title: A programme of symptom management for improving quality of life and drug adherence in AIDS/HIV patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reports an evaluation of the effect of symptom management programmed on drug adherence, CD4 count and virus load and the quality of life of patients with HIV/AIDS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Patients with HIV/AIDS have to face the long-term side effects caused by highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens. There has been little research to evaluate the influence of drug intervention side effects on self-care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven patients with HIV/AIDS were randomly assigned to one-on-one teaching, group teaching, or control groups. All those in the one-on-one and group teaching groups attended a symptom management programme once a week, followed by 3 weeks of continuity and telephone counselling. Those in the control group were offered experimental intervention at the conclusion of data collection. The Customized Adherence Self-Report Questionnaire, CD4 count and virus load, and Quality of Life Index were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the symptom management programme before and at 3 months after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median differences on the Customized Adherence Self-Report Questionnaire, CD4 count and virus load, and quality of life in both experimental groups were statistically significantly better than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The symptom management programme can increase self-care ability in managing medication side effects in patients with HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, and Instructor, Mackay Junior College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Piao-Yi
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Benjamin Ing-Tiau
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Ming-Been
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yi-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Peing
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Li-Chan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care; D019562:Viral Load