Cognitive and behavioural correlates of non-adherence to HIV anti-retroviral therapy: Theoretical and practical insight for clinical psychology and health psychology

Abstract

This cross-sectional study identified variables associated with protease inhibitor (PI) non-adherence in 179 patients taking anti-retroviral therapy. Univariate analyses identified 11 variables associated with PI non-adherence. Multiple logistic regression modelling identified three predictors of PI non-adherence: low adherence self-efficacy and seriousness of non-adherence and HIV (p < .001), perceived absence of HIV associated illness (p < .01), and use of more than one type of recreational drug (p = .001). The model correctly classified 83.9% of the sample, offers psychologists insight into psychological barriers to treatment adherence to guide interventions for improving adherence, and supports a modified version of the reformulated health belief model.

Keywords:

• Clinical/health psychology
• health belief model
• HIV
• medication adherence
• protease inhibitors

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the patients who participated in this study. We would also like to thank the following multidisciplinary staff for their active support in conducting this study: Sarangapany Jeganathan, Amanda Callaghan, Tonia Rihs, Charmaine Turton, Fraser Drummond, Virginia Furner, Harry Michelmore, Sylvia Brydle, and Gary Wright.