Socioeconomic position associated with effectiveness of...(s experienced a reduction in initial reg...)

Date:9/7/2007

s, experienced a reduction in initial regimen failure by 15 to 17 percent. Adherence self-efficacy was described by the authors as a coping resource that reflected the strength of the patients belief in the effectiveness of their medication and their ability to adhere to their treatment regimen. The authors suggest that one reason behind this association may be that coping styles are known to be associated with better immune functioning in individuals with HIV disease.

These findings support health promotion programs focusing on psychological and behavioral aspects associated with therapeutic regimens, which might not otherwise be considered in the treatment of HIV, said Linda Marc, who led the research project while a Doctor of Science candidate in the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health at HSPH. Marc is now a lecturer at Yale School of Public Health and chair of the HIV/AIDS Special Interest Group for the International Society for Quality of Life Research.

Marc and her team also point out that the studys results may be particularly relevant to HIV care in the developing world. However, Marc noted, it is unknown if these results can be extrapolated to resource-poor settings because the trial was conducted with participants who live in developed nations. Marc added that since little is known about the impact of stressors on immune functioning in resource-poor settings, she believes there is a need to promote research methods in these parts of the world that simultaneously examine biological and social factors.

In this way, researchers can better understand the variations of immune functioning and determine what proportion of treatment failure is modifiable through social variables, in contrast to known biological factors of HIV treatment effectiveness, she said.

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Contact: Christina Roache croache@hsph.harvard.edu 617-432-6052 Harvard School of Public Health Source:Eurekalert

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