Study Shows Vocational Training Improves Consistency in Antiretroviral Treatment

A pilot study by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has revealed that economic empowerment significantly improves adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV patients. The findings, presented by Dr. Kazeem Osuolale at the Institute’s monthly seminar on May 28, suggest that livelihood interventions can remove financial barriers to regular medication use.

“Economic hardship limits access and commitment to ART—even when drugs are provided free of charge,” Dr. Osuolale said.

Why Adherence Matters

Failure to adhere to prescribed ART has been a major challenge in HIV treatment in Nigeria, leading to:

• Viral suppression failure
• Drug resistance
• Overall treatment failure

Traditional interventions like phone reminders, dose simplification, and counseling have helped, but economic empowerment remains underexplored, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Study Design: Skill-Based Empowerment

The study, conducted between July 2021 and February 2023, involved 50 HIV-positive patients aged 15 to 45, all of whom had documented ART adherence below 95%.

• Experimental Group (25 patients): Participated in skill acquisition (catering, soap making, beadwork, hair braiding)
• Control Group (25 patients): Did not receive any empowerment support

Both groups were tracked for three months post-intervention.

Empowerment Improves Outcomes

Key findings include:

• Experimental group adherence improved from 68.76% to 109.72%
• Control group adherence improved from 83.66% to 99.44%
• Post-intervention results show statistically significant improvement in adherence among the empowered group (p-value = 0.044)

“Economic empowerment directly addressed barriers such as transportation costs and financial stress, enabling consistent medication use,” Dr. Osuolale emphasized.

Limitations and Recommendations

The study noted two limitations:

1. Small sample size limits generalizability
2. Short follow-up period (3 months) may not capture long-term adherence trends

Dr. Osuolale recommended larger-scale studies with longer follow-up periods to validate the findings and strengthen ART programs nationwide.

Policy Implications

The study supports a holistic HIV treatment model, where medical care is integrated with social and economic support, reinforcing that access to medication alone is not enough for successful treatment outcomes.