Health literacy and antiretroviral adherence among HIV-infected adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates HIV positive adolescents' health literacy and whether factors associated with health literacy in HIV-positive adults are associated with health literacy among HIV-positive adolescents.


METHODS
Adolescents in this study were behaviorally and perinatally HIV-infected youth (n=186) from five U.S. cities. Participants had a mean age of 20.5, and 49.5% were male.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to findings for adult HIV-positive patients, among adolescents health literacy was not significantly associated with: medication adherence adjusting for age and education level; viral load; or self-efficacy to adhere to medication regimens. The only significant association was of health literacy with medical care received.


CONCLUSIONS
Practice implications are discussed.
Murphy
Debra A
DA
Health Risk Reduction Projects, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at Los Angeles, 90025-7539, USA. dmurphy@mednet.ucla.edu
Lam
Phebe
P
Naar-King
Sylvie
S
Robert Harris
D
D
Parsons
Jeffrey T
JT
Muenz
Larry R
LR
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult; D016903:Drug Monitoring
D000998:Antiviral Agents