Baseline strategies of formation of adherence in HIV infection: results of the survey of specialists

Objective. The evaluation of the views of health workers on the content of the concept of «adherence», as well as the risks of violation of patient adherence to follow-up care and treatment of HIV infection. Materials and methods. In 2017-2018, questionnaire-based survey of 105 specialists was conducted in the framework of certification training courses. The survey participants composed 4 groups; 3 groups were surveyed in 2017: group 1 (n = 34) - in Nizhny Novgorod; group 2 (n = 25) - in Chelyabinsk; group 3 (n = 22) - in Moscow. The group 4 (n = 24) included specialists interviewed in Moscow in November 2018. They indicator questions about the determination of adherence and the risks of its violation were used. Results. It was revealed that the propoirtion of respondents who chose the traditional definition of adherence ranged from 31.3 to 52.2%. Understanding of adherence as a specific human behavior in relation to drug intake was relevant for 35.8% of specialists. The respondents’ choice of the option of risk of violation of adherence, «associated with therapy» (number of drugs, dosage frequency, side effects of drugs) ranged from 38.1% in the group 3 to 60.9% in the group 4. Among the risks of violation of adherence to follow-up care in all groups, the descriptions of problems associated with the emotional state of patients- «fear», «shame» - were leading (from 29.1 to 22.2%). Conclusion. The multimodality of the risks of violation of adherence to follow-up care and treatment of HIV infection requires a comprehensive approach to minimize them, and it can be implemented in the framework of a multiprofessional model of care for HIV infection.

HIV infection, adherence, risks of violation, multimodality