The influence of religious beliefs and practices on health care decision-making among HIV positive adolescents.
AIDS Care
; 32(7): 896-900, 2020 07.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31535560
ABSTRACT
It is unknown if religiousness/spirituality influences end-of-life treatment preferences among adolescents. Investigators assessed whether religiousness/spirituality moderates the relationship between an advance care planning intervention and end-of-life treatment preferences among 85 primarily African-American adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in outpatient-hospital-based HIV-specialty clinics in the United States. Adolescents aged 14-21 years living with HIV/AIDS and their families were randomized to three-weekly-60-minute sessions either advance care planning (survey, goals of care conversation, advance directive); or control (developmental history, safety tips, nutrition/exercise). At 3-months post-intervention the intervention effect (decreasing the likelihood of choosing to continue treatments in all situations) was significantly moderated by religiousness/spirituality. Highly religious/spiritual adolescents were four times more likely to choose to continue treatments in all situations. Thus, intensive treatments at end-of-life may represent health equity, rather than health disparity. The belief believed that HIV is a punishment from God at baseline (15%, 14/94) was not associated with end-of-life treatment preferences. Twelve percent (11/94) reported they had stopped taking HIV medications for more than 3 days because of the belief in a miracle. Religiousness moderates adolescent's medical decision-making. Adolescents who believe in miracles should receive chaplaincy referrals to help maintain medication adherence.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
HIV Infections
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
Aspects:
Ethics
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
AIDS Care
Journal subject:
SINDROME DA IMUNODEFICIENCIA ADQUIRIDA (AIDS)
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States