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Risk Factors for Medication Non-Adherence in an HIV Infected Population in the Dominican Republic

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Abstract

High levels of medication adherence are central to HIV treatment success. Barriers to medication adherence may differ by cultural setting. We aimed to determine risk factors for medication non-adherence in HIV infected individuals in the Dominican Republic. Adherence was measured in 300 individuals using a visual analog scale assessing the prior month and dichotomized at 95%. High levels of adherence were reported by 228 (76%). Risk factors for non-adherence included heavy alcohol use: 2.5 times odds (95% CI: 1.4–4.5), having children: 2.2 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.1–4.9) and perceptions of less social support related to adherence: 2 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.1–3.6). Culturally appropriate interventions are needed to address alcohol use, which is common in this setting. Parenting may represent a competing demand on time and resources and be an adherence barrier. Self-reported perceived lack of adherence support may be a useful marker for need for adherence interventions.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful for the support of the National Institutes of Health which supported this research in part through the University of Pennsylvania Center for AIDS Research Clinical (RG) and Developmental (PT) Cores (P30-AI45008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine (Resident), Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Julian Harris

  2. School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Mara Pillinger

  3. Department of Medicine (Resident), University of Washington, Washington, DC, USA

    Deborah Fromstein

  4. Health Promotion and Human Solidarity Center (CEPROSH), Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

    Bayardo Gomez

  5. Galvan Health Center, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Ivelisse Garris

  6. Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Blockley Hall, 804, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6021, USA

    Peter A. Kanetsky & Robert Gross

  7. Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Pablo Tebas & Robert Gross

  8. Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Pablo Tebas & Robert Gross

Authors
  1. Julian Harris
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  2. Mara Pillinger
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  3. Deborah Fromstein
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  4. Bayardo Gomez
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  5. Ivelisse Garris
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  8. Robert Gross
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Correspondence to Robert Gross.

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Harris, J., Pillinger, M., Fromstein, D. et al. Risk Factors for Medication Non-Adherence in an HIV Infected Population in the Dominican Republic. AIDS Behav 15, 1410–1415 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9781-1

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