AUTHOR=Ribeiro Clarisse , Sarmento e Castro Rui , Dinis-Ribeiro Mário , Fernandes Lia 

TITLE=Effectiveness of Psycho-Educational Intervention in HIV Patients’ Treatment

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2014

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00198

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00198

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is the main prognostic factor associated with HIV disease progression and death. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-educational program to promote adherence to HAART in HIV patients. A longitudinal study (n=102) over 9 months in an Infectious Diseases Hospital was carried out. Adherence to HAART was measured with standardized scales and values of viral load. Two groups were defined: adherents and non-adherents. In the latter, a psycho-educational program was implemented and 6 months later measured adherence to HAART. Knowledge about the infection, CD4 T lymphocytes and HIV-ribonucleic acid (HIV-RNA) values were measured before and after this program. The sample was predominantly male (70%), heterosexual (78%), with a mean age of 49 (sd=12.7) years, and 48% of participants were not adhering to HAART. After the program, non-adherence decreased to 21.6%. Knowledge about the infection increased from 79% to 97%. A significant increase in CD4 T lymphocytes (mean 540 to 580) and a decrease in viral load (mean 5411 to 3052) were observed, the latter of statistical significance. This program seems to be feasible and efficient, improving adherence to HAART.