Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine(TCAM) Use Among PLHIV on Antiretroviral Medication.

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Abstract Background: Traditional complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) are products and practices that differ from conventional allopathic medicine. There continues to be an increase in the use of these methods of treatment in developed and developing countries worldwide. This often owes to the perceived ability of these treatment methods to cure chronic medical conditions like HIV. However, TCAM use may be associated with reduced compliance with antiretroviral medications, which leads to poor viral load suppression and increased risk for opportunistic infections. The concomitant use of antiretroviral drugs and TCAM practice may be influenced by some sociodemographic and health-related factors. Objective: To determine the prevalence of TCAM use and examine the sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with its use among PLHIV on antiretroviral medications at the Infectious Disease unit of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among attendants at an adult HIV clinic. 420 study participants were selected by systematic sampling. Data related to TCAM use, sociodemographic and health-related factors were collected using a standardized questionnaire and patient chart review. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the association between TCAM use, sociodemographic and health-related factors. Results: Majority of participants were female (76.2%) and had been diagnosed with HIV for ≥ 5 years (77.4%). The prevalence of TCAM use among PLHIV was 25.2%. No sociodemographic or health-related factor was significantly associated with TCAM use. Conclusion: TCAM use was high among PLHIV. No sociodemographic or health-related factor was found to be associated with TCAM use. Further studies employing a qualitative approach using key informant interviews and focused group discussions are needed to explore reasons for its use. Care providers and policy-makers should look beyond sociodemographic and health-related factors in addressing TCAM use among PLHIV.

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