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. 2011 Nov;15(8):1888-94.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-011-9924-z.

Longitudinal change in cognitive function and medication adherence in HIV-infected adults

Brian W Becker  1 , April D Thames, Ellen Woo, Steven A Castellon, Charles H Hinkin
Affiliations

Longitudinal change in cognitive function and medication adherence in HIV-infected adults

Brian W Becker et al. AIDS Behav. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Neuropsychological (NP) dysfunction has been linked to poor medication adherence among HIV-infected adults. However, there is a dearth of research examining longitudinal changes in the relationship between NP status and adherence rates. We hypothesized that declines in NP functioning would be associated with a corresponding decline in medication adherence while stable NP functioning would be associated with stable or improving adherence rates. Participants included 215 HIV-infected adults who underwent cognitive testing at study entry and six months later. Compared to the NP stable group, the NP decline group showed a greater drop in adherence rates. Further analysis revealed that, beyond global NP, learning and memory was significantly associated with changes in adherence rates. These findings further support the link between cognitive functioning and medication adherence and illustrates the importance of documenting changes in cognitive abilities for identifying individuals at risk for poor adherence.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Medication adherence rates among neuropsychologically stable and declining HIV-infected participants. Error bars indicate the standard error of the mean. Mo.# indicates the month of the study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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