Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101597

Fred Molitor¹, Jenny Waltermeyer², Jeffrey Leiphart³, Kama Brockmann¹, and Jennifer K. Baham¹. (1) Office of AIDS, CA Dept. of Health Services, P.O. Box 997426, MS 7700, Sacramento, CA 95899-7426, 916-449-5853, JBaham@dhs.ca.gov, (2) ETR Associates, 2210 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95818, (3) Shanti, 730 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Introduction. The Learning Immune Function Enhancement (LIFE) Program is a structured, facilitated, 16-session group intervention designed to improve the health of persons with HIV. Methods. Clients from four of California's publicly-funded HIV care and treatment program were recruited to participate in the LIFE intervention. Clients were randomized into wait-list control or intervention groups. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by wait-list clients 16 weeks apart; intervention clients completed the questionnaires pre- and post-intervention. The study questionnaire included items from the ACTG Adherence Questionnaire and the MOS-HIV. Results. Evaluation data are available from 43 wait-list control and 87 intervention clients. Seventy eight percent of clients were male; 53.8% were white, 22.3% were African American, and 15.4% were Latino. Comparisons of all outcome data for wait-list controls revealed no significant differences. Intervention clients reported greater (p<0.05) adherence overall (Relative Increase(RI)=32%) to antiretroviral medication schedules (RI=27%) and instructions (RI=22%). Significant changes were found for General Health, Cognitive Function, Mental Health, Energy, Health Distress, and Quality of Life MOS-HIV scores. Effects sizes were moderate, except for General Health and Energy. Finally, there was a significant decrease in reported use of drugs to get high, pre- versus post-intervention (Relative Decrease=32%). Discussion. Well-validated measures show increased treatment adherence and quality of life as a result of the LIFE intervention. An overall improved quality of life may be responsible for the significant decrease found for use of drugs to get high. Our wait-list control design lessens the chances that our findings are due to traditional threats to internal validity.

Learning Objectives: From this presentation, participants will be able to

• Understand the purpose of the LIFE Program.
• Appreciate the LIFE Program's impact on treatment adherence.
• Recognize the LIFE Program as an effective means of improving quality of life among persons with HIV from marginalized populations.

Keywords: HIV Interventions, Quality of Life

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.