Examining the Association between Item Specific Treatment Burden and Adherence in People Living with HIV

For the 1.1 million people with HIV (PWH) in the United States, adherence to a HIV anti-retroviral medication regimen, engagement in regular physical activity, and eating a healthy diet are essential for maintaining optimal health. However, treatment burden can increase the risk for self-management non-adherence. We analyzed data of 103 men and women diagnosed with HIV to examine the relationship between medication, physical activity, and diet-related treatment burden to corresponding measures of self-management adherence. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that one medication treatment burden item explained 11% (p=.01) of self-reported 30-day HIV anti-retroviral medication adherence; physical activity treatment burden, along with physical functioning, explained 25% (p<.001) of physical activity, measured by daily average steps; and diet-specific treatment burden was non-significant in maintaining a healthy diet, measured by a total Healthy Eating Index-2010 score. Findings demonstrate that specific treatment burden items can predict specific self-management outcome behavior in PWH.