Agreement between self-reported knowledge and medical record data.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• People living with HIV (PLWH) require regular monitoring of laboratory results and antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens.
• Accurate recall of health information is crucial for effective patient-provider communication and adherence to treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of self-reported CD4 count, viral load, and ART regimens among socially and economically marginalized PLWH.
• To identify demographic factors influencing the accuracy of self-reported health data in this population.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis of a cohort of 200 PLWH.
• Statistical analysis using kappa statistics (k) to measure agreement for CD4 count, viral load, and ART regimen recall.
• Comparison of self-reported data against medical records.

Main Results:

• Moderate agreement was found for CD4 count (k = .58) and viral load (k = .43).
• Only 43% of PLWH accurately recalled their ART regimens.
• Older PLWH (≥50 years) and those with health insurance demonstrated higher accuracy in reporting CD4 counts (k = .77 and k = .61, respectively).
• Women showed greater accuracy in reporting viral load compared to men (k = .53 vs. k = .38).

Conclusions:

• PLWH exhibit variable accuracy in self-reporting key health indicators, with ART regimen recall being particularly challenging.
• Age and health insurance status are associated with improved CD4 count recall.
• Educational interventions should be multifaceted to enhance PLWH's understanding and recall of CD4 counts, viral load, and ART regimens in relation to their health.