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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Carleen H. Stoskopf, ScD¹, Jong-Deuk Baek, PH D², and Yunho Jeon, MS¹. (1) School of Public Health, Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-5044, stoskoch@gwm.sc.edu, (2) Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter, columbia, SC 29208

Background: This study is to examine the association of the level of communication between HIV patients and their medical providers regarding HIV medication adherence. This study is based on the Supplement to HIV/AIDS Surveillance (SHAS) project that was implemented from 2000 to 2004 in five counties in South Carolina. Out of 874 HIV patients interviewed, 423 were screened as those taking ARV medication, and 307 observations were used.

Method: Patients were classified into one of two groups, those with good communication regarding HIV medications, and patients with poorer HIV medication communication. This was accomplished using four survey questions. Of those patients that reported having gone to someone for advice, patients who answered clinical staff as the usual information source were chosen. If they considered their physician or nurse to be the most useful source of information on HIV medications and if the patient's physician has discussed HIV drug resistance with them, the patient is considered to have “good” clinical communication. Multivariate logistic regression is employed with control variables.

Results: The association between the communication level and HIV medication adherence is statistically significant after controlling for predisposing, enabling, and needs variables. HIV patients who have better communication with their medical providers are 2.424 times more likely to adhere to their HIV medications in this sample.

Conclusions: Better communication would lead patients to better adherence to HIV medications prescribed, and thus improve patients' lives and reduce transmission. Developing interpersonal skills that facilitate communication between medical providers and HIV patients are needed.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the importance of having effective communication between physicans and HIV infected patients to improve the adherence to ARV medications.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No