Caroline Willett
School: Wheaton College Illinois
Major: Biological Sciences
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-hgnb-zk14
Caroline Willett is a recent graduate of Wheaton College where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. As a part of Wheaton’s nationally acclaimed interdisciplinary program, Caroline studied the physical and social chronic side effects of antiretroviral treatment in the lives of people living with HIV through the lenses of biology, chemistry, and Human Needs & Global Resources. In 2019, Caroline spent six months living and working in Delhi India where she studied the impact of antiretroviral treatment on the lives of people living with HIV. Caroline was selected to present her research at both the 2020 Notre Dame Human Development Conference and the Virtual 2020 Wheaton College Human Needs & Global Resources Symposium. Outside of research Caroline is an active member of the community as she spent her college years as a chemistry teacher’s assistant, discipleship small group leader, and member of the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra. Since graduation, Caroline has begun a job in Richmond, Virginia as a medical scribe at Chippenham Primary Care Group where she plans to work until she begins medical school. Caroline ultimately aspires to become a physician that integrates holistic healthcare practices into her daily work.
Antiretroviral Medication Adherence in Shalom Delhi’s Home-Based Care Program
Abstract
HIV/AIDS has been a significant public health issue for India since 1986. The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) was founded in 1992 to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS in India. By 2004, NACO offered free antiretroviral treatment (ART) to all people living with HIV (PLWH) in India. Due to the program’s success, there was a 71% drop in HIV related mortalities between 1995 and 2017(Karade 2018).1 However, an estimated 0.21 % of people in India are still living with HIV as of 2017(naco.gov). 2 Despite the availability of ART throughout India, many patients do not participate in the program or adhere to their prescribed treatment. HIV patients generally must have a > 95% adherence rate to maintain a high quality of life (Vallabhaneni 2011).4 In Delhi, NACO provides nine centers where patients go to receive their ART medication, but other organizations provide additional healthcare to HIV patients. Shalom Hospital, a palliative care organization in Delhi, is one such organization. It has a unique Home –Based Care program where trained staff members visit patients throughout Delhi regularly to assess their health and wellbeing. This study was conducted to determine the ART adherence of HIV patients served by Shalom. It was conducted by surveying 80 patients from Shalom’s Home Based Care program. The study assessed the relationship between low adherence and HIV regimen, ART side effects, ART related stigma, and lack of HIV education. This study showed that patients generally are not adherent due to physical side effects or stigma. The purpose of this research project was to raise an awareness of the complications that PLWH taking ART face and to better understand why patients do not adhere to their ART regimen. Taking these factors into consideration, NGOs like Shalom Hospital can modify care protocols to better serve this marginalized population.