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325499
Association between perceived HIV stigma and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV in Guangxi, China


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Xiaoming Li, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Prevention Research Center, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Liying Zhang, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Prevention Research Center, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Zhenping Lin, MD, School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
Yuejiao Zhou, MD, Guangxi Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, China
Shan Qiao, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Prevention Research Center, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Bonita Stanton, MD, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Background: Antiretroviral therapy is lifelong for most patients and to date the adherence to ART is suboptimal. The association between HIV stigma and adherence to antiretroviral treatment is still poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the associated between perceived HIV stigma and treatment adherence among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who were using ART in Guangxi China.    

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 2,987 PLHIV aged ≥18 years was conducted in 2012 in Guangxi Autonomous Region (Guangxi) which has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in China. Participants reported the number of days of completing the daily dose in the past 30 days. Adherence is defined in the current study as PLHIV completing the daily dose more than 29 days in the last month (≥95%, 29 days). Perceived HIV stigma was measured using 6 items (Cronbach α=.91). Multivariate logistic regression method was employed.

Results:Of the total sample, 2,146 (72.1%) participants had initiated utilization of ART and 61.3% (n=1316) were male. Mean age was 42.47 years (SD=12.47). Results of multivariate logistic regression indicated that perceived HIV stigma was significantly associated with adherence (p<0.01) after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Conclusions: Our findings indicated the significant association between HIV related stigma and ART adherence. To improve ART adherence, HIV stigma reduction interventions targeting multiple level influence are needed.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Define adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV. Analyze the association between perceived HIV stigma and treatment adherence among people living with HIV in China.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have conducted the analysis and involved in developing the research questions.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4278.0: International Issues in HIV/AIDS