Preliminary findings of an intervention integrating modified directly observed therapy and risk reduction counseling

Various interventions have been proposed to address these ongoing needs of HIV-positive patients as they encounter challenges with medication adherence and risk reduction. This report presents the findings of a study that pilots 'DAART+', an intervention that integrates modified directly observed therapy (MDOT), and risk reduction counseling for a population of marginally housed, substance-using persons. The pilot study intended to assess the feasibility of the intervention and to obtain data to assess the intervention's potential effectiveness. The preliminary data reveal that 83% of participants who completed the intervention (n=18) had undetectable viral load (VL) (VL< or =400 copies/mL) which represents a 2.15 log(10) decrease from baseline. Risk behaviors also changed modestly with self-reported increases in condom usage.