Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) for People Living With HIV in a National Hospital in Mexico:...

Area of Science:

• Medical Science
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is crucial for viral suppression and quality of life in people with HIV.
• The Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) is an indirect method for assessing medication adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the SMAQ in men living with HIV/AIDS in a Mexican national hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with men over 18 years old on ART for at least 3 months.
• Data analysis included descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity assessments, and correlation analyses between adherence, viral load, and CD4 counts.

Main Results:

• The SMAQ demonstrated sufficient structural validity and acceptable reliability (Cronbach's α=0.702, ω=0.718).
• Adherence to ART was significantly correlated with viral load.
• Adherent patients were three times more likely to have undetectable viral loads (OR 3.31, P=.04).

Conclusions:

• The SMAQ is an adequate tool for assessing ART adherence in men living with HIV within the Mexican context.
• Findings support the use of SMAQ for future intervention programs aimed at improving adherence and health outcomes.