The role of family caregivers in HIV medication adherence

Abstract

This study examines the role that mid-life and older wives and mothers play in promoting medication adherence among their HIV-infected husbands or adult sons who require daily living assistance. Interviews were conducted with 112 caregiving dyads, with caregivers reporting on their own behaviours and attitudes towards medications, and care-recipients (persons living with HIV [PLH]) providing information about their own adherence practices. By examining how caregiver characteristics, behaviours, and attitudes may influence PLH adherence it is explicitly recognized that caregivers and PLH are linked within a caregiving dyad. Findings indicate that caregivers often remind PLH to take medications, but these reminders are not significantly associated with adherence. Caregivers also report strong attitudes about medication hassles, concerns over treatment failure and general concerns about adherence. Controlling for background characteristics, high perceived adherence hassles on the part of the caregiver were associated with low PLH adherence, providing evidence of shared influence within the caregiving dyad. Adherence interventions may maximize their effectiveness if they consider the role of the family caregiver because these data suggest that caregiver attitudes are linked with PLH adherence behaviours.