Facilitator Guide - EngenderHealth

Activity A30 minutes1. The first-line regimens can cause side effects. The role of counselors is not toprovide clinical treatment but it is important to have a good understanding of sideeffects in order to help refer clients to clinicians in a timely fashion, as well as toprovide support to help clients implement practical strategies for self-management.2. Most drugs have side effects. In most cases these side effects are mild, and noteverybody using the same drug will experience them.A very important message to remember is that less than 5 percent of clients takingART will have serious clinical side effects.• However, many more will have less serious but annoying side effects, especiallyat the beginning of the therapy.Facilitator Guide4Adherence to Treatment for HIV3. Lay the paper prepared for body mapping on the floor. Ask for a volunteer to liedown on the floor over the paper and draw an outline of his or her body.4. Hang the outline of the body up on the wall in front of the group or lay it flat onthe floor so that everyone can see it or ask the group to stand around the bodymap for the next part of this exercise.5. Explain that we are going to take turns identifying parts of the body that experiencethe side effects of ART. Ask the first volunteer to draw or label a side effect on thearea of the body where the side effect is experienced. As each side effect isidentified, describe this side effect and what it could be caused by. Also, ask thegroup what a client can do to alleviate the side effect. Identify the cases in whicha side effect needs to be referred to a doctor.6. After the first effect has been covered adequately, ask another volunteer to identifya new side effect and label it on the body map. Repeat the process until all of theside effects have been identified.7. Refer the participants to Handout A: ‘Common side effects and responses’. Highlightany side effects that were not mentioned on the body map.100