The influence of depressive symptoms and substance use on adherence to antiretroviral therapy. A cross-sectional prevalence study

• Autor(a) principal: Tufano,Claudia Siqueira
• Data de Publicação: 2015
• Outros Autores: Amaral,Ricardo Abrantes do, Cardoso,Luciana Roberta Donola, Malbergier,André
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: São Paulo medical journal (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-31802015000300179
• topic: HIV; Depression; Medication adherence; Antiretroviral therapy, highly active; Immune system

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is not a stable condition, but is dynamic, like mental conditions. The aim of this study was to examine whether non-adherence to ART is related to demographic and immunological variables, substance use and presence of depressive symptoms.DESIGN AND SETTING:This was a cross-sectional prevalence study carried out at a public AIDS treatment center in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, between July 2006 and January 2007.METHODS:438 patients on regular ART schedules with recent laboratory tests answered a demographic questionnaire, questions about substance use, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ).RESULTS:The prevalence of non-adherence over the past three months (a pattern of treatment interruption) was 46.3%, and 27.2% also reported this in the past week (a pattern of missed doses). ART interruption was significantly related to older age, lower CD4+ cell count and homosexual/bisexual transmission. The pattern of missed doses was significantly related to younger age, higher HDRS scores and higher viral load of RNA HIV.CONCLUSION:ART interruption may reflect recall errors and changes to the Brazilian demographic characteristics of HIV infection. The missed doses may reflect lifestyle characteristics of younger individuals. Attendance for HIV-positive individuals, particularly younger patients, should involve interventions and counseling in relation to the presence of depressive symptoms.