Complementary and alternative medicine and adherence to care among HIV-positive Latino gay and bisexual men

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which HIV-positive Latino gay and bisexual men utilized complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and to explore the relationship between CAM use and adherence to treatment. The sample consisted of 152 HIV-positive Latino gay and bisexual men. Eighty percent of participants reported use of some form of CAM. Asian CAM was most commonly used, followed by herbal remedies and Latino CAM. Adherence to Western medical care was also explored, with more than two-thirds of the sample adhering completely to recommendations concerning seeing the doctor, taking medications and following instructions. The relationships between CAM use and Western medical care were examined with logistic regressions. Those who used Latino CAM were less likely to keep doctors’ appointments, follow physicians’ recommendations and adhere to the prescribed medication regimen in the past three days. Plant-based CAM was also significantly related to non-adherence to Western medicine.

Acknowledgments

Funding for data collection for this paper was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, NIMH 1 R01 MH 60545 (María Cecilia Zea, PI, Paul J. Poppen and Carol A. Reisen, Co-Investigators). Writing of this paper was supported by NIMH F31 MH13029-01A1 (Nadine Jernewall). We would like to thank the men who participated in this study.