HIV/AIDS Treatment Adherence Enhancement and Medical Social Work Intervention among Patients in UPTH, Rivers State

The consistent adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a critical factor in the effective management of HIV/AIDS. However, psychosocial barriers such as stigma, depression, and lack of social support often impede patients’ ability to maintain optimal adherence. This study examines the role of medical social work interventions in enhancing ART adherence among HIV/AIDS patients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State. The study was guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) originally developed by Rosenstock (1974). A qualitative research design was adopted, using in-depth interviews with snowball sampling technique to select 30 HIV/AIDS patients attending UPTH. Data were thematically analyzed to identify patterns and insights into patients’ experiences and perceptions of adherence and social work interventions. Findings revealed that self-reporting and clinical records provide partial assessments of adherence, with self-reports susceptible to overestimation and clinical records lacking daily adherence details. Stigma, depression, and limited social support negatively influenced adherence, leading to skipped doses and missed appointments. Counselling, advocacy programs, and support groups were found to enhance adherence by providing emotional support, motivation, education, and coping strategies. Based on these findings, the study concludes that medical social work interventions play a pivotal role in improving ART adherence and the overall well-being of HIV/AIDS patients. It was recommended that UPTH should adopt a holistic, patient-centered approach integrating psychosocial support, peer mentoring, and multi-disciplinary collaboration to optimize adherence and health outcomes.