Lana Zinger

Medication Adherence Among Hiv Positive Adults in an Urban Clinic: Adherence to Hiv Meds Lana Zinger

Combination antiretroviral therapy can stabilize HIV disease progression and extend the lives of people living with HIV, but strict treatment adherence is required to attain maximal therapeutic outcomes. The purpose of this book was to improve understanding about factors that may influence adherence to antiretroviral treatment in HIV- positive, urban adults and to describe some of the barriers they face in adhering to antiretroviral therapies. Understanding these factors can help in planning educational programs that target barriers and improve adherence to antiretroviral medication regimens. Several implications for practice and research were suggested from the findings. Inner-city clinics are busy, lack funding, and are overbooked. Physicians working in inner-city clinics might need help with supporting patients¿ adherence. This research supports the need for health educators or others to work in tandem with physicians to improve patient-clinician relationships and increase adherence to medication.