Mind Matters: Treatment Concerns Predict the Emergence of Antiretroviral Therapy Side Effects in People with HIV.

The aim of this analysis of historical data was to determine whether patients' pre-treatment beliefs about antiretroviral therapy (ART) predict the subsequent reporting of side effects. Data were collected as part of a prospective, 12-month follow-up study. Of 120 people starting ART, 76 completed follow-up assessments and were included in the analyses. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing their beliefs about ART, beliefs about medicines in general, perceived sensitivity to adverse effects of medicines, depression and anxiety before initiating ART and after 1 and 6 months of treatment. Adherence was assessed at 1, 6 and 12 months. Pre-treatment concerns about ART were associated with significantly more side effects at 1 month (p < 0.05) and 6 months (p < 0.005). Side effects at 6 months predicted low adherence at 12 months (p < 0.005). These findings have implications for the development of interventions to support patients initiating ART by providing a mechanism to pre-empt and reduce side effects.

A Qualitative Study to Identify Perceptual Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Uptake and Adherence in HIV Positive People from UK Black African and Caribbean Communities.

To inform the development of interventions to increase uptake and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), we explored perceptions of ART in semi-structured interviews with 52 men and women from UK black African and black Caribbean communities. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using framework analysis. Perceptions of ART could be grouped into two categories: doubts about the personal necessity for ART and concerns about potential adverse effects. Doubts about necessity stemmed from feeling well, doubts about the efficacy of ART, religious beliefs and the belief that treatment was futile because it could not cure HIV. Concerns about adverse effects included the fear that attending HIV services and taking treatment would lead to disclosure of HIV, feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of starting treatment soon after diagnosis, fears about side effects and potential long-term effects, and physical repulsion. The findings will facilitate the development of interventions to increase uptake and adherence to ART.

The development of an intervention to support uptake and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV: the SUPA intervention. A brief report.

The effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) depends on prompt uptake of treatment and a high level of adherence over the long-term, yet these behaviors are suboptimal. Previous interventions have significantly improved adherence but effect sizes are generally small. The aim of this article is to describe the design and content of an intervention to support uptake and adherence to treatment in HIV positive patients (SUPA intervention), utilizing cognitive behavioral and motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. The intervention was developed in line with Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for the development of complex interventions and informed by the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Guidelines for adherence, empirical evidence and focus groups. Behavior change techniques were mapped to perceptual and practical barriers to uptake and adherence to ART, identified in previous research. Intervention materials were designed and later discussed within focus groups, where feedback enabled an iterative process of development. We conclude it is possible to transparently report the design and content of a theory-based intervention to increase uptake and adherence to ART. The intervention has been evaluated within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at 10 HIV clinics in England, the results of which will be reported elsewhere.