Publication Cover
AIDS Care
Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Volume 23, 2011 - Issue 1
1,679
Views
32
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Improving HIV/AIDS care through treatment advocacy: going beyond client education to empowerment by facilitating client–provider relationships

, , , , &
Pages 79-90 | Received 01 Sep 2009, Published online: 06 Jan 2011
 

Abstract

Treatment advocacy (TA) programs have been implemented by AIDS service organizations (ASOs) and primary care clinics across the USA to help engage clients with HIV into care and support their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). TA aims to empower people with HIV through education and client-centered counseling regarding HIV, ART, and other health issues; advocate on behalf of patients with providers; and make referrals to healthcare services and clinical trials. However, relatively little is known about the impact TA has on clients' healthcare experiences. The present study's objectives included exploring how TA services help clients engage in HIV care, initiate ART, and adhere to HIV medications. We conducted 25 semi-structured qualitative open-ended interviews with clients living with HIV/AIDS recruited from AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA); four HIV medical providers; and two TA staff at APLA. Of the 25 clients interviewed, 92% were male and 8% were female. The average age was 43 years (SD=9). About 60% were African-American, 20% were White, 12% were other or multiracial, 4% were Latino, and 4% were Asian/Pacific Islander. Five interconnected themes consistently emerged across clients, TAs, and providers. TAs helped clients understand treatments and supported adherence within a holistic context. Further, TAs acted as a bridge to providers and helped clients build self-advocacy skills. Our data show that TA services go beyond traditional areas of education and treatment adherence. TA services within an ASO also provide a safe place to discuss initial HIV diagnoses and other health issues in a more comprehensive manner. TA services complemented medical and other social services by preparing clients with HIV to be better consumers of healthcare services. Future quantitative research examining the effectiveness of TA on improving clients’ engagement in care and adherence is a critical next step.

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the grant is (R21 NR010284, PI: Bogart). The development of this manuscript was also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant number (U48/DP000056, PI: Kaplan). The authors wish to acknowledge the study participants, the members of the treatment advocacy community advisory board (CAB), and the many interns and volunteers who helped support this project, including Philicia Castillo, Caleigh Douglass, Chassity Griffin, Matthew Louie, Vaidehi Mahadev, Jessie Tang, and Lynnea Waters. We would also like to thank Jacinta Elijah, Jennifer Patch, and Alexa Rabin for coding and Bryce McDavitt for his thoughtful contributions to the study and review of this paper.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 464.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.