HIV/AIDS medication adherence factors: inner-city clinic patient's self-reports.
OBJECTIVE
To document common facilitators of, and barriers to, HIV/AIDS medication regimen adherence and to identify facilitators and barriers significantly correlated to attainment of higher vs. lower adherence.


METHODS
Data were collected using semi-structured interviews.


METHODS
An outpatient clinic serving as the regional treatment center for HIV disease.


METHODS
A purposive sample of 57 clinic patients was enrolled and completed the study.


METHODS
Self-reported adherence was measured using a visual analog scale and specified as higher or lower adherence at the 80% level, the approximate median.


RESULTS
Many barriers to adherence were more prevalent in the lower adherence group, including complexity of the medication regimen and experiencing side effects. Lower adherence patients also had more problems with privacy and interference with social life and work or school. Patients in the higher adherence group were more concerned with forgetting as an adherence barrier. In general, social support, motivation to avoid AIDS, perceiving the health care practitioner as a facilitator, knowledge of medications, and keeping schedules were identified as factors enhancing adherence.


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of many barriers shows that the health care provider has an important role in patient education and support to accomplish increased adherence. Fear and avoidance behaviors in the lower adherence group contrasted with the increased concern with forgetting in the higher adherence group. Communicating treatment advances with patients may help more patients to address many barriers to higher adherence.
Graney
Marshall J
MJ
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
Bunting
Sheila M
SM
Russell
Cynthia K
CK
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013714:Tennessee
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents