Dataset Information

Influence of the First Consultation on Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV-infected Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Physician attitude influences the way patients cope with diagnosis and therapy in chronic severe diseases such as cancer. Previous studies showed that such an effect exists in HIV care; it is likely that it begins with the first contact with a physician.

Objective

We aimed to explore in HIV-infected persons their perception of the first consultation they had with an HIV specialist (PFC-H), and whether this perception correlates with adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

Method

The study was conducted in Grenoble University Hospital, France, a tertiary care center. Every antiretroviral-experienced patient was asked to freely complete a self-reported, anonymous questionnaire concerning retrospective PFC-H, present adherence (Morisky scale), and present perceptions and beliefs about medicine (BMQ scale).

Results

One hundred and fifty-one questionnaires were available for evaluation. PFC-H score and adherence were correlated, independently from age, gender, and numbers of pill(s) and of pill intake(s) per day. BMQ score also correlated with adherence; structural equation analysis suggested that the effect of PFC-H on adherence is mediated by positive beliefs.

Conclusion

These results suggest that for HIV-infected persons, the perceptions remaining from the first consultation with an HIV specialist physician influence important issues such as adherence and perception about medicine. Physicians must be aware of this potentially long-lasting effect.

SUBMITTER: Peyre M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5037933 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Stavudine (D4T), zidovudine (AZT), and tenofovir (TDF) along with lamivudine (3TC) are the most widely used HIV treatment regimens in China. China's National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Programme (NFATP) has replaced D4T with AZT or TDF in the standard first-line regimens since 2010. Few studies have evaluated the adherence, virological outcome, and drug resistance in HIV patients receiving first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 2011 to 2015 due to changes in ART regimen.From 2011 to 2015, 2787 HIV patients were examined, with 364, 1453, and 970 patients having initiated D4T-, AZT-, and TDF-based first-line ART regimens, respectively. The Cochran-Armitage test was used to examine the trends in clinical and virological outcomes during 2011 to 2015. Logistic regression was used to examine the effects of different regimens after 9 to 24 months of ART.From 2011 to 2014-2015, adverse drug reactions decreased from 18.9% to 6.7%, missed doses decreased from 9.9% to 4.6%, virological failure decreased from 16.2% to 6.4%, and drug resistance rates also significantly decreased from 5.4% to 1.1%. These successes were strongly associated with the standardized use of TDF- or AZT-based regimens in place of the D4T-based regimen. Poor adherence decreased from 11.3% in patients who initiated D4T-based regimens to 4.9% in those who initiated TDF-based regimens, adverse drug reactions decreased from 32.4% to 6.7%, virological failure reduced from 18.7% to 8.6%, and drug resistance reduced from 5.8% to 2.9%. Compared with patients who initiated AZT-based regimens, patients who initiated TDF-based regiments showed significant reductions in adherence issues, adverse drug reactions, virological outcomes, and drug resistance. Significant differences were also observed between those who initiated D4T- and AZT-based regimens.The good control of HIV replication and drug resistance was attributed to the success of China's NFATP from 2011 to 2015. This study provided real world evidence for further scaling up ART and minimizing the emergence of drug resistance in the "Three 90" era.