Evaluation of the effectiveness of the assistance program to increase appointment time and consistency in ART treatments who use drugs together with HIV infection who missed the appointment at the special clinic, Sangkhom Hospital.

Abstract

      This study was quasi experimental research employed a one-group pretest-posttest design aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a support program in increasing appointment adherence and antiretroviral therapy (ART) compliance among people living with HIV (PLWH) who use substances. The sample consisted of 45 participants with a history of missing appointments in the past 12 months. The intervention comprised four core activities: appointment reminders, individual counseling, online social support, and clinical follow-up monitoring. The study was conducted over a 12-month period, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the paired t-test.

      Results: Following the intervention, the mean score for appointment adherence significantly increased from 51.11 ±0.50 to 93.33 ±0.25. Similarly, ART compliance increased from 75.56 ±0.43 to ±97.78 ±0.15 (p < 0.001). Regarding health outcomes, the mean CD4 count rose from 436.96 ±202.17 to 552.84 ±209.61 cells/mm³. Concurrently, the Viral Load level decreased from 6.37 to 1.22 copies/mL (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the rate of positive urine drug tests decreased from 33.33% to 11.11%.