Susan Wangeci Kuria, MBChB, MMed
Nominated From: University of Washington
Research Site: University of Nairobi
Research Area: HIV and Mental Health
Primary Mentor: Dr. Lawrence Wissow
Research Project
Assessing medication adherence among patients living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus with comorbid severe mental illness in Kenya
Severe mental illness (SMI) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are significant global health conditions that often co-occur. Most people living with HIV (67% of the global 39.9 million) are from Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies show a high burden of severe mental illnesses among people living with HIV (PLHIV), ranging from 28% to 62%, but there is a scarcity of this data in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite having the highest burden of HIV. Additionally, there is limited data on adherence to both antiretroviral therapy (ART) and psychiatric medications among PLHIV with comorbid SMI. PLHIV with comorbid SMI struggle with medication adherence due to issues such as limited social support, cognitive impairment, and complex polypharmacy. Medication adherence is key, as non-adherence can lead to disease progression, drug resistance, and poor health outcomes. Therefore, we aim to determine the burden of SMI among PLHIV in Kenya and assess their adherence to both ART and psychiatric medications.
Research Significance
This study is will provide vital insights into the burden of SMI among PLHIV, including medication adherence levels to antiretroviral therapies and psychiatric medications, while identifying key facilitators and barriers to adherence. The findings will inform policymakers and healthcare providers in developing targeted interventions among this population, ultimately, enhancing medication adherence and improving health outcomes. Furthermore, the findings from this study can be used to develop scalable targeted interventions to improve treatment adherence in other low resource settings facing similar challenges.
Publications
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