Relationships Among Adherence and Physical and Mental Health Among Women Living with HIV in Rural India

AIDS Behav. 2018 Mar;22(3):867-876. doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1631-3.

Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional examination of the physical and psychological factors related to ART adherence among a sample of 400 women living with HIV/AIDS in rural India. Interviewer-administered measures assessed adherence, internalized stigma, depressive symptoms, quality of life, food insecurity, health history and sociodemographic information. CD4 counts were measured using blood collected at screening. Findings revealed that adherence to ART was generally low, with 94% of women taking 50% or less of prescribed medication in past month. Multivariate analyses showed a non-linear association between numbers of self-reported opportunistic infections (OIs) in past 6 months (p = 0.016) and adherence, with adherence decreasing with each additional OI for 0-5 OIs. For those reporting more than 5 OIs, the association reversed direction, with increasing OIs beyond 5 associated with greater adherence.

Keywords: AIDS; India; Opportunistic infections; Women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / psychology
  • Female
  • Food Supply
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • Health Status*
  • Humans
  • India
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence*
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Rural Population
  • Social Stigma*

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents