• Poorer adherence to HAART and risky sex behavior within HIV-serodiscordant couples (TuOrD335)
  Authored by R.H. Remien, G. Wagner (United States)

This presentation explored one of the aspects of behavior in patients who are either adhering or not adhering to their medication regimen. The authors explored how much congruence there was in people's behavior, in terms of medication adherence and safe sex adherence. Forty-two couples were selected in which one member of the couple was on medications for HIV. These couples were in long-term relationships, with an average of nearly five years together. Patients who were less adherent had, as expected, a higher viral load than those who were adherent with medication. In addition, patients who were less adherent also felt that antiviral medications were less effective. The researchers noted that patients not adherent with medications were also less adherent with safer sex practices, as defined by unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with their primary partner.

The implications here can be seen in our concerns about the ways to minimize the amount that drug-resistant HIV spreads among persons in a community, whether a partner is HIV-positive or -negative. Here the authors report that the patients most likely to have resistant HIV due to problems with adherence are also more likely to be less strict about safer sex practices. These results continue to push us to maximize our efforts to explore multiple ways of improving adherence and improving human behavior in all of its facets in this epidemic.