Objective-The primary aim of this study was to test a psychosocial model of medication adherence among people taking antiretroviral medications. This model was based primarily on social cognitive theory and included personal (self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, stigma, depression, and spirituality), social (social support, difficult life circumstances), and provider (patient satisfaction and decision-making) variables. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007Correspondence to: Colleen DiIorio, cdiiori@sph.emory.edu. Design-The data for this analysis were obtained from the parent study, which was a randomized controlled trial (Get Busy Living) designed to evaluate an intervention to foster medication adherence. Factor analysis was used to develop the constructs for the model, and structural equation modeling was used to test the model. Only baseline data were used in this cross sectional analysis. NIH Public AccessMethods-Participants were recruited from a HIV/AIDS clinic in Atlanta, GA. Prior to group assignment, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included assessment of the study variables.Results-A total of 236 participants were included in the analysis. The mean age of the participants was 41 years; the majority were male, and most were African-American. In the final model, self-efficacy and depression demonstrated direct associations with adherence; whereas stigma, patient satisfaction, and social support were indirectly related to adherence through their association with either self-efficacy or depression.Conclusion-These findings provide evidence to reinforce the belief that medication-taking behaviors are affected by a complex set of interactions among psychosocial variables and provide direction for adherence interventions.

The primary aim of this study was to test an intervention to support antiretroviral medication adherence among primarily low-income men and women with HIV. The study was a randomized controlled trial (Get Busy Living) with participants assigned to treatment (Motivational Interviewing [MI]) and control groups. Participants were recruited from an HIV/AIDS clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, US. Of those referred to the study, 247 completed a baseline assessment and were enrolled with 125 randomized to the intervention group and 122 to the control group. Participants were patients beginning antiretroviral therapy or changing to a new drug regimen. The intervention consisted of five MI sessions delivered by registered nurses in individual counselling sessions. Participants were paid for each session attended. The intervention sought to build confidence, reduce ambivalence and increase motivation for ART medication-taking. Medication adherence was measured by the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) from the time of screening until the final follow-up conducted approximately 12 months following the baseline assessment. Participants in the intervention condition showed a trend towards having a higher mean percent of prescribed doses taken and a greater percent of doses taken on schedule when compared to the control group during the months following the intervention period. This effect was noted beginning at about the eighth month of the study period and was maintained until the final study month. Although the finding was weaker for overall percent of prescribed doses taken, the results for the percent of doses taken on schedule suggests that the MI intervention may be a useful approach for addressing specific aspects of medication adherence, such as adherrence to a specified dosing schedule.

We present the results of a clinical trial that tested the efficacy of using motivational interviewing (MI) in a group format to promote adherence to antiretroviral medications and risk reduction behaviors (RRB) in 203 predominately African American HIV infected women. It was compared to a group health promotion program. Participants were followed for 9 months. Adherence was measured by MEMS®; and RRB by self-report. Controlling for recruitment site and years on ART, no significant group by time effects were observed. Attendance (≥7/8 sessions) modified the effects. Higher MI attendees had better adherence at all follow-ups, a borderline significant group by time effect (p = 0.1) for % Doses Taken on Schedule, a significantly larger proportion who reported abstinence at 2 weeks, 6, and 9 months, and always used protection during sex at 6 and 9 months. Though not conclusive, the findings offer some support for using MI in a group format to promote adherence and some risk reduction behaviors when adequate attendance is maintained.

This project was supported by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation (PhRMA). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of PhRMA. The funding agency was not involved in research design, analysis, or reporting results. Funding was obtained by Abughosh. Holstad provided a consultation regarding the MI guide and provided the MI training. Study concept and design were contributed by Abughosh and Fleming, along with Serna, Esse, and Holstad. Serna, Esse, Mann, Holstad, and Masilamani collected the data, and data interpretation was performed by Abughosh, Wong, and Esse. The manuscript was written by Abughosh, Wong, and Esse and revised by Masilamani and Holstad, along with the other authors.

Objective To determine the frequency and risk factors for falls among middle-aged HIV+ and HIV− women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Methods We quantified self-report of any and multiple (≥2 falls) in the prior 6 months among 1,412 HIV+ and 650 HIV− women with mean age 48 years. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of demographics, behavioral factors, comorbid conditions, and medications with odds of any fall (vs. none) and multiple falls (vs. ≤1 fall). Results At least one fall was reported in 263 HIV+ (19%) vs. 119 HIV− (18%) women, and ≥2 falls reported in 133 HIV+ (9%) vs. 65 HIV− (10%) women. HIV infection was not associated with falls in multivariate analyses. Factors independently associated with any fall included age (aOR 1.71, 95% CI:1.17-2.49 age 50-59 vs. <39y; aOR 2.26, 95% CI:1.38-3.71 age ≥60 vs. <39), current marijuana use (aOR 2.19, 95% CI:1.53-3.13) depressive symptoms (aOR 1.57, 95% CI:1.21-2.05 for CES-D ≥16), subjective cognitive complaints (aOR 2.19, 95% CI:1.56-3.08), neuropathy (aOR 1.59, 95% CI:1.19-2.13), obesity (aOR 1.39, 95% CI:1.08-1.80), number of CNS active agents (aOR 2.98, 95% CI:1.90-4.68 for ≥3 agents vs. 0) and WIHS site. Factors associated with ≥2 falls included age, marijuana use, number of CNS active agents, subjective cognitive complaints, depressive symptoms, neuropathy, and study site. Conclusions Falls were associated with factors affecting cognition, but not HIV status in this large cohort of women. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the incidence and consequences of falls by HIV status as women age.