Youth living with HIV and problem substance use: elevated distress is associated with nonadherence and sexual risk.
OBJECTIVE
To examine health risk behaviors in distressed youth living with HIV (YLH) with problem substance use.


METHODS
Assessed distress, antiretroviral (ARV) adherence, and unprotected sex in a racially and geographically diverse sample of 122 YLH.


RESULTS
A total of 87% of distressed YLH reported significantly more past-month ARV nonadherence (odds ratio [OR] = 7.15) and were more likely to have unprotected sex under the influence (OR = 5.14) than nondistressed youth.


CONCLUSIONS
Distressed YLH with problem substance use may benefit from interventions to improve adherence and to decrease sexual risk, especially while under the influence of drugs.
Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence Rhode Island, USA.
Nicole R
NR
Nugent
Larry K
LK
Brown
Marvin
M
Belzer
Gary W
GW
Harper
Sharon
S
Nachman
Sylvie
S
Naar-King
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult