Adherence plays a very important role in success of ARV treatment however the level of adherence is different among patients and many factors influence this process. In order to learn about feasible and effective interventions to help HIV patients maintain adherence to ARV treatment, the Institute of Population, Health and Development in collaboration with the University of New England (USA) implement The Supporting Adolescent Adherence in Vietnam (SAAV) Study. The study is funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The SAAV study is conducted in Hanoi from August 2016 to August 2018. The study focuses on the critical period of adolescence (age 12-15), when most adolescents have assumed primary responsibility for their medication-taking and are about to transition to adult care.
The study includes 3 phases:
– Phase 1: Formative research. Aiming to understand the problems encountered during adherence in adolescent patients.
– Phase 2: Implementation of the Randomized Control Trial to assess feasibility, acceptability, and impact of the intervention on ART adherence and clinical outcomes.
– Phase 3: Dissemination.