title: Antidepressant treatment and adherence to antiretroviral medications among privately insured persons with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: In order to examine relationships between depression treatments (antidepressant and/or psychotherapy utilization) and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), we conducted a retrospective analysis of medical and pharmacy insurance claims for privately insured persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) diagnosed with depression (n = 1,150). Participants were enrolled in 80 insurance plans from all 50 states. Adherence was suboptimal. Depression treatment initiators were significantly more likely to be adherent to ART than the untreated. We did not observe an association between psychotherapy utilization and ART adherence, yet given the limitations of the data (e.g., there is no information on types of psychological treatment and its targets), the lack of association should not be interpreted as lack of efficacy.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA. aakinci@rci.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akincigil
authors.forename: Ira B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Walkup
authors.forename: Michele J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crystal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D007348:Insurance, Health; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017149:Private Sector; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents