SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ART AND T-CD4 COUNTING

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and CD4 with sociodemographic and clinical variables of people living with HIV / AIDS. Material and Methods: This study had a cross-sectional design, being considered descriptive-epidemiological. The sample was composed by 561 subjects living with HIV / AIDS, who answered a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and bivariate statistics. Results: Significant associations were found between CD4 and geographic area, with higher rates in the inner cities (p=.02) and between CD4 and education, with greater rates for higher education (p=.04). When checking the association between adherence to ART and the sociodemographic and clinical factors, the results showed statistically significant differences in the variables "time of diagnosis" (p=.02), "time of use of antiretroviral therapy" (p=.01) and use of the drug nevirapine (p=.05). Thus, it was observed that the longer the knowledge of diagnosis and use of ART, the greater the adherence to treatment. This adherence appears to be greater when using the drug nevirapine. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that AIDS, rather than pathology, emerges as a social problem, pervaded by sociodemographic questions. In this context, discussing on prevention and adherence to ARVs is a challenge, which is inseparable from the cultural, clinical, sociodemographic and psychosocial aspects. DESCRIPTORS: HIV Seropositivity. AIDS. CD4.