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Learning by Association

Using politics to teach ARV adherence

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:41

Nicolene Rose-Innes

By Nicolene Rose- Innes

We all learn by association.

But when we have FUN we learn through the skin! The information taught becomes part of who we are. When this happens, learners want this new knowledge to be tested and they can’t wait to use their newly-acquired skills in the marketplace.

ARV medication has changed the face of HIV/Aids. People realise that Aids is no longer a death sentence, that medication is available and importantly the medication works.

However one of the most challenging aspects of ARV provision is encouraging clients to take medication for the rest of their lives. Should a client for any reason stop taking the medication, even only three times in a month, the virus will become resistant to the medication and over time become ineffective in stopping the HIV virus from replicating. When this happens, the client needs to take Regime 1 b or even switch to Regime 2, at great cost, and with increased morbidity for the client.

At the training company Call the Rain cc we have realised that we need to teach community health workers, health carers as well as nurses who initiate this treatment, about the drug regimes, the side effects of ARV drugs and what drugs can be safely used in combination, in a way that they will never forget.

We use the power of association in our training workshops. We have linked the various drug classes to the three major political parties in South Africa. Thus we have the ANC, the “Malema Wanabees” as well as the Democratic Party, First line (Regime a) ARV treatment as the ANC, (they work first, and try to be fast to get results).

The drugs listed in the regime have the names of political candidates or in this case drug names such as Efavirenz, Tenofovir etc. Should Regime 1 a (the ANC) fail, the first-line Regime B drug regime needs to be used. This regime is associated with the “Malemma Wannabees” (the candidates who try to talk/shout to fix things when things are not working).Their actions usually result in a greater cost to the body/state. And then we have the Protease Inhibitors or Regime 2, the Democratic Party (for one of the candidates, kaletra needs a fridge in order to be stored safely.

Most people who vote for the DA own a fridge.) The body/ South Africa really need the DA as a last resort when the other parties mess things up. We teach that we would all prefer Regime 1 a to work, the ANC, all the time and every time, but sometimes that is not possible and the body/ country needs the help of the “Malemma Wannabees” as well as the DA.

It soon becomes interesting

Learners learn about the liaisons between candidates /drug combination in each drug regime/political party, which candidates/drugs have severe side effects, and which can be trusted in combination for pregnant women. This learning is exciting and fun. Learners even get to hand out mock tablets and learn to deal with a client who simply wants nothing to do with the drugs/ political parties for they have too many side effects, and would prefer traditional medicine. Learners are equipped with the necessary counselling skills to convince the client otherwise.

Judging by the success of this approach, we would encourage course writers and training providers, when faced with having to teach information which is not only difficult to remember but complicated to implement, to use the power of association, even at the possible risk of treading on political toes to get results.