General health status and adherence to antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence is crucial in lowering HIV/AIDS-related mortality. General health status is known to predict mortality, but no study has assessed its association with HAART adherence. A total of 103 whites, African Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos with HIV/AIDS underwent an interview using validated measures. Regression analyses assessed the relationship between general health status and HAART adherence while controlling for social support, sense of control, depression, stress, HIV stigma, substance abuse, and unfair treatment because of race. Those rating their general health as fair/poor were 4 times more likely to be nonadherent (odds ratio [OR], 4.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-15.79). This association dramatically strengthened in the multivariate regression model (OR, 10.96; 95% CI, 1.46-82.36) after controlling for the covariates. Conclusion: General health status was the strongest predictor of HAART nonadherence, and future research is needed to assess whether this 1-question general health measure can be clinically used to influence adherence. © 2008 Sage Publications.