Equity in adherence to antiretroviral therapy among economically vulnerable adolescents living with HIV in Uganda

This study uses quantitative data from an adherence study to look at whether equity measures predicted self-reported adherence among Ugandan adolescents.  The findings indicate that economic equity composite measures of greater ownership of household assets, financial savings and caregiver employment all increased the likelihood of adherence.  Social equity, measured by the distance of the youth to the health facility, was also related to increased adherence.  This study, one of the first to address the question of equity in adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) among economically vulnerable youth with HIV, suggests that addressing economic and social inequities is important to increasing ART uptake.