Racial differences in attitudes toward protease inhibitors among older HIV-infected men

Recent advances in the treatment of HIV infection, particularly those associated with the advent of a new class of medications--protease inhibitors (PIs)--have focused interest on the problem of medication non-adherence. Earlier research on antivirals suggests that patient attitudes toward a medication or treatment play an important role in influencing its use. Attitudes toward PIs were explored using data from a study of late middle-aged and older adults (ages 50-67) living with HIV/AIDS (N = 38) who had been or were currently users of PIs at the time of accrual in late 1997. Comparisons were made between African American and White men with regard to perceptions of: medication efficacy, self-efficacy, physician competence, quality of life, side effects, skipping medication doses and the timing of protease initiation. Results of these analyses suggest significant differences between White and African American men. African American men not only expressed significantly more doubt regarding their ability to utilize PIs and adhere to PI treatment regimens than Whites, but also reported significantly more doubt regarding physician competence with regard to PIs. African American men were also more likely than Whites to question the timing of their initiation of treatment with PIs. The findings suggest that these racial differences may be important for creating patient education strategies and the targeting of non-adherence prevention efforts.