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Barriers to HIV Medication Adherence as a Function of Regimen Simplification

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Barriers to HIV medication adherence may differ by levels of dosing schedules.

Purpose

The current study examined adherence barriers associated with medication regimen complexity and simplification.

Methods

A total of 755 people living with HIV currently taking anti-retroviral therapy were recruited from community services in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants completed audio-computer-assisted self-interviews that assessed demographic and behavioral characteristics, provided their HIV viral load obtained from their health care provider, and completed unannounced phone-based pill counts to monitor medication adherence over 1 month.

Results

Participants taking a single-tablet regimen (STR) were more likely to be adherent than those taking multi-tablets in a single-dose regimen (single-dose MTR) and those taking multi-tablets in a multi-dose regimen (multi-dose MTR), with no difference between the latter two. Regarding barriers to adherence, individuals taking STR were least likely to report scheduling issues and confusion as reasons for missing doses, but they were equally likely to report multiple lifestyle and logistical barriers to adherence.

Conclusions

Adherence interventions may need tailoring to address barriers that are specific to dosing regimens.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant R01AA021471 and National Institute of Drug Abuse grant R01DA033067, Seth C. Kalichman PI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06268, USA

    Yiyun Chen MA & Seth C. Kalichman PhD

  2. Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Kun Chen PhD

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  1. Yiyun Chen MA
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  2. Kun Chen PhD
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Correspondence to Seth C. Kalichman PhD.

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Authors’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Authors Yiyun Chen, Kun Chen, and Seth C. Kalichman declare that they have no conflict of interest. All research procedures were approved by the University of Connecticut Institutional Review Board and adhered to the ethical guidelines for human participants research set forth by the American Psychological Association.

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Chen, Y., Chen, K. & Kalichman, S.C. Barriers to HIV Medication Adherence as a Function of Regimen Simplification. ann. behav. med. 51, 67–78 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9827-3

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