Prospective State and Trait Predictors of Daily Medication Adherence Behavior in HIV.

BACKGROUND: Many persons living with HIV (PLWH) are nonadherent to medication. Trait level measures that ask about predictors of adherence in the abstract may not adequately capture state level daily variability that more directly impacts adherence. OBJECTIVES: This preliminary study was designed to test six predictors of electronically monitored adherence at both the state and trait levels and to compare their relative effects. METHODS: Using a smartphone, 87 PLWH completed randomly cued daily surveys on thoughts, mood, stress, coping, social support, and treatment motivation. All participants also completed baseline surveys on each construct. These state and trait variables were tested as prospective predictors of next-day adherence in multilevel models, and their relative importance was quantified. The analysis sample consisted of 53 PLWH who stored their most frequent antiretroviral medication in a bottle that time-stamped openings to measure adherence. RESULTS: Higher state level motivation, OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.07, 2.24], and negative mood, OR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.07, 1.63], predicted greater adherence the following day. Importantly, these effects were only found at the state level. Trait level control beliefs predicted greater adherence, OR = 1.65, 95% CI [1.17, 2.35], but contrary to prediction, validated trait level measures of mood, stress, coping, social support, and motivation did not. DISCUSSION: Trait and state level measures predicted adherence, but there were differences between them. Motivation for treatment and negative mood predicted adherence when measured the preceding day, but not as aggregate measures. At the trait level, only control beliefs predicted adherence. Researchers should consider state level variations in mood and motivation as possible explanations for nonadherence. Interventions could be developed to target state level variables.

Bidirectional Relationships Between Fatigue and Everyday Experiences in Persons Living With HIV.

Fatigue symptoms are very common among persons living with HIV (PLWH). Fatigue is related to functional and psychological problems and to treatment nonadherence. Using secondary data from ecological momentary assessment, we examined fatigue as a predictor of PLWH everyday experiences. In bidirectional analyses based on the shape shifters model, we also examined these experiences as predictors of fatigue. Data were examined from 67 PLWH who completed daily surveys on a handheld computer. Brief validated scales were used to assess participants' control beliefs, mood, stress, coping, social support, experience of stigma, and motivation. At the beginning and end of the study, fatigue was measured with two CES-D items that have been used in past HIV symptom research. Multilevel models and logistic regression were used to test reciprocal predictive relationships between variables. Moderate to severe fatigue affected 45% of PLWH in the study. Initial fatigue predicted PLWH subsequent overall level of control beliefs, mood, stress, coping, and social support, all p < .05. These state variables remained relatively constant over time, regardless of participants' initial fatigue. In tests for reciprocal relationships with 33 PLWH, average daily stress, OR = 4.74, and stigma, OR = 4.86, also predicted later fatigue. Fatigue predicted several daily survey variables including stress and social support. Stress and support in turn predicted fatigue at a later time, suggesting a self-perpetuating cycle but also a possible avenue for intervention. Future studies should examine daily variation in fatigue among PLWH and its relation to other everyday experiences and behaviors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Low- and High-Intensity Physical Activity Among People with HIV: Multilevel Modeling Analysis Using Sensor- and Survey-Based Predictors.

BACKGROUND: High-intensity physical activity improves the health of people with HIV. Even when people have good intentions to engage in physical activity, they often find it difficult to maintain physical activity behavior in the long term. Two Minds Theory is a neurocognitive model that explains gaps between people's intentions and behaviors based on the operations of 2 independent mental systems. This model predicts that everyday experiences will affect physical activity and that factors outside people's awareness, such as sleep and stress, can have particularly strong effects on physical activity behaviors. OBJECTIVE: We designed this study to test the effects of daily experiences on physical activity among people with HIV, including measures of people's conscious experiences using daily electronic surveys and measures of nonconscious influences using sensor devices. METHODS: In this study, 55 people with HIV wore a Fitbit Alta for 30 days to monitor their physical activity, sleep, and heart rate variability (HRV) as a physiological indicator of stress. Participants also used their smartphones to complete daily electronic surveys for the same 30 days about fatigue, self-efficacy, mood, stress, coping, motivation, and barriers to self-care. Time-lagged, within-person, multilevel models were used to identify the best prospective predictors of physical activity, considering the daily survey responses of people with HIV and sensor data as predictors of their physical activity the following day. We also tested baseline surveys as predictors of physical activity for comparison with daily variables. RESULTS: Different people had different average levels of physical activity; however, physical activity also varied substantially from day to day, and daily measures were more predictive than baseline surveys. This suggests a chance to intervene based on day-to-day variations in physical activity. High-intensity physical activity was more likely when people with HIV reported less subjective fatigue on the prior day (r=-0.48) but was unrelated to actual sleep based on objective sensor data. High-intensity physical activity was also predicted by higher HRV (r=0.56), indicating less stress, lower HIV-related stigma (r=-0.21), fewer barriers to self-care (r=-0.34), and less approach coping (r=-0.34). Similar variables predicted lower-level physical activity measured based on the number of steps per day of people with HIV. CONCLUSIONS: Some predictors of physical activity, such as HRV, were only apparent based on sensor data, whereas others, such as fatigue, could be measured via self-report. Findings about coping were unexpected; however, other findings were in line with the literature. This study extends our prior knowledge on physical activity by demonstrating a prospective effect of everyday experiences on physical activity behavior, which is in line with the predictions of Two Minds Theory. Clinicians can support the physical activity of people with HIV by helping their patients reduce their daily stress, fatigue, and barriers to self-care.

Sensor and Survey Measures Associated With Daily Fatigue in HIV: Findings From a Mixed-Method Study.

Fatigue is the most common symptom among people living with HIV (PLWH), but may have many causes. This mixed-method study was designed to characterize PLWH's fatigue experiences and associated self-management behaviors, using Two Minds Theory. Fifty-five PLWH completed daily smartphone surveys on psychological states and fatigue at random times for 30 days and used a Fitbit Alta™ wristband. Within-person multilevel models were used to identify univariate correlates of fatigue. The first 25 participants also completed qualitative interviews about their experiences, and results were compared across methods. Participants had significant fatigue despite well-controlled HIV. Fatigue varied between persons and over time. Fatigue was associated with physical activity, sleep, daily psychological states, and barriers to self-care. PLWH reported new insights into fatigue from self-monitoring. There are potential opportunities for PLWH to improve sleep, activity, or stress management to alleviate fatigue. PLWH were interested in reducing fatigue and willing to use self-monitoring technology.

Motivation as a Mechanism for Daily Experiences' Effects on HIV Medication Adherence.

Medication adherence is a challenge for people living with HIV (PLWH), who may experience a gap between their intentions and everyday behaviors. We measured PLWH's (n = 87) daily experiences and tested a model to explain the intention-behavior gap. Participants completed baseline questionnaires, then used a smartphone-based survey and an electronic pill bottle to provide daily data for the next 10 weeks. These PLWH, with generally well-controlled HIV, were nevertheless adherent on only 73% of study days. Multilevel analyses were used to test predicted relationships between variables (n = 58). Four of five theory-based daily measures predicted motivation for antiretroviral therapy (betas = 0.06-0.10), and motivation, in turn, predicted adherence. Consistent with our theory, control beliefs, mood, and social support had indirect effects on adherence. However, stress and coping did not. Daily experiences affect adherence, even in PLWH with well-controlled HIV. Providers should ask about everyday changes in motivation.

A counselor in your pocket: feasibility of mobile health tailored messages to support HIV medication adherence.

PURPOSE: Medication adherence is a major challenge in HIV treatment. New mobile technologies such as smartphones facilitate the delivery of brief tailored messages to promote adherence. However, the best approach for tailoring messages is unknown. Persons living with HIV (PLWH) might be more receptive to some messages than others based on their current psychological state. METHODS: We recruited 37 PLWH from a parent study of motivational states and adherence. Participants completed smartphone-based surveys at a random time every day for 2 weeks, then immediately received intervention or control tailored messages, depending on random assignment. After 2 weeks in the initial condition, participants received the other condition in a crossover design. Intervention messages were tailored to match PLWH's current psychological state based on five variables - control beliefs, mood, stress, coping, and social support. Control messages were tailored to create a mismatch between message framing and participants' current psychological state. We evaluated intervention feasibility based on acceptance, ease of use, and usefulness measures. We also used pilot randomized controlled trial methods to test the intervention's effect on adherence, which was measured using electronic caps that recorded pill-bottle openings. RESULTS: Acceptance was high based on 76% enrollment and 85% satisfaction. Participants found the hardware and software easy to use. However, attrition was high at 59%, and usefulness ratings were slightly lower. The most common complaint was boredom. Unexpectedly, there was no difference between mismatched and matched messages' effects, but each group showed a 10%-15% improvement in adherence after crossing to the opposite study condition. CONCLUSION: Although smartphone-based tailored messaging was feasible and participants had clinically meaningful improvements in adherence, the mechanisms of change require further study. Possible explanations might include novelty effects, increased receptiveness to new information after habituation, or pseudotailoring, three ways in which attentional processes can affect behavior.

CE: Nursing in the fourth decade of the HIV epidemic.

OVERVIEW: HIV has evolved over the past 30 years from a virtual death sentence to a chronic and manageable disease. Nurses in the United States have helped to change the epidemic through advocacy, education, care, and support for people living with HIV infection. They have contributed to the expansion of HIV prevention methods, provided support to this population and their families, and helped make HIV treatments more effective and efficient. People with HIV infection who access and remain in care can now enjoy both an improved quality of life and a greater life expectancy. Here, the authors discuss HIV epidemiology and policy in the United States, the concept of the HIV care cascade, advances in HIV testing and treatment, and how nurses can continue to have a positive impact on the HIV epidemic by encouraging testing, connecting newly diagnosed patients to specialty care, retaining these patients in long-term care, and providing access to combination antiretroviral therapy.