, 17 peer counselors, and 22 providers in ART facilities in urban and rural areas of Ethiopia and Uganda. Two main categories with related subcategories emerged from the analysis. The first main category, peer counselors as facilitators of adherence, describes how peer counselors played an important role by acting as role models, raising awareness, and being visible in the community. They were also recognized for being close to the patients while acting as a bridge to the health system. They provided patients with an opportunity to individually talk to someone who was also living with HIV, who had a positive and life-affirming attitude about their situation, and were willing to share personal stories of hope when educating and counseling their patients. The second main category, benefits and challenges of peer counseling, deals with how peer counselors found reward in helping others while at the same time acknowledging their limitations and need of support and remuneration. Their role and function were not clearly defined within the health system and they received negligible financial and organizational support. While peer counseling is acknowledged as an essential vehicle for treatment success in ART support in sub-Saharan Africa, a formal recognition and regulation of their role should be defined. The issue of strategies for disclosure to support adherence, while avoiding or reducing stigma, also requires specific attention. We argue that the development and implementation of support to peer counselors are crucial in existing and future ART programs, but more research is needed to further explore factors that are important to sustain and strengthen the work of peer counselors
Medical education · Peer support · Political science · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Remuneration · Sociology · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 20 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,54 |
| Citation span | 2013 - 2024 (12) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 19 |