Effectiveness of nurse-led multi-component intervention program (NLMIP) on improving antiretroviral therapy adherence, CD count, psychological distress, and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and attending ART center - A protocol study.

BACKGROUND

Before the beginning of antiretroviral therapy (ART), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients require education. The nurse's involvement in educating the patient about the ART regimen begins before treatment begins and continues for the duration of the patient's life. This study will help determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led multi-component intervention program (NLMIP) on antiretroviral medication adherence, CD count, psychological distress and quality of life of people living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (PLWHA).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The study will be conducted at the ART center of a selected 1532 bedded, multi-specialty, tertiary care, central government funded, teaching hospital in Delhi, India, during the years 2022-2024. The research design is a randomized controlled trial (pre-test-post-test, control group design/repeated measure design). Participants will be randomized into experimental and control groups. NLMIP will be introduced by the researcher to the experimental group. Data will be collected on the various study variables at three different intervals consecutively, that is, at baseline (day 1), after 12 weeks (post-test 1), and after 24 weeks (post-test 2) of the follow-up period. Chi-square, -test, and Fisher's exact test will be used to compare the two groups based on the demographic, clinical, and selected variables. Two sample Wilcoxon rank-sum (Mann-Whitney) tests will be applied to determine the significance in the difference of pre-tested variables between the two groups.

RESULTS

The present study will assess the difference in the outcome variables of two groups (experimental and control) of PLWHA on the basis of NLMIP.

CONCLUSIONS

NLMIP will provide a comprehensive guide for nurses and other health care professionals to provide regular health education to PLWHA who are registered for ART.