Enablers of adherence to clinic appointments for children attending an antiretroviral clinic in Northern Nigeria: Perspectives of caregivers and care providers S. Musa, 1 L. W. Umar, 1 F. L. Abdullahi, 1 M. Taegtemeyer, 2 S. M. Abdullahi, 1 A. A. Olorukooba, 1 A. M. Alfa, 1 and N. H. Usman 1 1 Department of Paediatrics, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, Nigeria 2 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Pembroke Place, Merseyside, Liverpool L35QA, United Kingdom Correspondence: Sani Musa, Department of Paediatrics, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, Nigeria. E-mail <asmaummama@gmail.com>. ABSTRACT Background: Nigeria has the highest burden of paediatric HIV infection, and the success of control efforts in the country is crucial to the global control of the HIV epidemic. However, defaults from schedules of care pose a threat to paediatric HIV control in Nigeria. This study was conducted in a pi- oneer facility for the implementation of the National HIV Prevention and Treatment Programmes. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore factors that facilitate adherence to clinic appointments from perspectives of child caregivers and service providers. Methods: This is a qualitative study using in-depth, face-to-face interviews conducted in 2016. Thirty-five participants were purposely sampled to comprise types of caregivers of HIV-exposed/ infected children receiving care and from categories of service providers. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, thematically analysed and presented using a socioecological model. Results: The themes that emerged from participants’ narratives included advanced education, afflu- ence and residing close to the clinic at the intrapersonal level. Stable family dynamics and support, HIV status disclosure and being a biologic parent or grandparent as caregiver emerged at the inter- personal level. At the community level, disclosure and support were identified, while at the health fa- cility level, positive staff attitude, quality of healthcare and peer support group influence were factors identified to facilitate regular clinic attendance. Conclusion: The factors that enable retention of children in care are multidimensional and intricately connected. Programme improvement initiatives should include regular assessment of clients’ perspectives to inform implementation of strategies that could reinforce caregiver confidence in the health system. KEYWORDS : HIV, exposed, infected, children, adherence, enablers antiretroviral, clinic care, per- spectives, caregivers, care providers INTRODUCTION Poor retention in HIV care is a worldwide phenom- enon and occurs across all the stages of the continuum of HIV care. It is, however, more com- mon in the paediatric subpopulation and in sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) [1]. The consequences of poor V C The Author(s) [2018]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com  273 Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 2019, 65, 273–279 doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmy047 Advance Access Publication Date: 31 July 2018 Original paper Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/tropej/article/65/3/273/5062943 by guest on 09 June 2023