Treatment adherence among Native Hawaiians living with HIV

Cultural competence is essential in helping people living with HIV cope with the biopsychosocial and spiritual challenges associated with this illness. Efforts to understand the relationship of cultural values and social support practices to health-related behavior have rarely been more critical than in the emerging issue of treatment adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), a multidrug regime that potentially extends the longevity of those living with HIV but may be complex to manage. This article highlights findings from a study on health beliefs, perceived social support, and HAART adherence among Native Hawaiians, a group with historic difficulty in using Western health care services because of cultural conflict. Implications are suggested for social workers and other health care providers in the development of interventions that use cultural preferences to support HAART adherence.