Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV-1 Infected Female Sex Workers in Benin: A Comparative Study with Patients from the General Population

Souleymane Diabaté, Djimon Marcel Zannou, Nassirou Geraldo, Annie Chamberland, Jocelyn Akakpo, Carin Ahouada, Marguerite Massinga Loembé, Sévérin Anagonou, Annie Claude Labbé, Michel Alary, Cecile Tremblay

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DOI: 10.4236/wja.2011.13014                

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study conducted in Benin was to compare HIV-1 infected female sex workers (FSW) and patients from the general population (GP) to see whether there was a difference in adherence level, mortality rate and immuno-virologic response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Fifty-tree FSW and 318 patients from the GP were recruited and followed for at least one year. We compared both cohorts according to poor-adherence (taking <95% of the pills), CD4 count increase, undetectable viral load (VL; ≤50 copies/mL) and crude mortality rate. We constructed a multivariate regression model to assess factors associated with undetectable VL. Results: During the first year, the proportion of FSW with poor-adherence was significantly higher than that of the GP patients (19.3% versus 7.5%; p < 0.0001) and median gain in CD4 count among FSW was slightly lower (103/mm3 versus 129/mm3; p = 0.085). In the multivariate model (including CD4 at ART initiation and the sub-cohort i.e. FSW vs GP patients), duration under ART (p = 0.003) as well as CD4 count at enrolment in the study (p < 0.0001) and good-adherence (0.057) were independently associated with undetectable VL. When adherence was withdrawn from this model, there was a borderline significant association between detectable VL and being a FSW (p = 0.074). The crude mortality rate was 1.11 per 100 persons-years among the GP patients and 4.65 per 100 persons-years among FSW. Conclusion: Response to ART was lower among FSW compared to GP patients, as a result of poorer adherence. Specific behavioural interventions are needed to improve adherence and response to ART among FSW.

Keywords

ART, FSW, Adherence

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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