Send Orders for Reprints to reprints@benthamscience.ae Infectious Disorders – Drug Targets, 2016, 16, 1-5 1 RESEARCH ARTICLE 1871-5265/16 $58.00+.00 © 2016 Bentham Science Publishers Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and Tuberculosis Treatment in a Prison of Tehran, Iran SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi 1 , Behnam Farhoudi 2,* , Minoo Mohraz 1 , Amin Alipour 2 , Raheleh Golrokhy 1 , Mostafa Hosseini 3 and Jamal Miri 4 1 Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2 Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran; 3 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4 Health and Treatment Office of Iranian Prisons Organization, Tehran, Iran A R T I C L E H I S T O R Y Received: October 12, 2015 Revised: May 28, 2016 Accepted: May 30, 2016 DOI: 10.2174/1871526516666160616 111308 Abstract: Background: The human immune system can be impaired due to lack of adherence to treatment among HIV positive patients. This is reflected in lower levels of CD4 count and incomplete viral suppres- sion leading to the disease's progression and increased risks of opportun- istic infections. Little is known about adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and Tuberculosis (TB) treatment and barriers to ART adherence faced by prisoners. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate adher- ence to ART, treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI), and TB treatment and barriers of ART adherence in the Great Tehran Prison in 2014. Materials and Methods: We conducted a study to evaluate adherence to ART, latent TB infection treatment, and TB treatment via Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) among HIV positive patients in the Great Tehran Prison in 2014. Furthermore, we examined the bar- riers of adherence to ART through focus group discussions (FGDs) with 22 people living with HIV in the prison. Results: The mean of adherence to ART, latent TB infection treatment, and TB treatment were 93.3%, 92.7% and 93.3%, respectively. Addiction, negative drug reactions, bad ex- periences with staffs, and psychosocial and nutritional problems were cited as the most common barriers to adherence. Conclusion: It is recommended to implement DOT for ART in Iranian prisons. In addi- tion, through removing the barriers and implementation of DOT for ART, HIV positive prisoners can achieve a complete adherence. Keywords: Adherence, Barriers, Directly Observed Therapy, HIV, Prison, Treatment, Tuberculosis. INTRODUCTION HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) are the most impor- tant infectious diseases and major health problems *Address correspondence to this author at the Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Shariati Street, Zargandeh, Tehran, Iran; Tel/Fax: +98 (21) 22006660-7, E-mail: b_farhoudi@yahoo.com in all prisons around the world. Strict adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and TB treatment is required for saving lives and preventing the onset, expansion, and transmission of drug-resistance strains [1]. Most importantly, since ART plays a substan- tial role in the prevention of HIV transmission, to Please provide corresponding author(s) photograph size should be 4" x 4" inches Behnam Farhoudi