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Validity of self-reported adherence among injection drug users
Thomas Kerr1, Robert S Hogg, Benita Yip
1British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. uhri@cfenet.ubc.ca
Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (Chicago, Ill. : 2002)
|July 16, 2008
Summary
Self-reported adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may not accurately reflect actual medication adherence in injection drug users (IDUs). Pharmacy refill data showed lower adherence rates than self-reports, indicating potential limitations in self-assessment for this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Prescription refill data for HIV-infected individuals and injection drug users (IDUs) in Vancouver were analyzed.
- Previous studies have relied on self-reported adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the validity of self-reported HAART adherence among IDUs.
- To compare self-reported adherence with objective pharmacy refill data.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort of IDUs in Vancouver was studied.
- Self-reported HAART adherence was compared to pharmacy refill rates from the British Columbia Drug Treatment Program.
- Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation coefficient and Pearson's chi(2) test.
Main Results:
- Among 88 HIV-infected IDUs, 55% had pharmacy-confirmed adherence (≥75%), while 92% reported adherence (≥75%).
- Self-reported adherence was not statistically associated with pharmacy refill adherence (P > .1).
Conclusions:
- Self-report measures for HAART adherence may have limited validity in community-recruited IDUs.
- Objective measures like pharmacy refills are crucial for accurately assessing adherence in this population.
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