Youth adherence to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is poor, and little research exists that identifies the reasons youth have difficulty adhering to medications. Given that complete adherence is necessary for favourable health outcomes, it is essential to examine the obstacles youth face in adhering to HAART. The present investigation sought to identify these barriers and to systematically examine the experiences and attitudes youth have towards medications. Twenty-five adolescents and young adults presenting to a public primary care facility for treatment of HIV infection were asked to participate in focus groups which explored their attitudes and experiences around medication adherence. Participants provided richly detailed descriptions of the challenges of managing HIV stigma and their efforts to hide their status from friends, family, doctors, and even themselves. Fifty percent of respondents indicated that they skipped doses because they feared family or friends would discover their status. These results suggest that HIV stigma impacts treatment for youth on several levels, from the accuracy of communication with medical providers to medication adherence, subsequent health outcomes, and the emergence of treatment resistant strains.

This study examined the HIV risk behaviors and life experiences of 151 transgender female youth, ages 15-24, in Los Angeles and Chicago. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression modeling were used to identify life factors associated with ever having engaged in sex work. Sixty-seven percent of participants had ever engaged in sex work and 19% self-reported being HIV positive. Many factors were significantly associated with sex work for this sample population. A final multivariate logistic regression model found that lower education status, homelessness, use of street drugs, and perceived social support remained significantly associated with sex work when controlling for other factors. Findings highlight the complex HIV risk environment and suggest a need for sex work initiation research for transgender female youth. HIV prevention efforts for this population need to include broad-based approaches that take into account individual, social, and community-level factors relevant to the lives of transgender female youth.

Background This study examined the feasibility of a combination prevention intervention for young men who have sex with men (YMSM), an anticipated target population for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Methods Project PrEPare, a pilot study using a randomized 3-arm design, compared an efficacious behavioral HIV-prevention intervention (3MV) alone, 3MV combined with PrEP (tenofovir/emtricitabine), and 3MV combined with placebo. Eligible participants were 18–22 year old HIV-uninfected men who reported unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in the past year. Participants were screened for preliminary eligibility at youth venues and community organizations, and were also referred through social networks. Laboratory screening determined final eligibility. Behavioral and biomedical data were collected at baseline and every 4 weeks thereafter for 24 weeks. Results Sixty-eight youth (mean age = 19.97 years; 53% African-American, 40% Latino were enrolled; 58 were randomized. Self-reported medication adherence averaged 62% (range 43–83%) while rates of detectable tenofovir in plasma of participants in the FTC/TDF arm ranged from 63.2% (week 4) to 20% (week 24). There were 5 ≥ Grade 2 adverse events possibly/probably related to the study medication. Sexual risk behavior declined from baseline to week 24 in all study arms. Conclusions The feasibility of enrolling at risk youth, particularly YMSM of color, into Project PrEPare has been demonstrated. The acceptability of the group intervention along with counseling and testing was high. Self-reported medication adherence and corresponding plasma drug concentrations were low indicating the need for enhanced adherence counseling. Exploration of PrEP use among youth in non-randomized, open label trials is warranted.

To explore whether HIV stigma negatively impacts adherence to antiviral medications in HIV-infected adolescent women, moderational analysis was conducted and factors identified that could alter said relationship. Study participants were 178 adolescent females age 15-24, enrolled between 2003-2005, from 5 different cities and 60 provided adherence information. Findings reported by this cohort of 60 adolescent women included: medication adherence, 64.3% reporting adherence at baseline and 45.0% at 12 months; HIV stigma score of 57.60 (standard deviation [SD], 11.83; range, 25-86). HIV stigma was not found to be a significant predictor when binary logit regression was run with medication adherence at 1 year. Using moderational analysis, factors that could moderate stigma's effect on medication adherence was still pursued and identified the following to be significant at 12 months: health care satisfaction (B = -0.020, standard error [SE] = 0.010, p < .05); and Coping (proactive coping strategies [B = 0.012, SE = 0.005, p < .05]; turning to family [B = 0.012, SE = 0.016, p < 0.05]; spiritual coping [B = 0.021, SE = 0.010, p < 0.05]; professional help [B = 0.021, SE = 0.010, p < 0.05]; physical diversions [B = 0.016, SE = 0.007, p < 0.05]). Factors that had no significant moderating effects included: social support measures (mean = 74.9; median = 74.0) and depression score greater than 16 = 43%. We conclude that HIV-infected adolescent women experience HIV stigma and poor adherence over time. Factors like health care satisfaction and coping may minimize stigma's effect on medication adherence. Our findings are tempered by a small sample size and lack of a direct relationship between stigma and adherence on binary logit regression analysis.

Adolescents have the capacity to improve their immunologic status with HAART. Lower than expected success in virologic control is related to lack of adherence, and efforts to improve treatment outcome must stress measures to assure adherence to medication.