Marseille 2007
| Abstract #625 - Anger dimensions and adherence to HAART | ||||
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Session: 26.104: Posters B (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Gian Carlo Orofino - Osp. Amedeo di Savoia, Italy |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Paolo Leombruni, Dr Luca Lavagnino, Dr Angelo Picardi, Dr Maria Bolgiani, Prof Secondo Fassino, | ||||
| Aim: Medication adherence is universally recognized as a major determinant of therapeutic benefit in HIV infection. Many barriers to adherence have been identified by current research, among which are illicit drug use, lack of social support and the extent and severity of side effects related to antiretroviral medications. Among the psychological factors, depression has been established as a major factor in determining adherence to antiretroviral therapy. The effects of the dimensions of anger as determinants of adherence to antiretroviral therapy have not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to ascertain the influence of anger dimensions as assessed by the STAXI (state and trait anger inventory) on adherence to antiretroviral therapy. | ||||
| Method / Issue: 138 consecutive hiv-positive patients currently treated with HAART at the outpatient service of Amedeo di Savoia hospital in Torino were asked to complete the STAXI and a questionnaire to assess adherence. | ||||
| Results / Comments: 130 patients returned the questionnaires and were included in the study. In univariate analyses higher age, lower HIV-RNA level, lower trait anger, lower outside-directed anger, and greater anger control were associated with optimal adherence. When controlling for potential clinical or demographic confounding factors in regression models, low trait anger and high anger control were associated with full adherence. Lower HIV-RNA level also appeared to be associated with full adherence. | ||||
| Discussion: Anger dimensions seem to be relevant to the degree of adherence to antiretroviral therapy that patients attain. Understanding psychological determinants of adherence to antiretroviral therapy seems to be particularly important since full adherence to antiretroviral treatment is associated with better response in terms of HIV-RNA levels. | ||||
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