Dolutegravir-Based ART: Exploring Patient Safety and Acceptability Following National Roll-Out in Uganda

Abstract

The World Health Organization recommends dolutegravir (DTG) as the backbone for rst-line and secondline antiretroviral therapy (ART) worldwide. However, little is known about the acceptability and tolerability of DTG-based ART at routine points-of-care in Uganda. We set out to explore the perceptions of ART clinic managers regarding the acceptability and tolerability of DTG-based ART since national roll-out in March 2018 in Uganda. We adopted a qualitative descriptive design involving 49 ART clinic managers and clinicians. Between September 2020 and February 2021, we conducted 22 in-depth interviews with ART clinic managers and clinicians in 12 purposively selected health facilities across Uganda. The selection of study sites ensured diversity in facility ownership-type (public/private), level of service delivery (tertiary/secondary/primary) and the four major geographic sub-regions of Uganda. We conducted three focus group discussions with 27 ART clinicians in the participating facilities. Data were analyzed by thematic approach.