title: Health Beliefs and Co-morbidities Associated with Appointment-Keeping Behavior Among HCV and HIV/HCV Patients.
abstract: Appointment-keeping behavior is an important requisite for HCV linkage and treatment initiation. In this study we examine what impact hepatitis C (HCV) knowledge and attitudes has on appointment-keeping behavior among a cohort of HCV and HCV/HIV patients. Knowledge scores and attitude scales, obtained from a cross-sectional survey, were correlated with proportion of appointments kept 1 year prior to taking the survey. Independent risk factors for missing appointments were examined by multiple regression analysis. 292 HCV patients completed the survey, and 149 (51%) were co-infected with HIV. HCV patients kept 67.5 ± 17.4% of their total appointments and a similar proportion (67 ± 38.2) of Liver Clinic appointments, but they attended a higher proportion (73 ± 24.4) of Primary Care Clinic appointments. However, certain health beliefs, psychiatric illness, and HIV co-infection were independently associated with lower levels of appointment-keeping behavior. HCV knowledge was not associated with appointment-keeping behavior. Health beliefs, psychiatric illness, and HIV co-infection are associated with missing appointments, but no link between knowledge and appointment keeping behavior is apparent. In order to increase engagement into HCV care, HCV care coordination programs need to focus on addressing health beliefs and providing resources to those at highest risk for missing appointments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9113, USA.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pundhir
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: North
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9113, USA.
authors.forename: Oluwatomilade
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fatunde
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-9113, USA. Mamta.Jain@utsouthwestern.edu.|HIV Services, Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, TX, USA. Mamta.Jain@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Mamta K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D060085:Coinfection; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Appointment-keeping behavior; HCV; HIV; Health beliefs