An Educational and Supportive Counseling Program for Increasing Antiretroviral Use and Adherence in People With HIV

HIV is a virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease that breaks down the immune system and allows for entry of life-threatening secondary infections. HIV is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, primarily through sexual intercourse. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has proven to be an effective treatment for inhibiting the replication of HIV, allowing for improved quality of life and survival. Despite the widespread availability and effectiveness of ART, a large number of people with advanced AIDS are not on the therapy, and a number of HIV-infected people die because they are unable to access ART. The Preparing Patients to Start Antiretroviral Therapy (PATH) program is designed to inform patients about HIV treatment and to provide motivation, information, and skills to enhance treatment decision-making. The PATH program may help increase ART use and adherence. This study will develop and test the effectiveness of PATH in helping people with HIV make informed decisions about their healthcare. This study will be divided into two phases. Phase 1 will last a total of 60 to 90 minutes and will consist of an interview about participants' relationships with friends and family and a medical history. Participants will also provide a blood sample for CD4 count and viral load measurements, returning 1 week later for the lab results. Eligible participants will then be invited to partake in Phase II of the study, which will last 12 months. Over the 12-month study, participants in Phase 2 will be randomly assigned to Group A or Group B. Group A will be asked to attend at least three individual sessions with a counselor and one group workshop meeting with HIV experts and other people with HIV who have previously been treated with ART. The individual sessions will last 60 minutes and will involve discussion about health care options and information on the latest advances in HIV treatment. The group workshop meeting will last 3 hours and will involve teaching participants about HIV treatment and what it is like to undergo treatment. Participants assigned to Group B will attend one individual counseling session and one group workshop, both of which will cover much of the same information as the Group A sessions. Treatment for Group B will not occur until the last month of the study. Any participants in either group who decide to start taking medications for HIV during the study will be visited monthly by a research assistant who will ask about medications and check medication adherence. Participants will also be expected to check in monthly with the research team. All participants will complete four 90-minute interviews, occurring at baseline and Months 3, 6, and 12. Interviews will include questions about relationships with friends and family, healthcare and drug-using behaviors, mental state, personal background, and education. All participants will also provide blood samples to measure CD4 count and viral load at Months 6 and 12. Selected participants may be asked to complete an additional exit interview about their opinions surrounding participation in the study.