Author(s)

François Anicet Onana Akoa^1,2*, Ulrich Dama^1,2, Jean Ndibi Abanda^1,2, Alphonse Tedonge Asobochia¹, Melkior Fobasso Dzeuta^1,3, Pearl Nsom Mbu⁴, Yokyu Zachary Pangwoh⁴, Pierre Yassa Yoniene⁵

¹Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lisala (CIREP-UNILIS), Lisala, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
²Faculty of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon.
⁴Faculty of Public Health, Texila American University, Guyana, South America.
⁵Faculty of Medicine, University Simon Kimbangu, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Context/Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infection is a serious health problem in Cameroon. The problems associated with poor adherence to treatment are on the increase worldwide. This problem can be observed in all situations where patients are required to administer their own medication, whatever the type of illness. The general objective of this study was to assess the factors affecting adherence to treatment among HIV-TB co-infected patients in health facilities in the East Region in the COVID context. Method: A retrospective cohort study before and during COVID-19 was conducted in HIV care units in 13 health districts in the East Region of Cameroon. Data were collected using a questionnaire recorded in the Kobo Collect android application, analyzed using SPSS version 25 software and plotted using Excel. Results: The pre-COVID-19 cohort compared to the during-COVID-19 cohort had a 1.90 risk of not adhering to treatment (OR: 1.90, CI {1.90 - 3.37}) and the difference was statistically significant at the 5% level (p-value = 0.029). Frequency of adherence was 65.4% (140/214). Adherence before COVID-19 was 56.9% whereas during COVID-19, it was 74.3%. Conclusion: The implementation of targeted interventions in the COVID-19 context, using evidence-based data and integrating the individual needs of HIV-TB co-infected patients, improved adherence to concurrent anti-tuberculosis treatment and antiretroviral therapy during the COVID-19 Era.

Factors of Adherence, Tuberculosis Treatment, Antiretroviral Therapy, HIV-TB Co-Infection, East Region, Cameroon

Onana Akoa, F.A., Dama, U., Ndibi Abanda, J., Tedonge Asobochia, A., Fobasso Dzeuta, M., Nsom Mbu, P., Pangwoh, Y.Z. and Yassa Yoniene, P. (2024) Factors of Adherence to Concurrent Tuberculosis Treatment and Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV-TB Co-Infected Individuals in the East Region, Cameroon in the COVID-19 Era: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Health, 16, 131-147. doi: 10.4236/health.2024.162012.