Correlates of antiretroviral treatment breaks.
OBJECTIVE
To identify key relationships between the decision to take a break from antiretroviral treatments and potential clinical and social antecedents.


METHODS
An analysis of a self-completed survey of various clinical and social aspects of the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) distributed nationally in Australia was carried out.


RESULTS
The questionnaire was completed by a sample of 894 PLWHA. From this sample, three groups of interest were identified: a 'no break' group that had been using antiretrovirals continuously (n=378), a 'lifestyle break' group that had taken a break for purely lifestyle reasons on their last occasion (n=76), and a 'clinical break' group that had taken a break for purely clinical reasons on their last occasion (n=99). Clinical breaks were found to be longer than lifestyle breaks and involved more consultation with doctors. Differences were also found between the two break types in effects on the respondents' health and well-being. The clinical break group was further found to experience a higher level of health difficulties on a range of variables, while the lifestyle break group was younger, had a longer experience of HIV and its consequences, and engaged in greater participation in activities associated with both pleasure and risk.


CONCLUSIONS
The analyses offer a pattern of health and social factors that places the HIV-positive individual, as a social actor, squarely within the experience of treatment interruptions. Understanding the social motivations and correlates of treatment interruption offers new challenges in maximizing the efficacy of health maintenance and support for PLWHA.
Grierson
J G
JG
Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. j.grierson@latrobe.edu.au
Misson
S A
SA
Pitts
M K
MK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016312:Treatment Refusal
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents