The experience of “medicine companions” to support adherence to antiretroviral therapy: quantitative and qualitative data from a trial population in Uganda

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Age of medicine companions chosen, by gender of patient.

Table 1. Characteristics of medicine companions of patients on antiretroviral therapy.

	Men	Women	All
Choice of medicine companion: all patients, n=1453
Spouse/partner	186 (44)	75 (7)	261 (18)	P<0.001
Biological child	64 (15)	409 (40)	473 (33)
Other relative/HH member	154 (37)	497 (48)	651 (45)
Neighbor/friend	14 (3)	47 (5)	61 (4)
Other	4 (1)	3 (0)	7 (0)
Total	422	1031	1453
Age of medicine companion: all patients, n=1453
Under 21	60 (14)	427 (41)	487 (33)	P<0.001
21–30	127 (30)	175 (17)	302 (21)
31–40	137 (33)	168 (16)	305 (21)
41–50	43 (10)	134 (13)	177 (12)
51–65	31 (7)	67 (7)	98 (7)
Over 65	10 (2)	36 (3)	46 (3)
Missing	14 (3)	24 (2)	38 (3)
Occupation of medicine companion: n=750^a
Business/self employed	50 (23)	84 (16)	134 (18)	P<0.001
Professional	26 (12)	39 (7)	65 (9)
Student	35 (16)	200 (38)	235 (31)
Farmer	60 (27)	106 (20)	166 (22)
Unemployed	17 (8)	63 (12)	80 (11)
Housewife	30 (14)	22 (4)	52 (7)
Other	1 (0)	17 (3)	18 (2)
HIV serostatus of medicine companion^b: all patients, n=1453
Positive	112 (27)	103 (10)	215 (15)	P<0.001
Negative	144 (34)	457 (44)	601 (41)
Don't know	165 (39)	472 (46)	637 (44)
Choice of medicine companion among married patients: n=516
Spouse/partner	185 (66)	73 (31)	258 (50)	P<0.001
Biological child	32 (11)	85 (36)	117 (23)
Other relative/HH member	55 (20)	64 (27)	119 (23)
Neighbor/friend	5 (2)	15 (6)	20 (4)
Other	2 (1)	0 (0)	2 (0)
^aIt includes only medicine companions of facility-based patients who accompanied patients to TASO.
^bIt is as reported by patient.