AEGiS-15IAC: Children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS and adherence to medications.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS and adherence to medications.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. MoOrD1029)

Cruz EF, Matos SS, Tanaka CA, Cardoso EP, Antunes KR
GIV-Grupo de Incentivo a Vida, Sao Paulo, Brazil

ISSUES: Children and adolescents' adherence to antiretroviral medications has become a great challenge for health professionals, educators and caretakers. Its complexity relates to the amount of medicines a child needs to take, their side effects, their presentation, and their taste. In addition, psychosocial issues such as the children's feelings in regards to AIDS, the self-acceptance of the disease and the social prejudice are factors that make adherence more difficult. Thus, it is important to develop work proposals and materials that contribute to solve this problem.

DESCRIPTION: Based on the children's right to information and psychosocial support, GIV via Projeto Viver Crianca e Adolescente and AFXB do Brasil created an educational material to address adherence. The book "POR DENTRO DO MEDICAMENTO - INSIDE THE MEDICATION" is an innovative material that considers age-specific needs. It deals with how HIV is transmitted, the main medication groups, and emotional factors that make adherence difficult such as: shame to take the medication and feeling different to other children. Along with the book, children receive a game with the medications' pictures and names. Given that the names of the medication groups are difficult, the book uses a color-code strategy to aid memorization and understanding of the role of each medication group.

LESSONS LEARNED: The material had a very positive acceptance by children, adolescents and adults. It is an important empowerment strategy for children and adolescents. Besides "taking the medications," children need to understand the process that they are living, be in command of their lives and even of their treatment.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Health, education, NGOs and other institutions should have trained professionals and adequate material to embrace children and adolescents, to hear their doubts, concerns, and feelings and to contribute to their emotional and cognitive elaboration of their experiences of living with HIV/AIDS.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Anti-HIV Agents, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Health Planning Guidelines, Health Services Needs and Demand, HIV-1, HIV Protease Inhibitors, Health Personnel, Brazil, Child, Adolescent, Humans, Adolescence, Adult, education

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MoOrD1029