Dataset / Tabular

Evaluation of the National Adherence Guidelines for Chronic Diseases 2016: A Cluster-Randomised Evaluation (South Africa)

Abstract

This dataset was used in the preparation of the report: “Adherence Clubs and Decentralized Medication Delivery to Support Retention and Sustained Viral Suppression: Results from a Cluster Randomized Evaluation of Differentiated ART delivery models in South Africa” presenting the evaluation results of two interventions which were assessed in the context of an impact evaluation of five differentiated HIV care and adherence interventions in 24 South African facilities. The South African Government implemented Chronic Disease Adherence Guidelines, including adherence clubs (AC) and decentralized medication delivery (DMD). We compared those receiving AC/DMD at intervention sites to those eligible for AC/DMD at control sites. Outcomes were retention and sustained viral suppression (<400 copies/mL) 12 months after AC/DMD enrolment (or comparable time for controls). Twelve facilities were randomly allocated to intervention and 12 to control arms.

We saw comparable DMD outcomes vs. standard of care at facilities, an AC retention benefit and retention and sustained suppression benefits amongst men. This suggests the importance of alternative service delivery models for men and of community-based strategies to decongest primary healthcare facilities. As these strategies also reduce patient inconvenience and decongest clinics, comparable outcomes are a success.