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Impact of Pharmacy Proximity and Delivery Services on HIV Viral Suppression Among Low Income Urban Patients

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Abstract

Adherence to antiretrovirals is essential to achieve viral suppression in HIV patients. Unfortunately, numerous barriers to adherence and subsequent viral suppression still exist. This study examines the association between pharmacy location and viral suppression for low income HIV patients. We evaluated whether home delivery services or closer proximity to in-store pharmacies was associated with viral suppression. Patients utilizing delivery pharmacy had increased likelihood of sustained viral suppression compared to in-store pharmacy patients (aOR = 3.430). For patients traveling to pharmacies, there were no differences in proximity for suppressed and non-suppressed patients. Home delivery may aid adherence and improve viral suppression.

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Funding

This study was financially supported by AIDS Funding Collaborative. The sponsors had no role in study design, data accrual, data analysis, or manuscript preparation. NP and AA were responsible for study concept and design. NP acquired data and SL analyzed data. Drafting of the manuscript was done by NP, AA, and SL. Funding was obtained by AA. All the authors had full and independent access to the data and manuscript and were able to revise drafts and approve of the final version. All authors could vouch for the integrity and accuracy of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Nathan Pham & Ann Avery

  2. The Center for Healthcare Research and Policy, Case Western Reserve University at MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Steven Lewis

  3. Department of Infectious Diseases, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA

    Ann Avery

Authors
  1. Nathan Pham
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  2. Steven Lewis
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  3. Ann Avery
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ann Avery.

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Conflict of interest

NP is a consultant with FundRx. AA declares that she has no conflict of interest. SL declares he has no conflict of interest.

Research involving Human Participants

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study formal consent is not required. All study procedures were approved by MetroHealth IRB (IRB 11-01458).

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Pham, N., Lewis, S. & Avery, A. Impact of Pharmacy Proximity and Delivery Services on HIV Viral Suppression Among Low Income Urban Patients. AIDS Behav 22, 1025–1029 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1823-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1823-5

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